In today’s posting, I would like to share with you some specifics about the Year of the Snake as well as some background to the Asian Zodiac system as a whole.
That said, you may also be interested in reading three related posts on
1) One New Year, Many Traditions: Lunar New Year Customs Around The World
That said, you may also be interested in reading three related posts on
1) One New Year, Many Traditions: Lunar New Year Customs Around The World
https://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/01/one-new-year-many-traditions-lunar-new.html
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/01/lunar-new-year-celebrations-around.html
2) List of 250 Year of the Snake Festivals from 33 countries outside East Asia at
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/01/lunar-new-year-celebrations-around.html
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/01/lunar-new-year-celebrations-around.html
2) List of 250 Year of the Snake Festivals from 33 countries outside East Asia at
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/01/lunar-new-year-celebrations-around.html
The Asian Zodiac Briefly Explained
The Asian Zodiac (or horoscope) associated with the Asian or Chinese New Year is taken very seriously by those who follow it in their tradition. The significance attributed to the combinations associated with the Asian horoscope affect business decisions, dates selected for important events such as weddings, and many other aspects of daily life. These views are widely shared, with a larger following than any single religion -- Western or Eastern. As a result, these beliefs should be treated with the respect accorded a religious belief (rather than with that of superstition as Western astrology is sometimes treated). 
The Lunar Calendar
Because the Asian lunar calendar follows the moon, it seems to move within our solar-based Gregorian calendar. Moreover, the Gregorian calendar does not correspond fully with the Asian lunar calendar. Thus, February 10 marks the beginning of the Asian lunar calendar only this year (for instance, it began last year on January 23, 2012 with the last day of that year -- Year of the Dragon -- falling on February 9, 2013).
The Twelve Animals of the Zodiac
Because the Asian lunar calendar follows the moon, it seems to move within our solar-based Gregorian calendar. Moreover, the Gregorian calendar does not correspond fully with the Asian lunar calendar. Thus, February 10 marks the beginning of the Asian lunar calendar only this year (for instance, it began last year on January 23, 2012 with the last day of that year -- Year of the Dragon -- falling on February 9, 2013).
The Twelve Animals of the Zodiac
The lunar calendar runs on a cycle of 12 years each represented by an animal. The animals all have a balance of compatability or incompatability as represented in their place in the circle of the 12-year cycle. This year is the Year of the Snake.
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| The 12 Animals of the Zodiac |
The 12 animals in their order are
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
Each animal corresponds to a month of the lunar year. The dragon corresponds to the fifth animal in the cycle.
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| Snake, Zhou Dynasty, 11-10 Century BCE Boston Museum of Fine Arts |
The Five Elements of the Wu Xing Cycle
Additionally, each 12-year cycle of animals runs on an additional cycle corresponding to the Wu Xing cycle of the five traditional Chinese elements. These are
- metal
- fire
- wood
- water
- earth
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| Wu Xing Cycle |
The five elements are in balance with each other, the basis of much of feng shui.
Green or Blue?
Each element is also associated with a color. In the case of wood that color is green or blue (as seen in the Wu Xing Cycle diagram above). While the Chinese element "wood" is most associated in Chinese belief with the color green, note that in Korean 푸르다 (pureu-da), in Japanese 青 (ao), in Mandarin Chinese 青 (qīng) and in Vietnamese xanh all carry the meaning of both blue and green. This is way the Year of the Green Wood Snake can also rendered as the Blue Wood Snake.
, Vietnam by artisan Bui Van QuanEach element is also associated with a color. In the case of wood that color is green or blue (as seen in the Wu Xing Cycle diagram above). While the Chinese element "wood" is most associated in Chinese belief with the color green, note that in Korean 푸르다 (pureu-da), in Japanese 青 (ao), in Mandarin Chinese 青 (qīng) and in Vietnamese xanh all carry the meaning of both blue and green. This is way the Year of the Green Wood Snake can also rendered as the Blue Wood Snake.
Right: Blue Snake, Daily Report, Arirang News, Seoul
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| Left: Green Snake, | Hùng Sơn, Bắc Giang |
Combined, each element combines with each animal over a period of 60 years. The current 12-year cycle combines with the element of Wood. Thus, this year is the Year of the Green or Blue Snake.
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| Snake, Han Dynasty (202 BCE-220 CE) Shanghai Museum |
Spiritual Importance of the Asian Horoscope
Many followers of the Asian zodiac have a formal religious belief in the importance of the animal element combinations associated with each year in the 60-year cycle. This is clearly the case for those practicing Taoism.
For Taoists, the New Year is always of religious significance. This because in Taoism, the Lunar New Year's first day is a time when lesser deities or spirits are believed to ascend to the throne of the Jade Emperor (King of Heaven). In Taoist tradition, the 12 animals were in a contest to greet the Jade Emperor; a 13th animal – the cat – was tricked by the rat (about five variations of how exist), which explains why cats have hated rats ever since. A children's version of this story is told in an very pleasant rendition at the Topmarks education site. I encourage you to take a look at this version at http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/ZodiacStory.aspx |
| The 12 Zodiac animals in their race |
The New Year is a religious event as well for a great number of the sects of Buddhism, and most famously for Tibetan Buddhists. In Buddhist tradition, the 12 animals were in a race to do honor to Lord Buddha on the eve of his death. The rat and cat story is part of this tradition, too. Incidentally, the rat was the first animal to greet Buddha. He did so by helping the ox (which had poor eyesight) find his way across a stream by riding on his head. When the two reach Lord Buddha on the other shore, the rat jumped off the ox’s head, reaching Lord Buddha first.
Additionally, though Confucianism is not technically a religion (but rather a philosophical system) its followers also traditional observe the lunar New Year to show reverence to their ancestors. Because of this, even Christians in countries such as Korea or Vietnam
That said, for all the culturally diverse places in which the Asian New Year is celebrated, the calendar on which it is based does have its origins in China. The first written records of the calendar and the celebration of the New Year date to China’s Shang Dynasty (1766-1050 BC), although traditionally it is believed to date back to the rule of the semi-mythical Yellow Emperor Huang Di around 2600 BC.
Personality Traits and Asian Astrological Year
Many people attribute a great deal of significance to the personality traits attributed to the animal associated with the year in which they are born. Each animal has its own traits, and then each animal and element combination has their own subtraits. These are explained later in the blog.
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| Detail from Snake with Skink (1877) by Kitagawa Utamaro Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
The Year of the Snake is associated with good luck in general, and especially in issues of material wealth. For those who believe in the tradition, as with all Asian Horoscope years, those born in a previous Year of the Snake (e.g., 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001 0r 2013) will find this year an especially auspicious year.
It is important to note that the animal of one’s birth year is not seen as fully able to stand on its own in understanding an individual’s personality traits and tendencies. These at a minimum must, as we have discussed, take into account the associated five elements. Additionally, East Asian astrologers account for the inner or secret animal assigned by the day of the month and hour of the day on which one is born. In all, there are 8640 combinations (e.g., 12 months, 5 elements, 12 months, 12 times of day).
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| Snake by Ai Weiwei Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC |
Geomancy, Feng Shui and Zodiac Consultants' Influence
The importance attributed to the predictions of the each animal affects business and political decisions for over one billion people. Among the notable masters, many have an influence among Chinese and other East Asian diaspora communities as well as a growing number of non-Asian adherents. Among the earlier populizers of East Asian zodiac forecasting were book authors such as Man-ho Kwok who published over a dozen books in English on the subject in the 1990s.
As the Internet grew and ties with East Asian business leaders became more intertwined, many other Masters grew in importance outside of East Asia. For example, the Trump organization and Donald Trump himself relied on the guidance of New York-based Master Pun-Yin in the building of Trump Tower. Canadian-based Paul Ng was notable already for a wide range of clients in 66 countries before his appearances on US-based CNN in 2013, US-based Bloomberg TV and Canada's CTV in 2014 made him a recognizable figure thereafter to a wide audience. Likewise Hong Kong-based Grand Master Raymond Lo has had audience's well outside of China also appearing on the BBC, CNN, "Good Morning America" more. He has carried a wide following since his prediction of the fall of the USSR's Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991, the 2000 NASDAQ collapse, and the re-election of Barack Obama in 2012.
Lunar New Year is not exclusively Chinese
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| East Asian lunar zodiac |
"Chinese Astrology" Is Not An Accurate Term
"Chinese astrology" is not an accurate term for three reasons. The Lunar New Year is
- Not exclusively Chinese
- Not based on constellations
- Taken much more seriously, more as a religious or cultural belief system
Lunar New Year is not exclusively Chinese
As discussed in my other blog post One New Year, Many Traditions: Lunar New Year Customs Around The World, The Asian Lunar New Year is observed in its own unique -- non-Chinese -- from in Vietnam (Tet), Mongolia (Tsagaan Sar and Bituun), Korea (Seollal), Bhutan and Tibet (Losar) and Japan (Oshogatsu), among others. It is also observed by those from these backgrounds living in other countries.
As discussed in my other blogpost One New Year, Many Traditions: Lunar New Year Customs Around The World, The Asian Lunar New Year is observed in its own unique -- non-Chinese -- form in
- Vietnam (Tet)
- Mongolia (Tsagaan Sar and Bituun)
- Korea (Seollal)
- Bhutan and Tibet (Losar)
- Japan (Oshogatsu)
Note that many Southeast Asian Buddhist countries celebrate their Spring Festival in April. For 2025 this falls on April 13-15 where it is celebrated as Songkran in Thailand, Pi Mai in Laos, Chol Chnam Thmey in Cambodia, and Thingyan in Myanmar. Look for my coverage of those in April. All of these countries have some recognition of the Chinese or Vietnamese Spring Festival in recognizing their friendship with these countries and the many people of that background living in these nations.
Origins of the Lunar New Year
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| The Yellow Emperor Huang Di |
That said, for all the culturally diverse places in which the Asian New Year is celebrated, the calendar on which it is based does have its origins in China. The first written records of the calendar and the celebration of the New Year date to China’s Shang Dynasty (1766-1050 BC), although traditionally it is believed to date back to the rule of the semi-mythical Yellow Emperor Huang Di around 2600 BC.
Lunar New Year Is Not Based on Star Constellations
A second reason the phrase "Chinese astrology" is a misnomer is that the system really has almost nothing to do with constellations as astrology does in the West. It is less a reading of the stars than an interpretation of the importance of the time, date and year in which one is born. To the extent that when one is born matters to Western-style astrology, there is a correspondence. Moreover, there is another similarity as the five elements in the system, in fact, do correspond with the five planets known in ancient China.
,%20Shaanxi%20Archaeology%20Institute,%20Xian,%20China%20.jpg) |
| Tang Dynasty (8th Century) Shaanxi Archaeology Institute, Xian, China |
Lunar Zodiac System Corresponds with Religious or Deeply-Held Belief System
The East Asian Lunar Zodiac is best approached as a religious belief. For several religions, this is true. Yet even for those who follow little or no formal religion in East Asian cultures recognize the Zodiac System as deeply-held beliefs.
Because of these corresponding commonalities with Western astrology, people call the Asian system’s combinations of animals and elements the lunar or Chinese “horoscope”. This is a bit of a misnomer, however, not only for the reasons just described but because the way in which people view the two “horoscopes” is very different.
The difference is that many people in Europe, Australia and the Americas consider the Western zodiac horoscope of star signs (Scorpio, Sagittarius, etc.) to be a form of superstition, a game or something believed only partially.
The difference is that many people in Europe, Australia and the Americas consider the Western zodiac horoscope of star signs (Scorpio, Sagittarius, etc.) to be a form of superstition, a game or something believed only partially.
This is NOT the case with the Asian lunar horoscope cycle, where people follow their sign very seriously. As a result, the system, though it transcends that of any specific religion, should be treated with the respect accorded religious beliefs. In any case, the point here is that in a cross-cultural and inter-religious sense, the issue of lunar horoscope animal element signs should be treated with respect.
The Seriousness of Widespread Belief: Two Examples
The Asian Lunar New Year should be approached less as some sort of superstition than as a belief (although each individual may hold differing views).
As one of many examples, it might be worth looking at an article last year that was widely distributed by the Associated Press. This was a report out of Seoul entitled “Year of Dragon could be China's time to lead Asia.” The article’s opening sentence reads:
This is the Year of the Dragon in China, one for bold decision-making and strong leadership, and one that may see the country emerge as the political power of Asian football. http://news.yahoo.com/dragon-could-chinas-time-lead-asia-020101296--spt.html
The point of view of this article is significant, not because it tells us something about Chinese leadership in the world of football, but because those who take the Asian calendar seriously would consider this a newsworthy factor. Here the contrast to Western astrology is notable. Very few would cite the Western horoscope in such a fashion, let alone in an article widely distributed by the AP.
For an even stronger example of how much importance people give the influence of the Asian Lunar New Year signs, it is instructive to see how seriously the PRC government responded to the belief among many that 2024's Year of the Wooden Dragon would be the "Year of the Widow." As Matthew Loh reported in Business Insider (Jan., 25, 2024):
China is debating whether the government should warn against superstitions that say 2024 is a bad year to marry as the country frets over its declining and aging population. "There are folk rumors that this year is the 'Year of the Widow' and is not suitable for marriage," said a letter to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs.
As China has been facing a rapid decline in birth rate, this represented a clear threat. The decline is of concern for the future of working age adults, consumer size and real estate demand. In 2023, the PRC's National Bureau of Statistics announced that for the first time in 60 years, its population has declined. The number 60 is significant here as this was the last full cycle of the Zodiac from the last Year of the Wooden Dragon.
The logic of why it is unlucky to marry this year makes sense in terms of the reasoning of the zodiac. As Loh (cited above) explains:
The belief involves the lack of a "beginning of spring" day, also known as lichun, at the start of a lunar year.
This year's lichun falls on February 4, before the Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 10, meaning the coming year won't include a beginning of spring day.
Such a lunar year is sometimes dubbed the "Year of the Widow" because ancient superstition associates spring with masculine energy, and getting married at such a time is thought to bring bad luck and divorce.
A non-believer may disregard this, but the "Year of the Widow" is believed by hundreds of millions. One video posted on January 11, 2024 posted on the Chinese social media site Weibo already had 300 million views in its first two weeks.
The point of view of this article is significant, not because it tells us something about Chinese views of the marriage decline as much as that those who take the Asian calendar seriously would consider this a newsworthy factor. Here the contrast to Western astrology is notable. Very few would cite the Western horoscope in such a fashion, let alone in an article widely distributed by the Business Insider or openly addressed by the Chinese government.
The two 2024 examples are not oddities. The Year of the Snake for 2025 continue in their significance. For example, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said:
In the oriental zodiac, 2025 is the year of the “wood snake.” The “wood” represents the
Japanese PM Ishiba strength to progress towards goals while maintaining harmony with one’s surroundings, and the “snake” has long been considered a symbol of fertility and vitality.The previous “wood snake” year was 1965, the year Japan began the “Izanagi Boom,” and the whole country was brimming with vitality. Although Japan was not as affluent as it is today, there were smiles on everyone's faces—elderly people, young adults, and children alike—radiating energy and vitality. In keeping with the spirit of the “wood snake,” the Ishiba Administration aims to pool collective wisdom and make this year one that brings prosperity and smiles to everyone.
Chang Duckhyun, CEO of South Korea's Samsung Electro-Mechanics, concluded his New Year's address to the company by saying:
“Like a blue snake, we must be _ and adept in dealing with our surroundings with foresight and thorough preparation.” https://www.samsungsem.com/global/newsroom/news/view.do?id=8862
In a similar light, several business articles (both inside and outside of Asia) referred to Year of the Snake when making predictions on nations in East Asia. For just one example, in an article entitled "Financial spring-cleaning in Year of the Snake" from Singapore's Business Times, Lorna Tan writes:
With the Chinese lunar calendar’s Year of the Snake beginning on Jan 29, we can emulate the characteristics of the snake. Occupying the sixth position in the Chinese zodiac, the snake is often associated with wisdom, flexibility, intelligence, and transformation. These are the same attributes that can help us to be on the lookout for fresh opportunities and ways to enhance our financial wellness.
The point of all of this is to emphasize that the importance of the lunar calendar and its animal cycle should be taken seriously.
Year of the Snake
Double Spring Year
This particular Lunar Year is a rarity because it will contain two Spring Festivals. As Lin Wenjing in Buddha 3 Bodhi explains:
2025 is particularly special because it is a "Double Spring Year" (双春年). The phenomenon of a Double Spring occurs when there are two Start of Spring (立春) – the first day of spring – within one year. This happens because 2025 is a leap year, which means an additional month (leap June) is added to the lunar calendar, causing two Start of Spring dates: one in early February (February 3, 2025), and another at the very end of the lunar year (February 4, 2026). In ancient times, the occurrence of a Double Spring year was seen as an auspicious event, symbolizing new beginnings, growth, and prosperity.
Western vs. Asian Views of Snakes
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| East Asia has no tradition of the Serpent as in this detail from Lucas Cranach's Adam and Eve (1526) Courtauld Institute of Art, London |
In the East Asian tradition, the snake is generally a positive, second only to its close kin the dragon as a the symbol of good luck and material wealth. In East Asia, no tradition of the snake as evil exists. There is no association of the snake or serpent with the banishment from the Garden of Eden tradition of the Western religions.
Unlike the Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition of evil serpents tempting Eve into sin, Asian religions -- most notably Hinduism, Jainism, Taoism and Buddhism -- view snakes as one of protection.
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| Vishnu sheltered by the snake Adishesha Parsurameswar Temple Bhupaneswar, Orissa, India |
In Hinduism, snakes -- especially cobras -- are associated with several dieties. Vishnu is often sheltered by the five-headed cobra Adishesha. Similarly, Ganesha is often shown with a snake encircling is stomach. Likewise Shiva is often depicted with a cobra wrapped around his neck as he dances. The Hindu festival of Nag Panchami venerates lives snakes or images of them.
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| Cobra shading Parsvanatha India, 12th Century Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Since the Asian Lunar Calendar deals primarily with Taoist and Buddhist roots, though, it is the view of these two faiths toward snakes that carries the most importance here, and in both Taoism and Buddhism snakes are also viewed favorably.
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| Jade Emperor Jade Emperor Temple Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
In the Taoist tradition, the Jade Emperor gave the snake the second place of honor, behind only the dragon, that most-favored of all the 12 animals. Originally, the snake was not favored at all by the Jade Emperor. The snake was angry and began biting people and other animals.
Man-Ho Kwok in his book on Chinese Astrology (listed in the bibliography below) relates the rest of this Taoist tale regarding the snake and the Jade Emperor as follows:
Although the snake was summoned before the Jade Emperor and asked to stop [his angry ways], he was an obstinate animal and he continued. As a punishment, his four legs were taken from him... Ashamed by his past behaviour, the snaked turned his efforts towards helping the people in an attempt to redeem himself. He helped his relative, the dragon, to control the rains and he donated his body to be used as medicine after his death. Impressed, the Emperor gave the snake a place just after the dragon in the animal signs. (Kwok, p. 22)
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| Buddha on coiled naga snake Wat Chedi Jet Thaew, Thailand |
The view of snakes is likewise positive in Buddhism. It was a great cobra, for instance, that protected the Buddha under the mucalinda tree during the sixth week after his enlightenment. As recounted by the Buddha Dharma Association's "Life of the Buddha" on Buddha.net, the story goes:
The Buddha then went and meditated at the foot of a mucalinda tree. It began to rain heavily and a huge king cobra came out and coiled his body seven times around the Buddha to keep him warm and placed his hood over the Buddha’s head to protect him from the rain. After seven days the rain stopped and the snake changed into a young man who paid his respects to the Buddha. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/buddhism/lifebuddha/17lbud.htm
Indeed, one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Buddhism is the site of the Buddha's enlightenment at Bhodghaya in India's Bihar state. There in Muchalinda Lake is a statue of the cobra Muchalinda shading the Buddha at what believers hold to be the exact spot where the event took place.
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| Muchalinda shading the Buddha Muchalinda Lake, Bhodghaya, Bihar |
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| Guardian naga Angkor Wat, Cambodia |
Because of this relationship with the Buddha at Bhodghaya, snakes frequently depicted as protecting entities in Buddhist Temples. This is particularly the case in the Buddhist traditions of Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma. In these traditions, the snakes are known as the temple guardian nagas. Nagas, for example, are a common feature of the famous temple at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
All of this is to explain that in the Asian tradition, snakes are viewed quite differently than they are customarily seen in Europe, Australia and the Americas. While snakes are respected and treated with caution, they have on the whole a postive image in much of Asia.
Famous Snake People
Finally Snake people's natural intellect and passion for the new produce a large number of scientists including Charles Darwin, Sir Alexander Fleming, and Edward Jenner.
Famous Snake People
The Snake's self-confidence -- second only to the Dragon among all Zodiac signs -- results in a high number of Snake people who are world leaders. Among the world leaders of particular importance are both Mao Zedong who was the PRC's first leader and Xi Jinping who is China's current leader.
Snake people's lack of trust in others may have resulted in the disproportionate number of Snake leaders who were assassinated, such as the US leaders Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr as well as India's Indira Gandhi, Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto, and Romania's Nicolae Ceausescu.
That same self-confidence and ability to adapt quickly leads Snake people to be well-represented in sports, with an extraordinary number of boxing champions, including Muhammad Ali, Tommy Burns, Billy Conn, Floyd Mayerweather, Max Schmelling, and Leon Spinks.
The Snake's ability to "shed their skin" and begin things anew results in a disproportionate number of Entrepreneurs such as Michael Dell, Guccio Gucci, Howard Hughes, Mike Ilitcchm, Martha Stewart and Oprah Winfrey
Groundbreakers in the arts (Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, I.M. Pei) music (Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Bob Dylan, Shania Twain, Jacques Brel, Psy, Berry Gordy, and Ella Fitzgerald), actors (Audrey Hepburn, Jessica Chastain, Robert Downey, Jr.) and film producers (Otto Preminger, Cecil B. DeMille) and writers (Anne Frank, Goethe, Edgar Allan Poe, Anne Rice, J.K. Rowling)
Political leaders
- Bashar al-Assad, Syrian director from 2000 until his ouster in 2024
- Yasser Arafat, Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) from 1969 until his death in 2004
- Kemal Mustafa Atatürk, Founder of the Republic of Turkey and its first President of Turkey
- Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani Prime Minister (elected and removed several times until her assassination by Islamist terrorists in 2007)
- Sveinn Björnsson, First President of Iceland
- Nicolae Ceausescu, Romanian Communist Dictator from 1965-1989
- John Conyers (US), longest-serving African American member of Congress
- Gaston Eyskens, 3-time Belgian Prime Minister known for overseeing the independence of the Congo from Belgium
- India Gandhi, Indian Prime Minister (1966-77 and 1980-84)
- William Gladstone, 4-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom serving 12 years over non-consecutive terms under Queen Victoria
- Bob Hawke, 23rd Prime Minister of Australia elected 4 times and known for his government’s social welfare reforms
- Félix Houphouët-Boigny, first president of Côte d’Ivoire from independence in 1960 until his death in 1993
- John F. Kennedy, 35th US President
- Martin Luther King, Jr. (US), US Civil Rights activist
- Abraham Lincoln, 16th US President
- Emmanuel Macron, President of France since 2017
- Mao Zedong, Founder and leader of the PRC from its founding in 1949 until his death in 1976
- Ferdinand Marcos (Philippines), 10th President and later dictator of the Philippines (1965-1986)
- Dmitry Medvedev Russia) Former President and PM of Russia
- Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egypt), coup leader then later elected 2nd President of Egypt known for seizing control of the Suez Canal from the UK and France
- Making Razak (Malaysia), Prime Minister of Malaysia from 2009 to 2018 accused of corruption when almost US$1 billion from the 1MDB Malaysian development fund went missing
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States
- Bernie Sanders (US), Senator from Vermont and former Presidential candidate
- José María Velasco Ibarra 5-times President of Ecuador
- Wilhelm I, 1st Emperor of Germany
- Xi Jinping (PRC), General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and supreme leader of China since 2012
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President since 2018
Athletes
- Muhammad Ali (US), Heavyweight boxing champion
- Tom Brady (US), seven-time Super Bowl winning quarterback
- George Brett (US), baseball great and one of four players in MLB history to accumulate 3,000 hits, 300 home runs, and a career .300 batting average
- Tommy Burns, the only Canadian-born World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
- Billy Conn (US), World Light Heavyweight Champion boxer known as the “Pittsburgh Kid”
- Stefan Edberg (Sweden), with nine Grand Slam titles
- Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski (US), NFL tight end and 4-time Super Bowl champion
- Floyd Mayerweather, Jr. (US), Boxing champion in multiple weight classes with an undefeated record of 49–0
- Arnold Palmer (US), Golfer with 62 PGA Tour wins
- Scottie Pippen (US), six-time NBA Champion basketball player
- Max Schmeling (German), Nazi-era boxer best-known for his fights with US boxer Joe Louis
- Leon Spinks (US), Boxer who defeated Ali
- Michael van Gerwen (Dutch), Dart player with three PDC World Championships
- Helen Wills Moody (US), Tennis player with 31 Grand Slam titles
Entrepreneurs
- William E. Boeing (US) Aviation pioneer and founder of Boeing aerospace company
- Michael Bloomberg (US) Entrepreneur founder of Bloomberg L.P., 3-term mayor of New York and Presidential candidate
- Ettore Bugatti, (Italian-born French) Founder of Bugatti car company
- Liz Claiborne (Belgian-born US), Fashion designer and co-founder of the eponymous Claiborne Inc fashion company
- Michael Dell (US), Founder, CEO and Chairman of Dell Technologies
- Guccio Gucci (Italy), Founder of the Gucci fashion house
- Arthur Guinness (Irish) Brewer and entrepreneur who founded Guinness Brewery
- Whitney Wolfe Herd (US), Founder and CEO of Bumble and co-founder of Tinder
- Tim Horton (Canadian), Hockey great turned entrepreneur co-founder of Tim Horton’s doughnut and fast food chain
- Howard Hughes (US) Aviation entrepreneur, real estate mogul, Hollywood producer, and philanthropist
- Mike Ilitch (US), Entrepreneur who founded Little Caesar Pizza chain and owner of both the Detroit Red Wings of the Major Hockey League and the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball teams
- Cyrus McCormick (US), Founder of McCormick Harvesting Machine Company (now known as International Harvester) and inventor of the mechanical harvester
- Günter Quandt (German) Industrialist who founded both BMW and Altana
- Song In-joon (So. Korean) founder and CEO of IMM PE, So. Korea's leading private equity fund
- Henry E. Steinway (German-born US) Piano maker and founder of Steinway & Sons
- Martha Stewart (US), Founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
- Hans Wilsdorf (German) Founder of Rolex
- Oprah Winfrey (US), Media entrepreneur
Other business leaders
- Dam Seo-won, Orion's executive director
- Jang Se-joo (So. Korean), Chairman of of Dongkuk Steel Group
- Shin Chang-jae (So. Korean), Chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance
Artists and Architects
- Carlo Carrà, Italian futurist painter
- Carmen Córdova, Argentine architect noted for Colegio Mayor Argentino in Madrid
- Ben Enwonwu (Nigerian), Painter and sculptor often called “Africa’s greatest artist”
- Fernand Léger, (France), cubist painter, sculptor and filmmaker
- Joan Miró, Catalan surrealist painter and sculptor
- I. M. Pei Chinese-born YS architect known for the Glass Pyramid at the Louvre in Paris, the Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, the Miho Museum near Kyoto, the JFK Presidential Library in Boston, the OCBC Centre in Singapore, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar
- Pablo Picasso (Spain), painter, sculptor, ceramicist, and theater designer and among the most influential artists of 20th century
Musicians and Music Producers
- Chet Baker, US jazz trumpeter known as the “King of Cool Jazz”
- Béla Bartók, Hungarian classical composer and among founders of the field of ethnomusicology
- Björk Icelandic singer and composer
- Jacques Brel, Belgian singer/songwriter considered the master of the modern French chanson
- Bob Dylan, US singer/songwriter and only songwriter to win the Nobel Prize for Literature (in 2017)
- Billie Eilish, US singer/songwriter
- Ella Fitzgerald, US singer/songwriter known as the “Queen of Jazz”
- Berry Gordy, Music Producer and Motown founder
- Mississippi John Hurt, US blues singer/songwriter and guitarist
- Dr. John (Mac Rebenack), US singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist known for his New Orleans blues and voodoo mix
- Carole King, US singer/songwriter
- Cyndi Lauper, US singer/songwriter
- Otis Redding, US singer/songwriter and music producer
- Andrés Segovia, Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist
- Taylor Swift, US singer/songwriter
- Shania Twain, Canadian singer/songwriter “Queen of Country Pop”
- Girls' Generation members Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, and Yuri, born in 1989
- Psy, Korean K-Pop singer best-known for his "Gangnam Style"
- Gerard Way, US lead singer of My Chemical Romance
Actors, Film Directors, and Producers
- Tim Allen (US), Actor best-known for the sitcom “Home Improvement,” the Christmas “Santa Clause” movies, and as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story movies
- Rowan Blanchard (US), actress best known for her role of Riley Matthews on the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World
- Jessica Chastain (US), Oscar-winning actress
- Cecil B. DeMille, Director and producer of over 70 films making him the the most commercially successful movie producer-director of all time
- Robert Downey, Jr., (US), actor best-known for his role as Iron Man
- Maggie Gyllenhaal, US actress
- Audrey Hepburn, Belgian-British humanitarian UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and actress EGOT-winning ( Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards) as well as three BAFTA Awards
- January Jones, US actress best known for playing the role of Betty Draper in Mad Men
- Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and US actress
- John Malkovich, US actor and director
- Marlee Matlin, US actress and the only deaf performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, which she won for "Children of a Lesser God"
- Hattie McDaniel, first African-American woman to win an Academy Award
- Aly Michalka, US actress
- Christopher Plummer, Canadian Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony Award-winning actor
- Otto Preminger, Hungarian-born US film producer
- Daniel Radcliffe (UK), actor best-known for his role as Harry Potter
- Edward G. Robinson (Romanian-born US) Actor famed for his “tough guy” roles
- Mae West (US) Actress and considered among movie industry’s first “sex symbols”
Writers
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria), novelist and known for “Half of a Yellow Sun”, “Americanah,” and her TED Talk "We Should All Be Feminists” which Beyoncé sampled in her song “Flawless “
- Anne Frank, German Jewish diarist Holocaust victim
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Greatest writer in German, author of “Faust”
- Heinrich Heine, German lyric poet
- Juan Ramón Jiménez (Spanish) Poet and author of “Platero and I” and winner of the 1956 Nobel Prize in Literature
- Imre Kertész (Hungary), novelist, Holocaust concentration camp survivor, and recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Literature
- Lu Xun (PRC), Central figure of modern Chinese literature and Mao’s favorite writer
- Edgar Allan Poe (US) Poet and short story writer who created the first detective story “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” (the Edgar Award for mystery writing is named for him), wrote among the earliest science fiction short stories and is famed for his horror stories (such as “The Telltale Heart” and “”The Pit and the Pendulum”) and poems (such as “The Raven”)
- Anne Rice (US), novelist best-known for her Mayfair Witches and Vampire Chronicles series
- J.K. Rowling (UK), novelist best-known for the Harry Potter series
- Jean-Paul Sartre (France), Existentialist philosopher and playwright (“No Exit”)
- Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, English author of “Frankenstein”
- Muriel Spark, Scottish novelist and WWII spy, known for "The Comforters" and “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie”
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson, English, Poet Laureate for most of Victorian-era British Empire
Scientists
- Carl David Anderson (US), Physicist who discovered the positron and the muon for which he won the 1936 Nobel Prize in Physics
- Nicholas Appert (French), “Father of food science” who invented the airtight food container
- Charles Darwin (UK), creator of the Theory of Evolution
- Gertrude B. Elion (US), Biochemist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1988
- Hans Fischer (German), Chemist who synthesized bilirubin and haemin (including hemoglobin) and mapped out the make-up of chlorophyll, and winner of the 1930 Nobel Prize for Chemistry
- Sir Alexander Fleming (Scottish) Microbiologist who discovered penicillin for which he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945
- Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Ethiopia), Head of the World Health Organization
- Stephen Hales (English) Physiologist, botanist, chemist and inventor who invented the first pneumatic trough for collecting gasses and was the first person to measure blood pressure in humans and root pressure in plants,
- Walter Rudolph Hess (Swiss) Physiologist who mapped the human brain regions controlling the internal organs who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1949
- Edward Jenner (English), Scientist who developed vaccination, including the smallpox vaccine
- George Ohsawa (Japanese) Founder of the field of macrobiotics
- Hermann Staudinger (German) Chemist who discovered polymers for which he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1953
- Albert Szent-Györgyi (Hungarian) Physiologist who was the first to isolate Vitamin C for which he won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1986
- Harold Urey (US) Physical chemist whose work on nuclear isotopes and discovery of deuterium won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934
Others
- Tommy Flores, English computer engineer best-known for his creation of Colossus, the world's first programmable digital compute
- Keiji Inafune, Japanese video game designer best known as co-developer of the Mega Man
- Paul Krugman, US economist and author who won the 2008 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on international trade
- Yuji Naka, Japanese video game designer best known as the co-creator of Sonic the Hedgehog
- John Oliver, English comedian best known his HBO show "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" for which he was won 6 Emmys
- Georg Friedrich Strass, Alsatian inventor of rhinestones
- Barbara Walters, US broadcast journalist
Personality Traits Associated with
Year of the Snake
It is important, again, to emphasize that for many people, the traits described here are taken very seriously and, by many others, at least somewhat seriously. The descriptions that follow are general traits. Professional astrologers in East Asia bore down through the specific year in the 60-year cycle (the element), the specific day and the specific hour of birth. As mentioned above, this produces 8640 possible permutations. The characteristics of any given year's zodiac animal, therefore, is considered by believers to be a very general influence.
Positive Snake Traits
People born in the Year of the Snake have specific characteristics associated with them, a great many of which are considered very positive, such as gracefulness, intelligence and the ability (and drive) to attain material possessions.
In particular, Snake people are masters of the new -- because, like the snake shedding its skin -- they can re-create themselves. As the popular site ChineseAstrologyOnline.com puts it:
The snake's ability to shed its skin represents renewal, transformation, and continuous growth, making zodiac Snakes practical visionaries, good leaders, and great thinkers.
Those born in the Year of the Snake are – on the positive side -- considered to be naturally graceful, quick-witted and particularly good at acquiring material possessions. People born under the sign of the snake are extreme sophisticates. Snake people are thought to be at once the most enigmatic as well as the most intellectual of the signs. As one online site explains:
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| Snake netsuke Japan, 19th Century Ashmolean Museum, Oxford |
Snake is the wisest, deepest thinker, most enchanting and biggest enigma of the Chinese cycle. Snake people are endowed with deep philosophical understanding. They are born thinkers who excel in finding solutions to complex problems. They make deals and do the killing when they judge the moment is right. Depth and charisma make the Snake a formidable presence. What you see is not what you get. http://chinesehoroscop-e.com/Snake%20Zodiac.html
In contrast to the Western folk views of snakes, the East Asian zodiacal version of the snake is something akin to a mix of the Western folklore regarding the owl and fox: wisdom and slyness.
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| Buddha with snakes, Mandalay, Myanmar |
On the negative side, people born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be loners to a fault. As explained on the University of Washington's Chinese Zodiac site:
Of the twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac, the sixth animal, the snake is the most mysterious and are also the wisest. They don’t allow others to know about them that much and they usually keep things to themselves... [S]uch people are also stubborn and overconfident. They ignore others’ opinion and only follow their own judgment, which is right most of the time
People born in the Year of the Snake, in the view of believers, are the most complex of all the zodiacal signs. This is illustrated in a complex mix of stinginess tied up with an overly generous trait for those they do help. This, in turn, leads to a negative possessiveness to those of whom they choose to take care. As the Radford University Chinese Astrology site puts it:
Snakes are a bit tight when it comes to lending money, though his sympathy for others often leads him to offer help. The fatal flaw in his character is, in fact, a tendency to exaggerate – in helping friends as with everything else. If he does somebody a favor, he becomes possessive towards them in an odd way. https://sites.radford.edu/~nrvnews/news/chinese/horoscope/horoscope.doc
Finally, people born in the Year of the Snake are viewed as complex in terms of love relationships as well. As Man-Ho Kwok (see bibliography) writes, people born in the Year of the Snake:
have a very seductive nature, and when you have resolved to woo someone, you plan your moves carefully and do not abandon your quest lightly. You are a humorous and romantic partner who jealously guards important relationships; even if you wander off to flirt with others, you are determined not to lose what you already have. p. 23.
As for the year governed by the snake, the complicated characteristics that govern the people also, for believers, will govern the year. Things as they appear on the surface, believers hold, are not what actually are likely to be in reality. As a result, years governed by the snake are years for thinking carefully before acting.
Green Wood Snake
This year, 2025, as noted before, is the Year of the Green (or Blue) Wood Snake.
As the popular site ChineseAstrologyOnline.com puts it:
The Zodiac Snake is in the Fire group, containing Yang-Fire, Yang-Earth, and Yang-Metal. Yang Earth is associated with high mountains, while Yang Metal is linked to strong wind. Yang-Fire relates to the sun, heat, summer, and vitality. People with a strong Fire element are often energetic, passionate, and enthusiastic.Because this year's Yin-Wood serves to tempering these Yang elements. As ChineseAstrologyOnline.com goes on to explain:
Yin-Wood is associated with grass, flowers, weeds, or vines that can quickly grow and spread. Yin-Wood likes sunshine and can endure strong wind, symbolizing growth, endurance, imagination, innovation, and brainstorming.
As Monica Sager explains in her Newsweek article "It's the Year of the Wood Snake—A Guide to the 2025 Lunar New Year":
Paired with the wood element, which is one of the five elements in Chinese metaphysics, there's a sense of grounding within the year. Wood represents strength and growth. With the snake, wood creates a sense of adaptability and transformation.
General forecasts, however, need to be balanced against each person's own Zodiac animal and element (and refined with each person's day and time of birth). Victor Sanjinez and Joe Lo in their January 21, 2025 article "All you need to know about the Year of the Snake" in the South China Morning Post provide an excellent interactive visual guide to the Year of the Green Wood Snake. I highly recommend the article for a quick summary. That said, for now, the guide by Zodiac animal for the year generally suggests
- Auspicious Year: Rat. Rabbit (very), Dragon, Horse (very), Sheep/Goat (very), Monkey, Rooster
- Neutral Year: Ox, Dog,
- Inauspicious Year: Tiger (very), Snake, Pig
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| Year of the Snake sidewalk plate Philadelphia Chinatown |
http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2013/01/lunar-new-year-celebrations-around.html
Happy Year of the Snake!
Want to Learn More
China Voc.com "Zodiac" http://www.chinavoc.com/zodiac/index.asp
Chinese Fortune Calendar http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/5EBasic.htm
Chinese Horoscop-e.com, "Snake" http://chinesehoroscop-e.com/Snake%20Zodiac.html
Chinese Zodiac.org, "Year of the Snake" http://www.chinesezodiac.org/snake
Man-ho Kwok, Chinese Astrology: Forecast Your Future from Your Chinese Horoscope, Tuttle Publishing, 1997.
Theodora Lau, The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes (6th edition), Collins Reference, 2007.
Kah Joon Liow, "12 Chinese Zodiac Sign," Living Chinese Symbols http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/12-chinese-zodiac-sign.html
Paul Ng, "Predictions for 2013 (Year of the Water Snake)" http://www.paulng.com/CMS/uploads/2013-geo.pdf
Online Chinese Astrology http://www.onlinechineseastrology.com/
Topmarks Education, "Zodiac Story, Chinese New Year." http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/ZodiacStory.aspx
David Twicken, Five Element Chinese Astrology Made Easy, iUniverse, 2000.
Suzanne White, The New Chinese Astrology, Thomas Dunne Books, 2009.
Shelly Wu, Chinese Astrology: Exploring the Eastern Zodiac, New Page Books, 2005.
Derek Walters, The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology, Watkins Publishing, 2005.Ho-Peng Yoke, Chinese Mathematical Astrology: Reaching Out to the Stars, Routledge, 2003. This is the pre-eminent book on the mathematical science of Asian lunar horoscope calculations. It is downloadable at http://www.ebook3000.com/Chinese-Mathematical-Astrology--Reaching-out-for-the-stars--Needham-Research-Institute-Series-_130932.html
Xiaosui Zhao and Graeme Mills, "Chinese Zodiac -- Year of the Snake" http://kaixin.com.au/chinese-zodiac/2010/10/18/chinese-zodiac-year-of-the-snake-she.html
Clip Art Sources:
Opening 2025 Year of the Snake graphic: Own graphic made with AI program Canva2025 with Chinese character: Own graphic made with AI program Canva
Snake, Zhou Dynasty, 11-10 Century BCE, Boston Museum of Fine Arts:
http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/ornament-in-the-shape-of-a-coiled-snake-21961
Snake, Han Dynasty, Shanghai Museum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Huan_in_shape_of_a_coiled_serpent.jpg
Wu Xing Cycle: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Wuxing_en.svg/220px-Wuxing_en.svg.pngGreen Snake, Hùng Sơn, Bắc Giang, Vietnam by artisan Bui Van Quan: Ðan Than, "Snake mascots from cute to 'scary' introduced to welcome Tet," Laodong, https://news.laodong.vn/du-lich/kham-pha/linh-vat-ran-tu-dang-yeu-den-dang-so-trinh-lang-don-tet-1452536.htmlBlue Snake, Daily Report, Arirang News, Seoul, "Slithering into 2025: "The Year of the Blue Snake and S. Korea's New Year's wishes," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-q7YAtsFDcYin Yang animation: http://www.eharrishome.com/Kungfu.html
The 12 Zodiac animals in their race: http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/firefoxthief/zodiaccolor.jpg'
Snake with Skink (1877) by Kitagawa Utamaro, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/60001395
Snake by Ai Weiwei, Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, DC: http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/ai-weiwei-according-to-what/#detail=/bio/ai-weiwei-snake-ceiling-2009/&collection=ai-weiwei-according-to-what
East Asian Lunar Zodiac: http://www.china-family-adventure.com/chinese-zodiac.html
Shigeru Ishiba: "New Year’s Reflection by Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru" https://japan.kantei.go.jp/103/statement/202501/0101nentou.html
Lucas Cranach's Adam and Eve (1526), Courtauld Institute of Art, London: http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/collections/paintings/renaissance/cranach.shtml
Cobra shading Parsvanatha , India, 12th Century, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/j/jainism-jinas-and-other-deities/
Vishnu sheltered by five-headed snake Adishesha, Parsurameswar Temple, Bhupaneswar, Orissa, India: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bishnu.jpg
Jade Emperor, Jade Emperor Temple, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, photo by Glyn John Willett, Virtual Traveler: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1fc5d7/
Buddha on coiled naga snake, Wat Chedi Jet Thaew, Thailand: http://sukhothai.thaiwebsites.com/watchedijetthaew-sisatchanalai.asp
Muchalinda shading the Buddha, Muchalinda Lake, Bhodghaya, Bihar: http://www.touristlink.com/india/muchalinda-lake/overview.html
Naga at Angkor Wat: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/241/157377/A+Little+History%E2%80%A6Myths+and+Spirits+in+Modern+Myanmar?destId=357592
Red snake design at start of personality trait description: http://kaixin.com.au/chinese-zodiac/2010/10/18/chinese-zodiac-year-of-the-snake-she.html
Snake netsuke, Japan, 19th Century, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford University: http://jameelcenter.ashmolean.org/collection/4/1238/1242/6405
Buddha with snakes, Mandalay, Myanmar: http://www.allmyanmar.com/Mandalay-Images.htm
Paiwan wooden snake, Late 19th Century Taiwan. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: http://www.metmuseum.org/Collections/search-the-collections/50008838?rpp=20&pg=1&ao=on&ft=snake&where=Asia|Taiwan&pos=1
Black water snake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Snake.svg
Year of the Snake sidewalk plate Philadelphia Chinatown, my own photo
