Years: 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929, 1917, 1905
Wednesday 29 January 2025 is the first day of the Year of the Snake of the Lunar New Year
The snake 蛇 (shé) is the sixth zodiac animal of the 12-year lunar cycle calendar. The Year of the Snake is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 巳 (si). Those born in the year of the snake are said to be "enigmatic, intelligent and wise"
Based on the Chinese element theory where each zodiac sign is associated with one of the five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth in a 60-year cycle, it is theorised that a person's characteristics are decided by their birth year's zodiac animal sign and element.
|
Type of Snake |
Year of Birth |
Characteristics of Snakes |
|
Wood Snake |
1905, 1965, 2025 |
Orderly, intelligent, with a gift for appreciating the knowing celebrities and a refined taste |
|
Fire Snake |
1917, 1977, 2037 |
Smart, insightful, communicative, active, and fond of the limelight |
|
Earth Snake |
1929, 1989, 2049 |
Calm, with strong self-control, but not steadfast and diligent enough in work |
|
Gold Snake |
1941, 2001, 2061 |
Determined, courageous, confident, and able: a born leader |
|
Water Snake |
1953, 2013, 2073 |
Clever, creative, lively, and communicative, but sentimental |
What's lucky vs unlucky for snakes
Library books on snakes
A popular Chinese folktale about a snake is the Legend of the White Snake 白蛇傳 also known as Madame White Snake. It is counted as one of China's Four Great Folktales alongside Lady Meng Jiang, Butterfly Lovers, and The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl (Niulang Zhinü). This story tells of a powerful female white snake spirit who takes human form as Madame White, or Bai Suzhen who falls in love with and marries a mortal man named Xu Xian. After a Buddhist monk, Fahai, reveals her true identity to her husband, her brave journey to rescue him from the underworld, and the love of her son enables the family to finally reunite after she is held imprisoned by the gods for many years. This tale has since been retold in many ways from art, Chinese operas, films, and television series. To experience the Legend of the White Snake, check out the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) Art Museum, China via Google Arts and Culture.
In Australia, another well known snake tale from the Dreamtime is the Rainbow serpent.
Here are some other books we have in the Library on snakes. For more books, you can use our Library online catalogue to search.
- The year of the snake : tales from the Chinese zodiac / by Oliver Clyde Chin, 2013. Available at Constitution Hill Library at Shelf Number RED-C (Easy / Picture Books of Fairytales)
- Slither, snake! / by Shelby Alinsky, 2017. Available at Parramatta Library and branches at Shelf Number SR NATI (Smileys Early Readers for Children)
- The Little Prince. book 24, The planet of the snake / by Clotilde Bruneau, 2015. Available at Parramatta Library at Shelf Number JG LITT V24
- Land of the Snake people / by Percy Trezise, 2015. Available at Parramatta Library at Shelf Number J 398.2 TRES (Aboriginal Studies Junior Non-fiction)
- The rainbow serpent / by Charles E. Hulley, 1999. Available at Dundas Library at Shelf Number 398.210994 HUL (Aboriginal Studies Junior Non-fiction)
- Warnayarra the rainbow snake : an Aboriginal story / by Pamela Lofts, 2011. Available at Parramatta Library and branches at Shelf Number YELLOW-W
(Easy / Picture Books about Indigenous People) - A naturalist's guide to the snakes of Australia / by Scott Eipper, 2019. Available at Parramatta Library and branches at Shelf Number 597.96 EIPP
- Up close snakes : slithering, sliding, slinking serpents / by Kathy Riley, 2018. Available at Parramatta Library and branches at Shelf Number QJ 597.96 RILE
Anne Tsang, Research Assistant, City of Parramatta, 2021