According to the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Snake is upon us, with the Lunar New Year beginning on January 29, 2025. As with every zodiac animal, being born in the Year of the Snake is associated with specific personality traits, as well as romantic and career prospects and good or bad fortune. Intuition, charm, caution, wisdom, humor, and resilience are among the many traits associated with people born in the Year of the Snake, which also includes most people born in 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013.
Certain zodiac signs are said to be more or less compatible with one another. Some parents even try to give birth to children in specific years, in the hope that having the right zodiac sign will bring good fortune and prosperity to the family. The Dragon, the zodiac’s only mythical animal, is generally considered the most favorable sign (so congratulations to anyone born in 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, or 2024).
But how were the 12 animals of the zodiac chosen, and what determined their order? According to an enduring legend known as "The Grace Race," it all started when the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven in Chinese mythology, sought to create a new system for dividing and measuring time. He decided to hold a race across a fast-moving river and invited every creature on Earth to participate. The first 12 finishers would become the namesakes of the 12 years of the zodiac, with the sequence determined by their order of completing the race.
If you’re familiar with the zodiac, you’ll know that the Year of the Rat begins the cycle. As the legend goes, the Cat and the Rat both crossed on the back of the Ox. The Rat was overcome with a desire to win and pushed the Cat in the water and jumped ahead, finishing first with the Ox in second.
The rest of the legend tells how the other animals fared during the contest. The Tiger came third, a strong swimmer who bested the current. The Rabbit came fourth, hopping on stepping stones and floating on a log to reach the shore.
Interestingly, the Dragon came fifth, despite having the ability to simply fly across the river. Apparently, he started late, as he had been helping to create rain and ease a drought afflicting some villages. He also helped the Rabbit by blowing air to speed the log across.
Like the Rat, this year’s animal, the Snake, also made it across due to treachery, hiding behind one of the Horse’s hooves. When it revealed itself near the finish line, the Horse was so surprised that it leapt backwards, finishing in seventh behind the Snake. The eighth, ninth, and 10th place animals, the Goat (sometimes depicted as the Sheep or the Ram), the Monkey, and the Rooster worked together to cross on a raft.
The two final finishers, the Dog and the Pig, both got distracted, with the Dog enjoying a pleasant bath and the Pig stopping for a snack and a nap before completing the race.
Welcome the Year of the Wood Snake:
- According to the legend, the Cat never finished the race and thus does not have a place in the zodiac. The Rat’s selfishness during the race is credited with the enduring dislike between the two animals.
- The characteristics of people born in different years are also said to be influenced by the natural elements of fire, wood, metal, water, and earth. January 29, 2025 to February 16, 2026 is the Year of the Wood Snake, following the Year of the Wood Dragon.
- The origins of the Chinese zodiac date back to the Qin or Han dynasties, more than two millennia ago.
