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YEAR OF THE SNAKE

Source: Snow Cahill

The Snake (蛇) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac and related to the Chinese calendar, as well as in related East Asian zodiacal or calendrical systems. The Year of the Snake is associated with the earthly branch symbol 巳.

This year Chinese New Years will fall on the February 10th, 2013.

A year for reflection, planning and searching answers.  The year of the Snake, is good time for shrewd dealings, political affairs and coups d’état. People will be more likely to scheme and ponder over matters before acting on them. An auspicious year for commerce and industry. Solutions and compromises can be arrived at, but not without some mutual distrust at first.  The Snake likes to resolve his differences one way or another. If he fails and things cannot be peacefully settled, then he will declare war.

Looking back into history, we find that the year of the Snake has never been tranquil. Perhaps this is because it is the strongest negative force in the cycle and it follows the Dragon year, which is the strongest positive one. Many disasters which had their beginning in the year of the Dragon tend to culminate in the year of the Snake. These two signs are very closely related and the calamities of the Snake years often resulted from excesses committed during the Dragon's reign.

This will be a lively time for romance, courtship and scandals of all sorts.  A good year to pursue the arts. Fashion will become more elegant and fluid; music and the theater will blossom; and people will strive for a more sophisticated life. Notable contributions will also be made by science and technology.

The venerable wisdom of the Snake will be evident in many facets of our life, particularly in those requiring decisions. Although everything may look refreshingly quiet on the surface, the year of the Snake is always unpredictable. The Snake's cool and collected front hides the deep and mysterious ways of his nature. It should be noted that once the Snake uncoils to strike, he moves like lightning and nothing can stop him. Similarly, changes that occur during the Snake's year can be as sudden and devastating.

Tread lightly and be more cautious this year. Gambling and speculation is strictly taboo. The consequences will be overwhelming. The Snake is not merciful.

Whatever else happens, the Snake will give us faith in our convictions and coerce us to act and to act forcefully during his reign. This is not a year for fence-sitters.

Source: The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes by Theodora Lau

The Meaning of the Chinese character

By Paul K.P. Wong

The Chinese character “福” (pronounced “folk”) means "Good Fortune”, “Good Luck" and “Blessing” -- a gift is given from God, mother nature or Heaven.  

The composition of this Chinese character includes clothing, cultivated land, homes and healthy families".  

In Chinese culture, if we have all those things above, it means we are the fortunate people. In other words, no matter if we are Chinese or not, we, the people, do desire the prosperity.  

However, on the background of the picture, there should have ninety-nine different writings of the character, all together are a hundred different styles, it means one hundred or all kinds of good fortune/luck, and lots of blessing.