The approaching Year of the Snake on the Chinese calendar will be a year of smooth sailing. The snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese zodiacs. Six is a lucky number in Chinese culture, and "double six brings good luck" is a popular watchword in China.
The Year of the Snake will be a year of power. The snake is considered to be a smaller version of the dragon. Although it does not have as strong power as the dragon or tiger, people have long believed that it has some sort of magic power.
The Year of the Snake will be a year of life as the snake is a symbol of life. The Classic of Poetry regarded dreaming of snakes as a sign of giving birth to a girl, and the Chinese people have long taken snake dreams as a good omen of childbirth.
The Year of the Snake will be a year of wealth and fortune. The snake is a messenger of wealth in traditional Chinese culture, and there are many folk stories of gold and silver turning into a snake and leading people to treasure buried deep underground. During the Spring Festival, people in northern China usually make the "snake twining around rabbit" dough sculpture to pray for good luck in the coming year. As an old saying goes, "A snake twining around a rabbit can bring wealth." The snake indicates a happy and well-off life.
Traditional Chinese culture faces great challenges in the era of economic globalization and cultural diversity. It needs to find a right position and direction in China's integration into the world.
As a part of traditional Chinese culture, zodiac signs have been massively popular in China. Chinese zodiacs have penetrated into the daily lives of the Chinese people, and become their second identity.
As zodiac signs are closely related to people's physiological ages as well as spiritual and social lives, most people have a natural interest in knowledge about and in-depth interpretation of zodiac signs.
Indigenous to China, the Chinese zodiac culture should be shared by all human beings. China should seek more carriers to spread its culture abroad, and stick to its traditions of peace and good faith. The zodiac culture belongs to China as well as the rest of the world.
Read the Chinese version: 生肖文化正能量與蛇年的夢
Source:People's Daily Overseas Edition , author: Xiao Fang.
