It is the Year of the Snake! Specifically the Wood Snake.
Lunar New Year Day is Wednesday January 29, 2025!
Last year was Year of the Wood Dragon our blog post here.
Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival, marks the end of winter and the arrival of the spring season on the lunisolar calendar. Plus, it signifies the start of the new year.
The Lunar New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice and between the spring equinox during the months of either January or February. It is regarded as the most popular holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world.
Each year is represented by one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, each holding specific personality traits. Last year was the year of the Wood Dragon, while 2025 is the year of the Wood Snake.
"The Wood Snake year is part of a 60-year cycle of the 60 pillars, which is the 60 possible combinations of the five elements and the 12 animal signs," Chinese metaphysics consultant Vicki Iskandar tells PEOPLE exclusively. Wood Snake, in particular, makes this year distinct from the next.
Similar to Western astrology's elements (fire, water, earth, air), Chinese zodiacs pair with one of the five elements in the heavenly frequency (wood, fire, earth, metal, water). "The element and the animal sign differentiate the qualities and characteristics year after year," explains Iskandar.
While the Snake year comes every 12 years, the last time we had the Wood Snake year was in 1965 according to the Chinese calendar. "The Wood Snake will have many of us on the move, while some of us may finally have the chance to take a break after a challenging Dragon year," she predicts.
The Year of the Wood Snake begins at 4:36 a.m. PT on Jan. 29, 2025. It coincides with the new moon in Aquarius, which marks the annual start of Lunar New Year.
Iskandar tells PEOPLE that we can gain "better insights" into what 2025 will bring by looking at the world events and general trends that occurred in 1965 in comparison to the previous Snake year in 2013, which was a Water Snake year.
"Each pairing of the element and the animal sign has its own dynamics influenced by the interaction between the elements in the pillar, as each of the animal signs is also associated with an element," Iskandar says.
For example, the Snake (a Yin Fire sign) "is more at home" in a Wood environment and "in harmony with nature" since Wood produces Fire in the Chinese Five Elements theory. "Whereas Water clashes with Fire in the Water Snake pillar, which could manifest as disharmony," she adds
In Chinese astrology, there are Yin and Yang years. A Yang year (ending in an even number) will always be followed by a Yin year (ending in an odd number) and visa versa.
The order of the elements follows the cycle of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water in the Chinese Five Elements theory. It will start with Yang Wood, followed by Yin Wood.
"The Wood Snake has Yin Wood in the heavenly frequency and Yin Fire in the Snake," says Iskandar, noting that the Snake is a Fire sign. Simply put, the Wood Snake year contains Yin Wood and Yin Fire — so 2025 as a whole is a Yin year, Iskandar makes clear.
"A Yang year will highlight more masculine, upright, rigid and linear qualities while a Yin year will be more feminine, softer and more relaxed and spontaneous," she explains. "We’re more likely to soften our stance and venture outside of our comfort zone in a Yin year rather than sticking to our principles and standing our ground in a Yang year."
"2025’s Yin Wood is much more flexible, tolerant and peace-oriented compared to 2024’s unbending, divisive Yang Wood," Iskandar says. "The Snake is also much more unpredictable and quicker in action compared to the Dragon."
The Dragon as a Yang Earth sign can be compared to a mountain, which she notes "can be imposing and unmovable." The Snake as a Yin Fire sign can be compared to a candle flame, which she says "transforms darkness into light in an instant."Yin Fire is also transformative, like a snake shedding its skin. "It’s also unpredictable," Iskandar puts forth. "Ideas and trends can spread quickly... Expect the unexpected!"
Those who are born in a Snake year (1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013) "will experience the most transformative year with major life changes," Iskandar predicts.
When the year falls on the animal sign associated with your birth year, also known as the Grand Duke year, she says it's typically a "pivotal" one. This happens every 12 years.
"If you’ve been considering changing your career, job or residence, this is the year to go for it," Iskandar puts forth. "The Grand Duke visiting your sign offers you a chance to reinvent yourself. This can be your most successful year with major milestones achieved."
She adds, "Opportunities may appear in the form of sudden, unexpected endings that turn out to be blessings in disguise. A positive and strategic mindset will make a big difference in shaping your year."
As one of the travel stars in Chinese astrology, she says the Snake "compels us to move" and many will be called to "travel the world" as a result. "We may feel restless from the fast-paced nature of the Snake, so work off the restless energy with physical activities and remember to stay present!"
Red lanterns, fireworks and family feasts. This is how millions of families around the world will be ringing in the Lunar New Year, the most important holiday in the Chinese zodiac calendar.
This Wednesday, January 29, marks the beginning of the 15-day celebration, also known as the Spring Festival, when the Year of the Snake is ushered in.
In many families, the new year is marked by exchanging red envelopes filled with money, seeing family and friends, and eating auspicious treats such as turnip cake. It is also China’s busiest travel period of the year.
‘Chunyun’ – the name for the 40-day period when Chinese people go home to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families – is often referred to as one of the world’s biggest human migrations. This year, it’s expected that 9 billion journeys will be made during chunyun, or spring rush, from January 14 to February 22, state media reported.
“Year 2025 will be very different. The Snake — with a strong fire element, along with some metal and earth elements — is a zodiac sign that can cause significant clashes and conflicts. We need to be mindful of accidents as we approach the Snake Year. The overall atmosphere in the world will become slightly more chaotic.”
But, she says there’s no need to be “overly grim.”
“We can always choose to look at it positively,” says Chow.
“Snakes have a more observant personality. The Yin Wood Snake is more like a little green snake, rather than a large cobra, who can observe clearly before making a decisive strike at the right moment.”
What does that mean? What does a Lunar New Year mean? What is a LunarSolar calendar?
A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures, combining lunar calendars and solar calendars. The date of Lunisolar calendars therefore indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year, that is the position of the Sun in the Earth's sky. If the sidereal year (such as in a sidereal solar calendar) is used instead of the solar year, then the calendar will predict the constellation near which the full moon may occur. As with all calendars which divide the year into months there is an additional requirement that the year have a whole number of months. In some case ordinary years consist of twelve months but every second or third year is an embolismic year, which adds a thirteenth intercalary, embolismic, or leap month.
The Five Phases and Four Seasons of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, with English translation.
1729 Japanese calendar, which used the Jōkyō calendar procedure, published by Ise Grand Shrine.
Their months are based on the regular cycle of the Moon's phases. So lunisolar calendars are lunar calendars with – in contrast to them – additional intercalation rules being used to bring them into a rough agreement with the solar year and thus with the seasons.
The main other type of calendar is a solar calendar.
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The Chinese, Buddhist, Burmese, Assyrian, Hebrew, Jain and Kurdish as well as the traditional Nepali, Hindu, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan, and Vietnamese calendars (in the East Asian Chinese cultural sphere), plus the ancient Hellenic, Coligny, and Babylonian calendars are all lunisolar. Also, some of the ancient pre-Islamic calendars in south Arabia followed a lunisolar system.[1] The Chinese, Coligny and Hebrew[a] lunisolar calendars track more or less the tropical year whereas the Buddhist and Hindu lunisolar calendars track the sidereal year. Therefore, the first three give an idea of the seasons whereas the last two give an idea of the position among the constellations of the full moon. The Tibetan calendar was influenced by the Buddhist calendar. The Germanic peoples also used a lunisolar calendar before their conversion to Christianity.
Lunar New Year is the beginning of the new year based on the lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar. Lunar calendars follow the lunar phase while lunisolar calendars follow both the lunar phase and the time of the solar year. The event is celebrated by numerous cultures in various ways at diverse dates.
Year | Lunar New Year date | Animal |
2025 | 29 January | Year of the Snake |
2026 | 17 February | Year of the Horse |
2027 | 6 February | Year of the Goat |
2028 | 26 January | Year of the Monkey |
2029 | 13 February | Year of the Rooster |
However, there are also some important differences in some countries:
Japan: Instead of the pig the Japanese have a boar in their zodiac.
Vietnam: The Vietnamese zodiac has the buffalo instead of the ox and the cat instead of the rabbit. It is believed that the Chinese word for "rabbit" — "卯兔" (mǎo tù) — sounded like "meo" in Vietnamese, which means "cat".
Thailand: Instead of the dragon, Thai people have Naga, a mythical, snake-like monster, which is worshipped to bring fertility and wealth.
Myanmar: Instead of an annual zodiac, Myanmar has animals associated with days of the week. There are eight animals (as Wednesday is split into morning and afternoon). These are: Garuda (mythical bird), Tiger, Lion, Elephant (with tusks), Elephant (without tusks), Rat, Guinea Pig, and Dragon.
Years of the Snake include 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953...
In Chinese zodiac, the snake is associated with wisdom, charm, elegance, and transformation. People born in the Year of the Snake are believed to be intuitive, strategic, and intelligent.
Dates for Snake Years
Snake Years | Date | Element |
1917 | January 23, 1917 – February 10, 1918 | Fire Snake |
1929 | February 10, 1929 – January 29, 1930 | Earth Snake |
1941 | January 27, 1941 – February 14, 1942 | Gold Snake |
1953 | February 14, 1953 – February 3, 1954 | Water Snake |
1965 | February 2, 1965 – January 20, 1966 | Wood Snake |
1977 | February 18, 1977 – February 6, 1978 | Fire Snake |
1989 | February 6, 1989 – January 26, 1990 | Earth Snake |
2001 | January 24, 2001 – February 11, 2002 | Gold Snake |
2013 | February 10, 2013 – January 30, 2014 | Water Snake |
2025 | January 29, 2025 – February 16, 2026 | Wood Snake |
Chinese Horoscope 2025 Predictions for 12 Zodiac Signs
Rats' Horoscope 2025
Like in 2024, Rats will also enjoy a stable year in 2025. Your quick thinking and unique perspectives will lead you to make successful decisions, propelling your careers to new heights. You will excel in entrepreneurship and career advancements, while fostering positive relationships with colleagues, friends, and family.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Rat people
Oxes' Horoscope 2025
Oxen will enter a stable and fruitful year in 2025, marked by diligence and responsibility. Your steady progress in career and harmonious relationships with colleagues and superiors will ensure continued success and prosperity.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Ox people
Tigers' Horoscope 2025
Tigers may encounter challenges in 2025, necessitating hard work and a low-key approach to seize opportunities and manage finances effectively. Maintaining a positive mindset and focusing on personal growth will be key to overcoming obstacles.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Tiger people
Rabbits' Horoscope 2025
Rabbits will experience a significant rise in luck in 2025, with everything falling into place effortlessly. Your hard work will lay a strong foundation for future success, leading to financial stability and modest spending habits.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Rabbit people
Dragons' Horoscope 2025
Dragons will have a positive year in 2025, marked by success, financial stability, and a renewed focus on family responsibilities. Your hard work will be rewarded, leading to a harmonious and fulfilling year ahead.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Dragon people
Snakes' Horoscope 2025
Snakes may face challenges in career and finances in 2025, requiring optimism and adaptability to overcome setbacks and achieve success. Avoiding negative influences and prioritizing health will be crucial for navigating the year ahead.
(more below this section)
Horses' Horoscope 2025
Horses can look forward to a peak year in 2025, with luck on your side in both career and relationships. Your charisma will attract success in the workplace and love in your personal lives, culminating in a fulfilling year ahead.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Horse people
Goats' Horoscope 2025
Goats will shine in 2025, effortlessly earning wealth and recognition without excessive effort. Your stable finances and prosperous career will bring contentment and success, as your excel in your professional endeavors.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Goat people
Monkeys' Horoscope 2025
Monkeys can expect a stable year ahead in 2025. Despite appearing unreliable and arrogant, your are adaptable and ambitious. Your wit and wisdom will shine, helping you navigate challenges in work and life effortlessly. Financially, you will prosper, make new connections, and achieve breakthroughs with the help of benefactors.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Monkey people
Roosters' Horoscope 2025
Roosters can anticipate a rewarding year in 2025. Your hard work and perseverance will pay off, leading to career advancements and financial gains. Unexpected windfalls and fulfilling relationships await, making you feel content and successful in various aspects of life.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Rooster people
Dogs' Horoscope 2025
Dogs can expect a stable and rewarding year in 2025, with continuous surprises and financial growth. Your dedication and professionalism will lead to success in both career and relationships, ensuring a worry-free and prosperous year.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Dog people
Pigs' Horoscope 2025
Pigs may face interpersonal challenges in 2025, requiring tact and composure to navigate conflicts and maintain harmonious relationships. By staying level-headed and focusing on solutions, you can overcome obstacles and enjoy a successful year.
Read more about the personality and horoscope predictions for Pig people
In Chinese culture, the Snake is the most enigmatic animal among the 12 zodiac animals. People born in a year of the Snake are supposed to be the most intuitive.
Snakes tend to act according to their own judgments while remaining private and reticent. They are determined to accomplish their goals and hate to fail.
Snakes represent the symbol of wisdom. They are intelligent and wise. They are good at communication but say little. Snakes are usually regarded as great thinkers.
Snakes are materialistic and love keeping up with the Joneses. They love to possess the best of everything but they have no patience for shopping.
In Chinese element theory, each zodiac sign is associated with one of the five elements: Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. For example, a Wood Snake comes once in a 60-year cycle.
It is theorized that a person's characteristics are decided by their birth year's zodiac animal sign and element. So there are five types of Snakes, each with different characteristics:
Element of Snake | Personality |
Wood Snake | Orderly, intelligent, with a gift for appreciating the knowing celebrities and a refined taste |
Fire Snake | Smart, insightful, communicative, active, and fond of the limelight |
Earth Snake | Calm, with strong self-control, but not steadfast and diligent enough in work |
Gold Snake | Determined, courageous, confident, and able: a born leader |
Water Snake | Clever, creative, lively, and communicative, but sentimental |
Things that will bring Snakes luck:
Lucky numbers: 2, 8, 9, and numbers containing them (like 28 and 89)
Lucky colors: black, red, and yellow
Lucky flowers: orchid and cactus
Lucky directions: east, west, and southwest
Things that Snakes should avoid:
Unlucky colors: brown, gold, white
Unlucky numbers: 1, 6, and 7
Unlucky directions: northeast and northwest
Each animal sign has its unique characteristics. Love compatibility within the Chinese zodiac animals takes the characteristics of each animal into account. Only those whose characteristics match can be good partners.
See below the compatibility of the Snake with other animals, and find out if the Snake is compatible with your sign or not.
Best with: Ox or Rooster
Worst with: Tiger, Horse, or Pig
Snakes are very creative and extremely diligent. Although Snakes work very hard, they have a tendency to be job-hoppers as they become easily bored. Snakes are great thinkers. Complex problems stimulate them. They're excellent problem-solvers and thrive under tight deadlines.
Good career choices for Snakes include: scientist, analyst, investigator, painter, potter, jeweler, astrologer, magician, dietician, and sociologist.
The snake (蛇) is the sixth of the twelve-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Snake is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 巳.[1]
According to one legend, there is a reason for the order of the animals in the cycle. A race was held to cross a great river, and the order of the animals in the cycle was based upon their order in finishing the race. In this story, the snake compensated for not being the best swimmer by hitching a hidden ride on the Horse's hoof. When the horse was about to cross the finish line, the snake jumped out, scaring the horse, and thus edging it out for sixth place.
The same twelve animals are also used to symbolize the cycle of hours in the day, each being associated with a two-hour time period. The hour of the snake is 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., the time when the Sun warms up the Earth, and snakes are said to slither out of their holes. The month of the snake is the 4th month of the Chinese lunar calendar and it usually falls within the months of May through June depending on the Chinese to Gregorian calendar conversion. The reason the animal signs are referred to as zodiacal is that one's personality is said to be influenced by the animal signs ruling the time of birth, together with elemental aspects of the animal signs within the sexagenary cycle. Similarly, the year governed by a particular animal sign is supposed to be characterized by it, with the effects particularly strong for people who were born in any year governed by the same animal sign.
In Chinese symbology, snakes are regarded as intelligent, with a tendency to lack scruples.[2]
People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the "Year of the Snake", while also bearing the following elemental sign:
Start date | End date | Heavenly branch |
10 February 1929 | 29 January 1930 | Earth Snake |
27 January 1941 | 14 February 1942 | Metal Snake |
14 February 1953 | 2 February 1954 | Water Snake |
2 February 1965 | 20 January 1966 | Wood Snake |
18 February 1977 | 6 February 1978 | Fire Snake |
6 February 1989 | 26 January 1990 | Earth Snake |
24 January 2001 | 11 February 2002 | Metal Snake |
10 February 2013 | 30 January 2014 | Water Snake |
29 January 2025 | 16 February 2026 | Wood Snake |
15 February 2037 | 3 February 2038 | Fire Snake |
2 February 2049 | 22 January 2050 | Earth Snake |
21 January 2061 | 8 February 2062 | Metal Snake |
7 February 2073 | 26 January 2074 | Water Snake |
26 January 2085 | 13 February 2086 | Wood Snake |
12 February 2097 | 31 January 2098 | Fire Snake |
In Japan, the new sign of the zodiac starts on 1 January, while in China it starts, according to the traditional Chinese calendar, at the new moon that falls between 21 January and 20 February, so that persons born in January or February may have two different signs in the two countries, but persons born in late February (i.e. on or after 20 February) automatically have one sign in both countries.
Basic astrological associations
The snake is the sixth of the twelve signs and belongs to the second trine, with the ox (second sign, 牛, Earthly branch: 丑) and the rooster (tenth sign, 雞/鷄; 鸡; jī, Earthly branch: 酉), with which it is most compatible. The pig is the most incompatible.[4]
See also
The pervasive taboos:
Don’t say unlucky words like “death”, “illness” or “loss” because if you use these words during the festival, they will follow you the whole year.
Don’t break porcelain or glass.
Don’t scold children. If you scold your kids during the Spring Festival, they will become naughty and will need to be scolded for the whole year.
Don’t grieve or you will be sad all the time.
Do not get your hair cut. It is considered a curse on your uncle.
Don’t press for payment of debt.
On New Year’s eve:
Do not eat fish head or tail. “Fish” has the same pronunciation as “abundance” in Chinese, so if you leave some fish on New Year’s Eve till the next day, it means you will always have enough wealth to spend for the next year. Similarly, your rice jar should not be empty on New Year’s Eve. It should be full to ensure that you will not encounter any hunger next year.
You are not supposed to go to bed early on New Year’s Eve. On the contrary, you should stay up late and alert in order to keep the “Sui” monster away.
On the first day of the lunar year:
Chinese people consider New Year’s Day a very important day. There are many taboos on this day.
No washing clothes or hair or bathing. The first and second day of the lunar year is the birthday of the “Water God”, so you are not supposed to use water to show respect for the Water God.
No sweeping the floor or taking out rubbish. If you do so, you are carrying your fortune out.
No eating porridge. In old times, only poor families would eat porridge, so in order to gather wealth in the coming year, do not eat porridge.
Do not urge someone to get out of bed. If you are urged out of bed on the first morning, it means that you will be rushed the whole year.
Do not give New Year’s greetings to someone still in the bed. Doing so might lead to that person lying in bed sick for the whole year.
Avoid using needles, knives or scissors on the first day. These items may cause bleeding. Blood is considered unlucky.
Do not take an afternoon nap. Napping on New Year’s Day indicates laziness for the next year.
Married women are not supposed to visit their parents’ home. They can only go there on the second or the third day.
When giving lucky money as a gift, the amount should be an even number rather than an odd number. Even numbers are supposed to be lucky numbers.
Younger people should bow to older people, and when they do so, the posture of their hands is very important. The left hand should cover the right fist as “left” was supposed to be more respectful in ancient China. The opposite posture is used to show respect to the dead.
On the fourth day of the lunar year:
The fourth day is the day when the Kitchen God returns to one’s house. People are not supposed to go out on that day. They should stay at home to prepare sacrificial offerings to welcome the Kitchen God back. See our story on the Kitchen God at:https://www.confuciusinstitute.ac.uk/fortune-god-kitchen-god-door-god/
On the fifth day of the lunar year:
Only from the fifth day of the New Year are people finally allowed to take out rubbish and sweep the floors. On this day, the rubbish and dust turn into “symbols of poverty”, so cleaning the house means to expel “poverty”. On this day, people are also supposed to receive the God of Fortune, so traders worship the God of Fortune and reopen their businesses.
Chinese Lunar New Year 2025: Things to do
The dos ensure the New Year is filled with positive energy, setting the tone for a harmonious and prosperous beginning. These practices are rooted in tradition and aim to attract good fortune, happiness, and success. It also brings friends and families together.
1. Wear red
The colour red is considered symbolic and auspicious. It stands for prosperity, good luck and vitality. It is also considered to ward off evil and negative energies. Wear red to attract good fortune and start the year on a positive note.
In fact, the colour red is present in the decoration of the festivities. Decorate your house with red lanterns. Crimson paints the Chinese decoration with great vigour.
2. Gift money in Hongbao
Hongbao is a lucky red envelope. It is stuffed with cash and gifted to friends and family. It symbolises good wishes and luck for the year ahead. The magic is in the red envelope itself as it is believed to be lucky. Only clean and crisp notes are put inside these envelopes. The cash amount included in the envelope should not be 4 (like no 4, 40, or 400) as the pronunciation for ‘four’ is Chinese for death. However, don't give odd amounts of money.
3. Family dinner
There’s a family dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve, which holds great significance. This meal, known as the Reunion Dinner, is a lavish feast featuring an array of delectable dishes like fish and dumplings. Extended family and friends gather together to welcome the new year.
Chinese Lunar New Year 2025: Things not to do
There are certain taboos associated with Chinese New Year that hold great cultural significance. These practices are deeply rooted in tradition and are believed to influence the fortunes of the year ahead. They are considered bad omens, and avoiding them helps to ensure that negative energies are kept at bay.
1. Do not sweep
On New Year’s Day, sweeping or cleaning the house is considered bad luck. It is advised to complete all cleaning before the Lunar New Year begins. Cleaning on the first day of the New Year is believed to sweep away any incoming good fortune.
2. Do not wear black or white clothes
Black and white colours are associated with mourning and funerals in Chinese culture. These colours are suited for the lively festivities of the New Year.
3. Do not break
Be extra careful during the New Year festival. Breaking a glass or ceramic is believed to bring bad luck. However, even if something is broken, protect yourself from bad energy by wrapping the broken pieces in red cloth or paper and utter the phrase “Sui Sui Ping An.” It means ‘May You Have Peace All Year Around.’ This in a way protects against the bad luck of the broken glass.
4. Do not use scissors
On New Year's Day, keep away all sharp objects like scissors and knives and don't use them. It is believed to ‘cut the thread of good fortune.’
5. Do not use bad language
Refrain from using foul language or inauspicious words as they may attract misfortune.
6. Do not have porridge
Porridge is a meal for the poor, so it is advised not to begin the New Year with this breakfast. It is a bad omen to start with a ‘poor’ meal.
7. Do not wash clothes
As per Chinese culture, on the first and second day of the New Year clothes are not washed as these two days are also celebrated as the birthday of their water deity who is also the deity for wealth. Washing clothes on these days may anger the god and result in loss of money. Instead, clothes are washed in advance.
By following the DOs and DON’Ts, the beginning of the New Year can be marked with good luck and prosperity, keeping misfortune at bay.
Many early Lunar New Year celebrations, rooted in ancient agricultural practices, involved edible offerings to deities and ancestors for a bountiful harvest. Today, as the holiday garners global participation from one-fifth of the world's population, food remains at the heart of the festivities, carrying rich symbolism with certain dishes signifying prosperity, health and abundance. Here's a look at some of the key foods central to Lunar New Year feasts.
1. Noodles: To Live Long and Prosper
Changshou Mian, known as "longevity noodles," symbolizes the wish for a long and healthy life. Noodles have been traced back more than 4,000 years in Chinese diets, but the tradition of consuming these long, uncut strands, sometimes over a foot in length, is thought to have originated during the Han Dynasty.
According to a popular legend, Emperor Wu associated a long face with a long life. And since "noodle" in Chinese sounds like the word "face," by his reasoning, eating long noodles would increase one's lifespan.
While likely more myth than fact, that tale has endured. Chen Yuanpeng, a professor and Chinese culinary specialist, tells CNN the story has woven itself into the fabric of the culture. "It has also become a part of the culture and history of longevity noodles, which has been documented for more than 1,000 years," Chen says.
2. Citrus Fruits: For Luck and Prosperity
In Lunar New Year traditions, revelers believe tangerines, oranges and pomelos bring good fortune. Their Mandarin names echo words with symbolic meanings: "jú" for oranges suggests "good luck" or "fortune," "chéng" for tangerine is akin to "success," and "youzi" for pomelos sounds similar to "have" or "abundance."
Historically, Time reports, parents from the Qing Dynasty would place oranges near their children's pillows to scare off monsters during the Lunar New Year. And beyond their linguistic connections, the citrus fruits' vibrant colors and round shapes represent vitality and wholeness.
Offering the fruits is seen as an act of good fortune for both hosts and guests, especially when delivered in pairs or multiples. Keep the leaves and stems intact, and they're even bigger symbols of longevity and fertility.
In Vietnamese culture, a five-fruit platter, or "mâm ngũ quả," is a centerpiece of the Lunar New Year table. Traditionally, the arrangement includes a combination of tropical fruits, such as oranges, pomelos, kumquats, persimmons and bananas, with each fruit chosen for its color and meaning to embody a prosperous year ahead.
3. Sweet Rice Balls for Unity
Yuanxiao or tangyuan, served in syrup, are sweet glutinous rice balls that hold a special significance during the Lantern Festival, which marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations. These round treats, symbolic of family unity, togetherness, and the hope for a sweet and harmonious year, date back more than a thousand years to the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-906).
According to the BBC, the name yuanxiao was changed to tangyuan (meaning "round balls in soup") in the early 1900s when China President Yuan Shikai ordered it so because yuanxiao sounded like "remove Yuan."
"Remarkably, the ruler's thin-skinned request worked—sort of," the BBC reports. "While people in southern China now refer to the rice balls as tangyuan, those in northern and central China … still call them yuanxiao."
4. Golden Spring Rolls for Prosperity
Spring rolls are another popular dish during Lunar New Year celebrations; their golden color and cylindrical shape are reminiscent of gold bars and, thus, wealth. According to the Independent, "Hwung-Jin Wan-Lyang" is a lucky saying for eating the food in China, translating to "a ton of gold." And the ingredients used inside spring rolls, such as carrots, cabbage and mushrooms, represent growth, abundance and wealth, while vermicelli noodles symbolize longevity.
5. Fish: For Abundance
In Chinese culture, "yu," the word for fish, sounds like the word for surplus or abundance, and the presentation of a whole fish is a Lunar New Year staple.
"You cannot cut (the fish)," Julie Zhu, who works with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center and was born in China, tells NBC. "Have the whole fish on the table."
But don't eat it all. Leaving some of the dish uneaten represents the hope for abundance to carry over into the new year.
6. Bánh Chưng: Connection Between Heaven and Earth
The traditional Vietnamese rice cake bánh chưng is steeped in legend and culture. Its square shape represents the connection between heaven and Earth, signifying unity and promising good luck and fruitful harvest.
The invention of bánh chưng dates back to the era of the Hùng kings (2879 to 258 B.C.). The cake's simple ingredients—glutinous rice, mung beans and pork, wrapped in banana leaves—carry deep symbolism.
"As people display the cake on altars and eat it during Tết, a time of hope and rebirth of nature, they remember their ancestors and express gratitude to Mother Nature and her bounty," the CBC writes.
7. Dumplings: Pockets of Prosperity
Jiaozi, the beloved Chinese dumplings, have been a staple of Lunar New Year festivities for centuries, with their origins also rooted in the Han dynasty. The legend goes that the ear-shaped pieces of dough wrapped around various fillings were invented by Zhang Zhongjing, a "Sage of Medicine," to cure the frostbitten ears of villagers.
Over time, the tradition of making and eating dumplings during the Lunar New Year spread across China and beyond. According to the BBC, jiaozi has a phonetic connection to the phrase "transition from old to new" and that the shape of the dumplings resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and good prosperity. At the same time, ingredients such as pork, shrimp, and veggies represent abundance.
8. Korean Rice Cake Soup: Adds a Year of Life
Consuming tteokguk, a Korean rice cake soup, during Lunar New Year celebrations is believed to add a year to one's age, symbolizing the passage of time and the promise of longevity. The round rice cakes represent coins and the hope for prosperity. Meanwhile, the dish's clear broth signifies purity and the opportunity for new beginnings.
Historically, according to "The Customs of Joseon," tteokguk played a role in ancestral rituals and eating "a white food to begin the new year holds the religious meaning of rebirth for all creatures in the world."
9. Sweet or Savory, Nian Gao: Lasting Prosperity
Nian Gao, or sticky rice cake, is often interpreted as "year high," and its name signifies the hope for growth and rising fortunes in the coming year. The cake's signature stickiness is a metaphor for a family's wish for lasting prosperity.
According to members of the Newham Chinese Association, the term "nian gao" translates to "getting higher, or taller, or better or more promising for the year to come."
The tradition of making nian gao dates back centuries, with its origins rooted in Chinese mythology as a sacred offering. "At the end of every year, folklore says, the Kitchen God makes his 'yearly report' to the Jade Emperor," according to China Highlights. "To prevent him from badmouthing their house, people offered nian gao, which would stick his mouth shut. Hence, nian gao is prepared for offering before Chinese New Year."
10. Leafy Greens: For Wealth
Spinach, lettuce, bok choy and other leafy greens symbolize prosperity, growth and good fortune–and their presence in Lunar New Year dishes is no coincidence. The Mandarin term for greens, "qing cai," echoes the word for wealth, making these vegetables popular in stir-fries, soups and hot pot meals.
During Vietnamese Lunar New Year, or Tết, celebrants often include leafy greens in spring rolls and salads. In Korean culture, they commonly use them in dishes such as Korean barbecue and bibimbap to represent a wish for a prosperous year ahead.
1. Doing house chores
Don’t: It seems strange that such a good thing to do is one of things not to do on Chinese New Year, but there are explanations for this. Since the old days, Chinese people have always been working hard every day during the year. When Chinese New Year’s Day comes, they take a day or days off from work and also don’t do housework. It’s considered unlucky to do work and chores on the first day of the year as it symbolizes going through hardships through the year.
There are more specific Chinese New Year superstitions related to house chores as well. Sweeping dirt and dust out of the house and dumping trash are believed to be sweeping away and dumping good fortune. Washing clothes on the first two days of Lunar New Year is also considered an offense to the Water God as it’s the god’s birthday.
Do: Make sure your house is tidy before Lunar New Year, so you can rest and celebrate to the fullest. If you need to sweep dirt and dust, don’t sweep them out through the front door. Instead, sweep them inward and take them out through the back door.
2. Washing and cutting hair
Don’t: Washing and cutting your hair are like washing away and cutting off your prosperity and wealth and thus is among the things not to do on Chinese New Year.
Do: It’s great to groom yourself before Lunar New Year, so you look your best from the first day of the year!
3. Using sharp utensils
Don’t: Sharp cooking utensils are not to be used on Chinese New Year. When preparing meals, Thai-Chinese families will avoid ingredients that need to be cut as using sharp utensils is like cutting good luck out of your life.
Using scissors during the first month is also one of Chinese New Year taboos as it symbolizes fighting with others.
Do: You might want to prepare everything beforehand if you want to cook up a feast. Or maybe, go out to enjoy festivities and great meals at these places to visit during Chinese New Year in Thailand!
4. Wearing black or white clothes
Don’t: Black and white. The colors that are used in tragic events such as funerals. It isn’t hard to see why wearing black or white clothes is one of the things not to do on Chinese New Year.
Do: Wear red as it’s a lucky color for the Chinese. It’s bright and brings positive energy.
5. Lending money
Don’t: Letting someone borrow your money is also one of the things not to do on Chinese New Year. According to Lunar New Year beliefs, more and more borrowers will come to you all through the year.
Do: In addition to not lending money to others, be sure you return all the money that you owe before Chinese New Year.
6. Crying
Don’t: Weeping on the first day of Chinese New Year isn’t a good beginning, isn’t it? Chinese New Year taboos have it that those who cry will be crying throughout the year. Another foreboding reason is that children’s crying is believed to bring misfortune to the whole family.
Do: Be happy and make sure your loved ones are happy. Smile and wish others a Happy Chinese New Year. If you have children, avoid punishing them. Yes, even if they’re naughty, everyone seems to tolerate them during Chinese New Year.
7. Breaking stuff in your house
Don’t: This isn’t only a Chinese New Year superstition, but also a traditional Thai belief. When something is broken in the house, it’s an ill omen that bad things may happen to a family member or loved one.
Do: We should be careful at all times, not only on Lunar New Year, aren’t we?
8. Saying bad words and cursing
Don’t: Swearing, saying words with negative meanings (e.g. death, poverty, ghosts) and bad-mouthing are things not to do on Chinese New Year as they will bring you bad luck all year long. The word “sì” for “4” is also considered a bad word since it sounds similar to “death” in Chinese.
Do: According to Chinese New Year superstitions, saying nice things and being kind will bring joy and luck to you.
9. Going into other people’s bedrooms
Don’t: One of things not to do on Chinese New Year is to wake someone up and greet them in their bedroom. As the belief goes, the one woken up will have to work to exhaustion throughout the year.
Do: Let your family members rest and then you can spend time together in the living room. New Year is a family time, after all.
10. Buying new shoes
Don’t: The reason why buying new shoes is one of the things not to do on Chinese New Year is related to the language. This superstition comes from one Chinese ethnic group in Thailand, Chaozhou or Teochew. The word “shoes” in their language is “hoi”, which sounds similar to “hai” or “sigh” in English. Sighing at the start of the year is like you’re already stressed about something and that’s not a good way to begin, right?
Do: Buy new shoes beforehand or have spare pairs at the ready.
11. Eating congee for breakfast
Don’t: As the less fortunate in China could only afford congee in the past, congee is considered an inappropriate food to serve as the first meal of the year.
Do: The idea of eating leftovers might not sound very appealing. However, eating the leftovers of New Year’s Eve dinner symbolizes having more than needed according to Chinese New Year superstitions.
Various Articles to continue learning about what the Year of the Wood Snake will be like:
Food:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/chinese-new-year-food.htm#google_vignette (12 Lucky Chinese New Year Foods to Greet the Year of Snake 2025)
Decorations:
Korean New Year:
ETC:
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c14n78lg15rt (live post)
https://vietnam.travel/things-to-do/tet-vietnam-lunar-new-year#:~:text=Lunar%20New%20Year%20or%20T%E1%BA%BFt,T%E1%BA%BFt%20celebrations%20last%20much%20longer. (Vietnam's Tet Holiday)
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