Year of the Snake starts with a Snake’s Dance!
Year of the Snake
The Year of the Snake awakens with an original animation by local artist Mandiee.
An exclusive commissioned art piece, this original animation showcases the vibrant creative talent working in Hong Kong.
The beauty of living in Hong Kong is that we are blessed to enjoy both solar and lunar calendar celebrations. Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year are now over, so it is time to welcome in the lunar year of the Snake.
Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year of the Snake commences on 29 January 2025 and ends on 16 February 2026. The snake is the 6th symbol that identifies the year and serves as the protective guardian of the 12 zodiac animals in the Chinese calendar.
Related Year of the Dragon legacy in Chinese culture
The snake has a deep-rooted presence in Chinese art, dating back to ancient times.
In China, the historical image of the snake is complex: it is associated with creation myths, serves as a spiritual animal alongside shamans and is closely related to the dragon.
Related Origins of Chinese Civilisation fabulous C-shaped Dragon
In the exhibition Celebrating the Year of the Snake at the Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, rubbings, ceramics, scrolls, seals, and paintings dating from the Qin dynasty commemorate the incoming new year with an exhibition featuring auspicious snakes.
The snake is related to the dragon
In China, the historical image of the snake is complex: it is associated with creation myths, serves as a spiritual animal alongside shamans and is closely related to the dragon.
During the Qin and Han dynasties, the snake was highly esteemed as a spiritual animal, even holding an essential place in official seal designs.
Inspiration Year of the Snake
The snake, with a unique serpentine form, is the inspiration for numerous works of art and design.
Related Lawrence Hylton Hong Kong Snakes and Wildlife
The collection on display includes notable examples of such depictions, featuring realistic studies, narratives of human-snake stories, and thematic works related to the Dragon Boat Festival.
1/1 is the most important Chinese festival
The first day of the first month of the lunar calendar is tremendously significant.
Related Year of the Snake rubbings, ceramics, scrolls, seals and artefacts
This date is historically referred to as “1/1” and is the most celebrated of all Chinese festivals.
Chinese Lunar New Year welcoming traditions can seem puzzling and mysterious.
Typically, the way to celebrate is to eat with family and greet everyone with a boisterous “Kung Hei Fat Choy” – meaning “we wish you more prosperity.”
Lai see giving custom
A delightful custom is to give lai see, red envelopes with lucky money, to all of one’s own children, younger relatives, and close friends’ children.
The 1st days after the Lunar New Year are the time to travel to see your extended family, especially elderly parents or grandparents.
You are expected to bring gifts of ornately packaged foods, fruit and candy. These visits also allow younger people to collect lai see from their senior relatives.
Related Chinese New Year festival is most celebrated seize its secrets
We wish you happiness, abundance and a year filled with cultural riches this new year.
Enjoy the Year of the Snake!
Cammy, Editor in Chief
