A year of transformation and growth: Celebrating the wood snake for Chinese New Year 2025

29 January marks the start of Chinese New Year. This year marks the end of the Year of the Dragon and the start of the Year of the Snake, which is set to bring wisdom, renewal and transformation.

What is Chinese New Year?

Sometimes referred to as the Spring festival or simply the Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year is an important part of Chinese culture that is celebrated passionately throughout the world. The 16-day festival symbolises the start of a new lunar year and takes on one of the 12 Chinese zodiacs, all with individual representations, meanings and predictions.

The Chinese zodiac

An important aspect of the Spring festival is the celebration of the years designated Chinese zodiac animal and its accompanied traits. Comprised of one of the five elements and 12 sacred animals, 2025 marks the year of the wood snake.

There are many stories and legends that surround these animals, unanimously they all can be traced back to the ultimate race. Depicted in Chinese mythology, the race was presented to all animals from a higher being in which the first 12 to cross the finish line were rewarded with honour. This is where the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig triumphed.

The year of the snake

The last time the combination of the zodiac animal (snake) and the element (wood) ruled over the year was back in 1965.

The snake is said to bring wisdom, healing, spiritual growth and transformation due to its natural ability to shed its skin and start anew. The significance of wood in 2025 represents the patient, kind and strong aspects of a person, much like its natural source of a tree.

Interestingly, the Year of the Wood Snake is also predicted to bring the following other Chinese zodiac animals good fortune during its reign. If you are born in the years of the rat, monkey, rooster, horse and dragon this could be your lucky year!

How do I find my own Chinese zodiac?

If you’re interested in finding your animal and elemental influence that make up the full Chinese zodiac, please see the charts below.

Element	Birth year ending in	Traits
Metal	0 or 1	Gifted, idealists and planners
Water	2 or 3	Sympathetic, perfectionist, coordinator
Wood	4 or 5	Courageous, passionate, strong
Fire	6 or 7	Kindness, tolerant, honest, leader
Earth	8 or 9	Determined, persistent, workaholic, manager

For example, the snake aligns with 2025 and ends in 5, so the full Chinese zodiac would be the wood snake.

How to commemorate Chinese New Year

Celebrations for Lunar New Year are connected to removing the bad and the old, and welcoming the new and the good, as well as making time to worship ancestors and pray for good harvest.

Both before and during Chinese New Year celebrations it’s common for people to clean their homes and spaces to get rid of unwanted items and energy. Red offers great significance, which is why you’ll see decorations of red couplets, lanterns, flowers and furniture throughout homes and cities.

 

Warm wishes to all students, staff, alumni, partners and agents celebrating this transformative Year of the Wood Snake!