For Chinese families, the Lunar New Year is a deeply meaningful celebration. This 15-day event marks the beginning of a new year according to the ancient lunisolar Chinese calendar. In 2025, we bid farewell to the Wood Dragon and warmly welcome the Year of the Wood Snake.
Goodbye to the Year of the Wood Dragon 2024 🐉 and hello to the Year of the Snake 2025 🐍!
Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese Spring Festival, is a 15-day celebration that concludes with the Lantern Festival on February 12. This time is marked by a variety of festivities, including family reunions, cultural parades, traditional delicacies, and fireworks.
It’s a cherished tradition for Chinese families to gather at the patriarch’s home for a reunion dinner to celebrate this special time together.
What is the Lunar New Year?
The Lunar New Year is a significant cultural celebration observed not only in China but also in countries like Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and regions of Japan, including Okinawa and the Amami Islands. Cities with Chinese communities worldwide also join the festivities.
This holiday marks the start of the lunisolar calendar year and the arrival of spring. Known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, it also symbolizes renewal and hope.
The lunar calendar is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal from the Chinese zodiac. Each animal is linked to one of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, or earth, which were believed by the Ancient Chinese to compose the universe.
What is the snake’s position in the zodiac cycle? It’s the sixth animal in the 12-year cycle.
The tradition of using a 12-year animal cycle to mark the years in China dates back to 100 A.D. According to a story, myth, or legend, the order of the 12 animals in the Chinese New Year calendar has a special origin. It is said to stem from an ancient Chinese poem that tells of 12 mythical animals descending from the heavens to help people celebrate the arrival of spring and a bountiful harvest. In the poem, the animals come down to earth every two hours, symbolizing a complete 24-hour day and, by extension, a person’s lifetime. The animals appeared in a specific order, starting with the Rat and ending with the Pig. This sequence eventually inspired the popular tale of the animals racing each other, a story often shared with children.
The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals in Order
- 1. Rat
- 2. Ox
- 3. Tiger
- 4. Rabbit
- 5. Dragon
- 6. Snake
- 7. Horse
- 8. Goat
- 9. Monkey
- 10. Rooster
- 11. Dog
- 12. Pig
The Year of the Snake begins on January 29, 2025, and concludes on February 16, 2026.
If you’re curious about the dates for Lunar New Year, simply refer to this updated Chinese calendar we’ve prepared for you:
Chinese Calendar Year 2024 – 2034
Year | Chinese Calendar Year | Chinese Pinyin | Zodiac Sign | Date in Gregorian Calendar |
2025 | 乙巳年 | yi si nian | Snake | Jan. 29, 2025 – Feb. 16, 2026 |
2026 | 丙午年 | bing wu nian | Horse | Feb. 17, 2026 – Feb. 05, 2027 |
2027 | 丁未年 | ding wei nian | Sheep | Feb. 06, 2027 – Feb. 25, 2028 |
2028 | 戊申年 | wu shen nian | Monkey | Jan. 26, 2028 – Feb. 12, 2029 |
2029 | 己酉年 | ji you nian | Rooster | Feb. 13, 2029 – Feb. 02, 2030 |
2030 | 庚戌年 | geng xu nian | Dog | Feb. 03, 2030 – Jan. 22, 2031 |
2031 | 辛亥年 | xin hai nian | Pig | Jan. 23, 2031 – Feb. 10, 2032 |
2032 | 壬子年 | ren zi nian | Rat | Feb. 11, 2032 – Jan. 30, 2033 |
2033 | 癸丑年 | gui chou nian | Ox | Feb. 3, 2033 – Feb, 4, 2034 |
2034 | 甲寅年 | jia yin nian | Tiger | Feb. 19, 2034 – Feb. 7, 2035 |
Chinese Traditions During Lunar New Year
Here are some traditions that make Lunar New Year celebrations so unique:
Choosing a Lucky Date
In everyday life, Chinese people usually choose a lucky day in the Chinese calendar before important activities such as marriage proposals, weddings, praying for pregnancy, and traveling.
Red Envelopes (Hóngbāo)
Filled with money, these are given to children and elderly relatives for good fortune.
Wearing Red
This symbolizes prosperity, happiness, and good fortune.
New Clothes
Representing a fresh start, wearing new attire is common.
Wearing Green
In Chinese culture, green is considered a lucky color. Green represents regeneration, harmony, wealth, fertility, and purity.
Wearing Gold
Gold symbolizes wealth and abundance and is believed to bring good fortune to its owner. In Chinese culture, it represents prosperity, success, and good luck.
Whether exchanged as gifts, used in decorations, or worn as clothing and accessories, gold plays a vital role in ushering in a prosperous and auspicious start to the new year.
Chinese Lantern Festival (元宵节, Yuánxiāo Jié)
The Chinese Lantern Festival dates back to 2,000 years ago.
On the night of the Chinese Lantern Festival, streets are decorated with colorful lanterns, many of which have riddles written on them. People eat sweet rice balls known as tangyuan, watch dragon and lion dances, and set off fireworks.
The entire Ya-Hub Translations team wishes you a happy Wood Snake Lunar Year 2025! 新年快乐!Xīnnián kuàilè!Happy New Year!