Chinese New Year 2013: The Year of Black Water Snake

Chinese New Year 2013

The first day of the 2013 Chinese New Year is on February 10, 2013 in China's time zone. This day is a new moon day, and is the first day of the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system. The exact new moon time is at 15:21 on 10-Feb-13 in China's time zone.

The Year 2013 is the 4710th Chinese year. The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (he was not the first emperor of China). The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C., therefore China will enter the 4710th year on February 10, 2013. Also, the Chinese Year uses the cycle of 60 Stem-Branch counting systems and the Black Water Snake is the 30th Stem-Branch in the cycle. Since (60 *78) + 30 = 4710, therefore 2013 is the Water Snake year, which is the 4710th Chinese Year.

Some web sites say the year 2013 is the 4711th Chinese year. If you cannot find the explanation as to why, here is a possible answer for you. The Yellow King's inauguration was held in the spring of 2697 B.C. But the day that was used as the first day of the year was the winter solstice, which was around December 23rd, 2698 B.C. Today's January 1st meant nothing to the Yellow King. If we count that extra eight days in 2698 B.C., then year 2013 is the 4711th Chinese year.

2013 is the year of Snake. Some people say 2013 is a Black Snake or Water Snake year. This is because the Stem-Branch Calendar is connected to the Five Element theory. Chinese calendars used the Stem-Branch system to count the days, months and years. There are 10 Stems and 12 Branches in this system. Stems are named by the Yin-Yang and Five Elements (Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth). The Stem sequence order is Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Metal, Yin Metal, Yang Water and Yin Water. Branches use animal names.

The Branch sequence order is Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog and Pig. Stem and Branch are used together to form a cycle of 60 counting systems which begin with Wooden Rat and end with Water Pig. You can see the entire sequence from the Chinese New Year's page. From 1924 to 1983 is a complete cycle. Year 2013 is Female Water Snake   the 30th of the Stem-Branch in the system. Because Water is connected to Blackin the Five-Element system, Year 2013 is also called the Black Snakeyear.

2013 Year of Snake

Chinese call a snake is a little dragon. They said a dragon fell down from the sky and then became a snake. Therefore, Snakes have Dragon's body without scale and cannot fly. Dragon is the 5th animal in the Chinese horoscope order sequence. Snake is the 6th animal in the Chinese horoscope. Dragon is the big brother of Snake. Snake is shame to be on the ground. Snake becomes a clam, shy, cautious and low-key animal. Snake won't attack its opponent, unless it's disturbed. As long as we don't fool with Snake, we won't get bitten.

Snake has the ability to swallow an animal bigger than its size. So we cannot underestimate snake's ambitious. We shouldn't ignore the existence of Snake. Snake is a no-limb animal with fork-like tongue. Chinese treat that spitting tongue as a sign of argument. Actually, Snake uses its tongue to smell. But in the Chinese zodiac, the Snake implies the potential trouble of libel, dispute or slander.

Snake and China

In Chinese mythology, Nu-Wa 女媧had human head with serpent body. She existed in the beginning of the world. She felt lonely. Then she created chickens on a New Moon day, created dogs on the second day, created sheep on the third day, created pigs on the fourth day, created cows on the fifth day, created horses on the sixth day and created humans on the seventh day. That's why the 7th day of Chinese New Year Festival is called The Human Day.

Nu-Wa made a big contribution to repair the sky and stop the flood. During the dogfight between the Fire of God and the Water of God, the sky had a damaged hole, and fire and flood appears on the ground. Humans and animal faced the big disaster. Nu-Wa used 5-color stones to repair the sky. She also used use giant turtle and dragon to stop the flood.

With the permission of Heaven, Nu-Wa's companion, Fu-Xi became her husband. Fu-Xi had a snake body too. Fu-Xi is the one who invented I-Ching philosophy. They are worshiped as the ancestor of all humankind. Chinese are their descendants. A Dragon falls from the Heaven, will become a Snake. Snake back to the Heaven will return its Dragon body. So Chinese say they are the Dragon's offspring.

2013 is a Black Snake Year. The color of Black is in Yin, cold and dark side. In Chinese opera, bad, tough or evil guys usually wear in black. They are always supporting roles in the story. Therefore, there is no popular legend about Black Snake. But there is a White Snake legend prevailing thousand of years in China. White Snake legend is a love and tragic story between a White Snake and a man. The detail story is at the page of The Legend of White Snake. Many versions of White Snake movies were made for decades. The latest one is The Sorcerer and The White Snake by Jet Li in 2011. Jet Li acted as the monk fighting with the lady of White Snake.

Ancient Chinese treated the two-headed Snake is a sign of bad omens. A bad luck will arrive whoever saw a two-headed snake, because that is a symbol of imperfection and deformity. They might kill it and buried it when they found one. Today people treat two-headed Snakes are rare and valuable pets. (watch video)

Chinese New Year Festival and Parade

Chinese New Year Festival in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong or Singapore spans 15-day long till New Year Lantern Festival. The detail is at The Celebration of 15-Day Chinese New Year Festivals page.

The schedule Chinese New Year Festival and Parade in US major Chinatowns usually is on the weekend before or after Chinese New Year Day. You need to check the schedule at the Lunar New Year Parade Location and Schedule page.

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2013 Chinese New Year Day is on February 10, 2013 the Astrological Year of Snake begins on February 4, 2013

2013 Year of Snake - Astrology Calendar

In China's time zone, the first day of the Water Snake Year is February 4, 2013, because February 4th, 2013 is the first day of Tiger month and the Tiger month is the first month of the year in Chinese Fortune-Telling Calendar system.

In the Chinese Fortune-Telling calendar, the first day of the first month, Tiger month, is called "Start of Spring", which is when the sun enters the 315th degree on the tropical zodiac. In the China's time zone, the time of the Start of Spring is at Feb-04 00:15. So the first day of the Black Snake astrological year 2013 is on 04-Feb-13.

However, the time of the Start of Spring in US Eastern Standard time is at Feb-03 11:15. The Start of Spring time in US Pacific Standard time is at Feb-03 08:15. So the first day of the Black Snake astrological year 2013 is on 03-Feb-13 in US time zones.

The Chinese New Year Day of 2013 is on February 10, 2013. It's about 6 days late after the first day of the astrology calendar in 2013. There is a very common misconception that the astrology animal signs begin on the Chinese New Year day in many Internet sites. Actually, the Astrology animal signs begin from the Start of Spring, the first day of the astrological year. For example, if a baby was born one day the Chinese New Year Day in 2013, then its animal sign is the Snake, not Dragon, because the birthday is after the Start of Spring. If you are still confused about your animal sign, we have an Animal Sign page for people to verify their Chinese birth year animal signs.

2013 Chinese Horoscope Forecast

To forecast our luck in the coming years, we first have to know what elements and animals are in our Birth Chart from Find Your Lucky Element page. 2013 is the year of    Female Water Snake. Snake mainly contains Fire. Therefore, Fire and Water will be the biggest factors to determine people's fortune in 2013.

If your Lucky Element is Water and you did well in 2012, then your good fortune will continue in 2013.  If your Lucky Element is Fire, you will receive some degree of good luck in 2013. But 2013 is not your best year, because 2013 is Fire under Water and Water can put out Fire.

Snake is a sign of argument, therefore, 2013 is the year of dispute. Snake contains Fire, Earth and Metal. Some people, companies, and countries will have big dispute about reputation, land or money. The lawyer, people work at attorney office, legal representatives, people work at court will have a good busy in 2013. So we have better stay away from Snakes to prevent from involving a lawsuit. Snake would bring poor people relationship, even ruin the love relationship. People born in year of Tiger and Monkey need to watch for their words and behaviors.

The complete Chinese Five Element Astrology is at Chinese Astrology 2013 for The Year of Black Snake.The complete 12 Chinese Animal Signs Prediction is at 2013 Chinese Zodiac for Year of Snake Another easier way to find your own Chinese Five Element Astrology is at Predict your Personal 2013 Chinese Horoscopes.

How to Pinpoint to the Lucky Days

People are always want to know which days their luck will come. To determine the coming of good luck, we need to study the Stems and Branches relationships among Daily, Monthly, Yearly, Current Major Cycles and the Birth Chart.

There is an easy and simple way to find your really lucky day. First, the current Year must mainly contain your Lucky Element. Next, you look for the Month that mostly contains your Lucky Element in the Stem and Branch systems. After this, look for days that will contain majority of your Lucky Element. The theory is that Year brings Lucky Element into the Month; Month gathers the energy of Lucky Element and Day triggers the luck out. To find the Five Elements on certain months or dates, click on the following links. The easiest way to learn more about your lucky Elements and days is from the Chinese Fortune Angel astrology software.

Find Monthly Five Elements
Find Daily Five Elements
List Five Elements for next 15 days

What Will Happen To You? Any Money Luck?

It requires many steps to foresee your fortune from our web site. To make it easy for you, we have created a Free Daily Chinese Astrology for you. When 2013 comes, then you can see the Chinese Astrology prediction for your daily, monthly and yearly cycles. Our Chinese Astrology focuses on your Money, Career and Fame.

You are welcome to visit our site daily. We recommend that you come to check your fortune every month.

If you are interested in Chinese astrology and your daily luck, try our Free Daily Chinese Astrology.
If you are serious about Chinese astrology, then try your Year 2013 Chinese Astrology and Major Cycles Astrology.
If you are interested in your love relationship and marriage luck in 2013, the try Angel love Match reports.

Feng Shui 2013

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2013 Chinese Horoscope - The Year of Black Snake

More Astrology in Chinese Fortune Angel

By Master Allen Tsai on November 15, 2021