Festivities related to Chinese New Year, which began January 29, officially come to a close today, February 12. Chinese New Year brings the promise of renewal and good fortune.
In traditional China, dating methods were cyclical years (repeated according to a pattern) with a complete cycle taking 60 years. A 60-year cycle contains five cycles of 12 years each.
Each year of the calendar is named for an animal. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only 12 came to bid him farewell and, as a reward, he named a year after each one in the order they arrived.
The Chinese believe the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality, saying: "This is the animal that hides in your heart."
2025 is the year of the snake, as was 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941 and 1929.
Snake characteristics: You are wise and charming. You are also romantic and a deep thinker, but you tend to procrastinate and be a bit stingy with money. You would make a good teacher, writer or psychiatrist.
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