With the new year approaching, we’re starting to see snakes everywhere. Not real snakes, but decorative snakes adorning everything from greeting cards to flower vases. In six weeks we will begin the Year of the Snake.

Having often eaten in American Chinese restaurants, I’m pretty familiar with the animal years. Year of the Horse, that’s me. My sister and husband are both Year of the Rooster. But these twelve horary signs printed on restaurant placemats have another set of signs attached—the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water).

The elemental cycle has a yin/yang aspect to it. This year is a “yang metal” and we are enjoying the very auspicious Year of the Golden Dragon. Next year’s element is a “yin metal”. Since yin usually has a negative connotation, maybe we’re about to enter the Year of the Tin Snake. Posted by kuri at November 19, 2000 08:12 AM