Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake 2013 Infographic, Predictions, Apps

by Gina Smith
4 min read
Written by Gina Smith

Courtesy alibaba.com, here’s an infographic and lots of facts, predictions app and gift ideas for the Year of the Snake 2013, which kicks off with Lunar New Year celebration February 10. Think the snake is sneaky? It’s actually a lucky year for many, Chinese astrology holds. Chinese businessmen are worried nonetheless. The last Snake year was 2001, the year terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on September 11. Is the outlook better for this snake year? Check out the Year of the Snake 2013 infographic, plus apps, historical facts and tech predictions.

aNewDomain.net — February 9, 2013 is New Year’s Eve Asian-style. The Lunar New Year — it officially begins February 10 — kicks off the sneaky, slinky and variously lucky Year of the Snake 2013.

Check out this Year of the Snake 2013 infographic from alibaba.com, taobao.com and tmall.com to find lucky gifts for loved ones of various Chinese astrological signs. I’m a Dragon, in case you’re wondering. A new Android tablet — or a potted plant — would be a lucky gift for me. But it’s not all about me and I’m not allowed to accept gifts, anyway. Scroll below the fold to see what the Year of the Snake 2013 portends for you, your tech and life in general, Chinese astrology-wise. Don’t forget to wear red. Buy new clothes. And, if you do nothing else, cover the knives.

Xin nian kuai le (Mandarin) and Gong xi fa cai (Cantonese). Send a good app recommendation for the occasion and I’ll include it below.

2013 Year of the Snake pitch

2013 Year of the Snake via Alibaba.com and Visually infographic 

Lunar New Year, also known widely as Chinese New Year Year, celebrates the beginning of Year of the Snake 2013. And it ushers out the lucky Year of the Dragon ending February 9. According to alibaba.com, snakes are usually considered pretty good omens in Asian countries and culture.

An ancient myth says the snake resulted from a dragon falling from the sky. That is why the snake is also known as Little Dragon. The Year of the Snake 2013 infographic above depicts products from Alibaba.com, Taobao.com and Tmall.com,  gifts that purportedly will help those concerned with Chinese astrological fortunes to improve luck and “combat unnecessary hardship” in 2013. Click here to find out how to write out Happy New Year or wish good fortune to your friends, family and colleagues using Chinese characters.
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Image: Japanese Juvenile Shimahebi for Year of the Snake 2013, via Wikimedia Commons

Click here to find a 99 cent Year of the Snake 2013 Resolutions App from App Type for Apple iOS on iTunes. A scr eenshot is below. It’ll only work on Apple mobile devices with Apple iOS 6 or later.

yearofthensnakeappforios

Click here to find a Year of the Snake 2013 Android widget at the Google Play Store.

Reader +Sascha Pallenberg in Taiwan says “Taipei is getting ready for the big party tomorrow and for a week of vacation. They basically close down the whole city … (it) is … surreal. He recommends we check out Year of the Snake Live Wallpaper for Android, findable here on Google Play from ArtDroid. According to the developer, the app lets you “control the movement of the screens and interacting objects typical of Chinese culture, and add a score counter to transform this wallpaper in a game in which you can challenge your friends.”

According to its developer BigOm, the year of the snake 2013 “mascot” is the black water snake. Here’s your snake fortune if you were born in a snake year, and what the black water snake symbolizes:

… black …  space, polar night … darkness was over the abyss … the color of deep water. Black Snake brings people unexpected underlying changes, instability and volatility. That is why it is important to advance (your) year of the Snake plan and properly evaluate before (you) do anything. (During this year, you) must be many times more cautious and circumspect. The nature of people born in the year of the Snake: These are people (who are) sophisticated … born with wisdom … taciturn. (They) are nice .. and … often stingy. Sometimes selfish and conceited. Often behind the curve, not trusting the judgment of others, (they) rely on themselves. (They have) resolute and determined character (and are) stung by …. failure .. outwardly calm … but passionate.

The Huffington Post just ran a story about some Asian vendors alarmed about their tech prospects for the year, even though the “snake” symbol is a lucky one in ancient tradition. Here’s an excerpt from the report, datelined Taipei.

When the Chinese-speaking world ushers in its (Lunar New Year 2013) on Sunday, its 12-year zodiac will turn from the dragon to one of the world’s most despised animals. As undeserved as the snake’s reputation might be, its last two years did not go so well: 2001 was the year of the Sept. 11 attacks and 1989 was when Chinese forces crushed pro-democracy protests around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square … This is already a down holiday for some souvenir sellers and could be a slow year for obstetricians … but astrologers say they see some good signs for 2013.

Xin nian kuai le (mandarin pinyin) and gong xi fa cai cai (Cantonese pinyin). Look. If you made it through the last 12 years, you will survive anything. That’s my prediction.

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