2013: The Year of the Snake
Happy New Year! According to the lunar calendar, Sunday February 10, 2013, marks the start of the Year of the Snake. To celebrate the Year of the Snake, I thought I would take you on a
serpentine tour of some Toronto Public Library resources related to Chinese
New Year and to the animal of the year: the snake!
- You can learn all about Chinese New Year in books for both children and adults.
- Did you know you can'take a free lesson in conversational Mandarin Chinese online through the library? Connect to the Mango Language Learning online database – you just need your library card and an e-mail account to get started.
- Or, if you are already fluent in Mandarin, consider joining the Mandarin Book Club at the Albert Campbell branch. Toronto Public Library also offers book clubs in Cantonese at other branches.
The snake is the sixth in a cycle of 12 animals in Chinese astrology. It is the most enigmatic sign of the Chinese zodiac, and is said to symbolize intuition,
beauty, and grace, as well as cunning and possessiveness. Those born in
the Year of the Snake – 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, and so
on in 12 year recurrences – may share these characteristics.
Learn more about the Chinese zodiac and your animal sign, and find out what the Year of the Snake has in store for you:
Just as each year in the 12-year cycle is associated with an animal sign, each animal sign is associated with one of five recurring elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. 2013 is the Year of the Water Snake.
Read about the lives of notable people born in the Year of the Water Snake:
- The library has lots of books about snakes for both children and adults.
- You can also borrow a movie or a video about snakes.
- Did you know that the only way snakes can eat their prey is by swallowing it whole? Connect to the online resource Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia to learn more fun facts about snakes.
- Have you ever wanted to have a snake as a pet? We've got books on that too!
Snakes
are both feared and worshipped throughout the world and appear
frequently in religion and myth.
- According to the Judeo-Christian creation
narrative, the serpent tricks Eve into eating the forbidden fruit and,
as a result, God condemns Adam, Eve, and the serpent for their transgression. - In Greek mythology, the Gorgon monster Medusa has living snakes for hair and turns all those who look at her to stone.
- The Hindu deity Shiva
wears a garland of serpents around his neck that signify his power of
destruction and renewal, just as the snake has the power to shed its
skin and be reborn. - The religious ritual of snake handling is practiced
in some Pentecostal churches whose believers look to literal
interpretations of the Bible to support their practice.
Curl up with a good book about snakes in the scientific and cultural imagination:
The Subtle Beast: Snakes, from Myth to Medicine
The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent: Why We See So Well
Or just tune everything else out and have a listen to the killer sounds of Toronto's own Deadly Snakes, then check out the book about the band.
Snakes not really your thing? Don't worry, you're not alone!
Happy Year of the Snake everybody!
Related blog posts:
- Celebrate the Year of the Snake (2013)
- Happy Lunar New Year in Canada (2012)
- Happy Lunar New Year (2012)
- Chinese New Year Celebrations at TPL (2012)
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