Snake (zodiac)
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The snake is the sixth of the twelve-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Snake is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 巳.
Zodiac snake, showing the shé (蛇) character for snake
Old Town of Lijiang zodiac circle: a stone circle inscribed with symbols of the Chinese zodiac near the entrance to the Old Town of Lijiang, Yunnan
Detail of above, showing the Snake designated by its Earthly Branch sign (front, center right)
Terracotta zodiacal Snake from the Sui dynasty (581-618).
Snakes in Chinese mythology
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Snakes are an important motif in Chinese mythology. There are various myths, legends, and folk tales about snakes. Chinese mythology refers to these and other myths found in the historical geographic area(s) of China. These myths include Chinese and other languages, as transmitted by Han Chinese as well as other ethnic groups.
Depiction on the grounds of the Beijing Ancient Observatory of Xuanwu – the sign for the northern quarter of the sky.
Zhulong or Zhuyin, Shan Hai Jing.