
The Great Animal Race
Lunar New Year celebrations this year welcome the Year of the Snake, so named because the snake was a the sixth animal to finish in the Great Animal Race organized by the Jade Emperor when he created the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac. He hoped the zodiac would help people keep track of time. The first twelve animals to cross the finish line would have a year within the new zodiac. Contestants had to cross a rapidly flowing river in order to reach the finish line.

Just as the race was about to start, the rat arrived at the riverside and asked the ox if he could ride on the bovine’s back. The ox agreed. When the rat reached the other side, he jumped off the ox’s back and crossed the finish line first. Thus, the Year of the Rat is the first year, and the Year of the Ox is second. The Tiger came in third.
The rabbit crossed the river by jumping from one stone to another until it slipped. The rabbit managed to jump onto a log and floated to the finish line. The dragon came in fifth place. This was a surprise, because most people expected him to fly into first place. But the dragon said he had to stop to help some villagers put out a fire, and then as he approached the finish line, he saw a rabbit floating on a log, so he stopped to give the rabbit a puff of air towards shore.
The horse arrived near the finish line, without realizing a snake was hiding behind his foot. When the snake appeared, he startled the horse. So, the snake landed in sixth position and the horse in seventh.

The monkey, the rooster and the sheep worked together. Rooster found a raft; monkey and sheep hopped aboard, and they worked together through the currents and weeds to reach the shore. Sheep took eighth place; monkey, ninth, and rooster, tenth.
Dog came in eleventh place, because he stopped to take a bath.
Pig arrived last, because he got hungry and stopped to eat and take a nap before completing the race.

But to return to the snake. Some believe the snake is a strong protector; others, that he is untrustworthy. The snake possesses creation energy that embraces change and sloughs off old habits. Thus the snake represents renewal and new birth. Should be an interesting year.
Legend of the White Snake
Once upon a time, a white snake and a green snake who lived in a remote mountain became immortal and transformed into two beautiful ladies – Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing. The ladies decide to visit the human world and arrived at West Lake in Hangzhou.

As they walked across the Broken Bridge, they met a handsome young man carrying an umbrella. When it started to rain, the young man introduced himself, saying his name was Xu Xian. Then he lent the ladies his umbrella. At this point, Bai Suzhen fell in love with Xu Xian. Sounds like a case of love at first sight.
The next day, the ladies met Xu Xian again. They returned his umbrella, thanked Xu Xian for his kindness and shared a meal with him. Xiaoqing confided to Xu Xian that Bai Suzhen was in love with him. As it happened, he felt the same. The couple married and opened an herbal medicine shop.
All was well until a Taoist monk named Fahai visited their store. Fahai told Xu Xian his wife was not human; she was a devil snake. Xu Xian didn’t believe him. Fahai gave Xu Xian a special drink to prove Bai Suzhen was a snake. After Xu Xian tricked his wife into drinking the liquid, she turned into a giant white snake. Xu Xian collapsed in shock and died.
Bai Suzhen found an antidote, but after Xu Xian revived, Fahai took him to Jinshan Temple.

Bai Suzhen declared war on Fahai and appealed to the Dragon King of the East for aid. He sent them an army of sea goblins who proved helpful. Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing attacked Fahai by flooding Jinshan Temple. The sea goblins soon joined the fight. But before Bai Suzhen could claim victory, Fahai asked the gods for help and defeated Bai Suzhen.
Eventually Xu Xian escaped from the temple and found Bai Suzhen who then explained how she and Xiaoqing became the ladies Xu Xian met on Broken Bridge.
Undaunted by Bai Suzhen’s revelations, Xu Xian replied, “Human or not, I will love you anyway.” [A certified romantic swoon moment.]
But, once again, true love was thwarted when Fahai arrived with a heavenly warrior and a golden bowl. The bowl captured Bai Suzhen who was held in prison under the Leifeng Pagoda by West Lake.
Not surprisingly, this romantic tale became a popular Chinese opera.
Sandra’s Books: Sea Tigers & Merchants. Ambition, Arrogance & Pride. Saxon Heroines. Two Coins. Rama’s Labyrinth.
Illustrations & A Few Sources
Jade Emperor, Ming Dynasty; Ox Carries Rat Across the River by D. H. Isais; Chinese Zodiac Carving, Kushida Shrine, Fukuoka; Funerary Sculpture, Yunnan Province; West Lake; Chinese Opera, Legend of The White Snake by Evan Wood. “Legend of the White Snake.” Google Arts & Culture