Snake (zodiac)

The Snake (蛇) is one of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac and related to the Chinese calendar, as well as in related East Asian zodiacal or calendrical systems. The Year of the Snake is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 巳.

According to one mythical legend, there is a reason for the order of the 12 animals in the 12-year cycle. The story goes that a race was held to cross a great river, and the order of the animals in the cycle was based upon their order in finishing the race. In this story, the Snake compensated for not being the best swimmer by hitching a hidden ride on the Horse's hoof, and when the Horse was just about to cross the finish line, jumping out, scaring the Horse, and thus edging it out for sixth place.

The same 12 animals are also used to symbolize the cycle of hours in the day, each being associated with a two-hour time period. The "hour" of the Snake is 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., the time when the sun warms up the earth, and Snakes are said to slither out of their holes.

Chinese astrology

Chinese astrology is based on the traditional astronomy and calendars. The development of Chinese astrology is tied to that of astronomy, which came to flourish during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BC to 2nd century AD).

Chinese astrology has a close relation with Chinese philosophy (theory of the three harmony, heaven, earth and water) and uses the principles of yin and yang and concepts that are not found in Western astrology, such as the wu xing teachings, the 10 Celestial stems, the 12 Earthly Branches, the lunisolar calendar (moon calendar and sun calendar), and the time calculation after year, month, day and shichen (時辰).

Background

Chinese astrology was elaborated during the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 BC) and flourished during the Han Dynasty (2nd century BC to 2nd century AD). During the Han period, the familiar elements of traditional Chinese culture—the Yin-Yang philosophy, the theory of the 5 elements, the concepts of Heaven and Earth, and Confucian morality—were brought together to formalize the philosophical principles of Chinese medicine and divination, astrology and alchemy.

Snake (disambiguation)

A snake is an elongate, legless, predatory reptile.

Snake may also refer to:

Devices

Games and toys

Arts and entertainment

Music

Albums

Songs

The Snake (novel)

The Snake (1964) is Mickey Spillane's eighth novel featuring private investigator Mike Hammer.

The plot

The novel picks up where exactly where The Girl Hunters left off. Hammer has discovered the location of his long lost love and secretary, Velda. In a race against the clock, Hammer tries to move Velda from the location as soon as possible, only to find that she is harboring a 21-year-old runaway who is fearing for her life. Before they vacate the premises, they are attacked by two assassins, who they later discover are working independently of each other. Hammer quickly dispatches one of the men and severely wounds the other. However, the wounded killer escapes.

Days later, Velda testifies before Congress about the espionage activities carried out by the Butterfly Two group. The Justice Department acts swiftly upon the testimony to round up the remaining operatives in the country, leaving Velda and Mike in the free and clear to return to their prior lives. After the duo set up shop again in the Hackard Building, Hammer reconciles with his old police buddy, Pat Chambers, after he learns that Velda is still alive. Hammer then devotes his attention to the girl that Velda was harboring, who claims that her stepfather is trying to kill her and also claims he killed her mother.

The Snake (Shane MacGowan album)

The Snake is the first solo album by Shane MacGowan with backing band The Popes. Released in 1994 by ZTT Records. Guests on the album include Johnny Depp, members of The Dubliners, Thin Lizzy, and The Pogues.

The 1995 US edition featured a revised running order, and also added three additional tracks: the traditional songs "Nancy Whiskey" and "Roddy McCorley", as well as the Sinéad O'Connor duet "Haunted", an old Pogues song originally sung by Cait O'Riordan for the Sid & Nancy soundtrack. The 1996 edition adds another duet, "You're the one", this time with Clannad's Máire Brennan, from the soundtrack to the film "Circle of Friends".

Like a number of songs recorded by MacGowan's previous band, The Pogues, traditional tunes are sometimes used as a base for a new song (for example, the melody for "The Song With No Name" is based on "The Homes of Donegal").

Track listing (original edition: 1994 European/Canadian release)

All tracks composed by Shane MacGowan; except where indicated