The Year of the Snake: Weaving timeless traditions into contemporary celebrations

Around the world, Chinese communities are ushering in the Year of the Snake on January 29, 2025. For its latest Spring Festival Gala—an annual variety show that has been airing on Chinese New Year's Eve for over four decades—China Media Group (CMG) unveiled a logo featuring an official mascot named Si Shengsheng for this year's theme "Year of the Snake, Keep your Spirits Awake."

A timeless design

The design of Si Shengsheng was inspired by "si," one of the characters in the oracle bone script that corresponds to the word snake. Among the earliest examples of Chinese writing, oracle bone script was discovered in the early 20th century inscribed on animal bones—typically from oxen or turtles—at Anyang in Henan Province, and was used for divination purposes by the royal court of the Shang Dynasty (1600 B.C.-1046 B.C.).

The Spring Festival Gala mascot's playful look and color palette of teal-green tones, reminiscent of jade and celadon glaze, aims to combine the aesthetics of ancient China with an appeal to modern sensibilities.

The integration of traditional and modern elements serves as a source of inspiration for contemporary design, such as the pictograms used in the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics sport icons, which were also derived from oracle bone script. In addition to the mascot, this merging of historical legacy with modern cultural storytelling also formed the creative foundation for this year's Spring Festival Gala logo.

A symbol of good luck

The 2025 Spring Festival Gala logo echoes the symbol for "ruyi," a prominent and auspicious object in Chinese culture, often associated with good fortune, power, and authority. Formed by two mirrored "si" characters, the pattern can be endlessly repeated to represent eternal harmony and renewal.

Originally crafted as a practical tool, possibly used as a backscratcher, the ruyi evolved into a stylized symbol of auspiciousness, becoming a ceremonial scepter and prized object of art in the imperial courts. Its elegant curves and flowing lines have inspired a range of artistic forms, from textiles to ceramics and even iconic structures like the "Snow Ruyi" National Ski Jumping Center at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Si Shengsheng's rosy cheeks feature a spiral motif inspired by a talismanic ruyi symbol unearthed at Famen Temple in China's Shaanxi Province, where the discovery of this ruyi, along with gold, silver, and other historical treasures, provides a glimpse into Tang-era aesthetics and culture from over a thousand years ago.

An ancient serpentine legacy

In their commitment to merging past and present, the creators of Si Shengsheng also turned to the iconic Sanxingdui bronze sculptures for inspiration, connecting ancient Chinese art to contemporary design. Discoveries unearthed at the Sanxingdui archaeological site in Sichuan Province offer clues about the mysterious Shu Kingdom, which dates back 4,500 to 3,000 years, through and sculptures depicting fantastical beasts, snakes, and other creatures with big eyes, similar to the Spring Festival Gala mascot's bright eyes.

In ancient China, the snake was viewed with reverence. An ancient creation mythology depicts the creators of humanity, Fuxi and Nuwa, with human upper bodies and serpentine lower bodies. "Ta," the Chinese word for "it," originally referred to snakes in ancient texts, and according to "Shuowen Jiezi," the oldest comprehensive Chinese character dictionary compiled nearly two millennia ago, ancient greetings often inquired about encounters with snakes, highlighting their central role in early life.

From creation myths to their symbolic ties with the mighty dragon, snakes have left indelible marks on Chinese art and culture. This influence continues to evolve, as demonstrated by the Spring Festival Gala's portrayal of the zodiac animal, ensuring that ancient Chinese heritage and creative artistry remain relevant today.