STORY: Chinese people embrace snakes as new zodiac symbol
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 22/23, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 30, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:16
LOCATION: CHENGDU/HECHI, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE/SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Spring Festival celebrations across China
2. various of serpent-shaped artifacts at Chengdu Museum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): XU DANYANG, Sichuan provincial cultural relics and archaeology research institute
4. various of serpent-shaped artifacts at Chengdu Museum in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province
5. various of snake-themed products
6. various of a paper-cutting workshop
7. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LUO HUAQING, Inheritor of the paper-cutting tradition of the Mulam ethnic group
8. various of paper-cutting works
9. various of snake-themed products

STORYLINE:

As the Spring Festival ushers in the Year of the Snake, China is filled with auspicious representations of the reptile.

Snakes, among the oldest creatures on Earth, have held significant cultural roles worldwide, with their symbolism varying widely across regions.

In early Chinese mythologies, snakes are depicted as divine beings and worshiped as totems.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): XU DANYANG, Sichuan provincial cultural relics and archaeology research institute
"Serpent-shaped artifacts have actually been discovered in many places across Sichuan and even throughout China.
For example, the familiar images of ancient ancestors such as Fuxi and Nuwa often appear with serpent bodies in Han Dynasty stone carvings or silk paintings, indicating the significant influence of serpent-shaped artifacts in history.
Similar serpent-shaped artifacts have also been unearthed at the Sanxingdui and Jinsha sites.
This continuity reflects the ancient Shu civilization's reverence for serpents and its tradition of using serpent imagery in religious rituals."

Amid the festive cheer, the snake is taking on a celebratory role.

In south China's Guangxi, Luo Huaqing, an inheritor of the paper-cutting tradition of the Mulam ethnic group, has been busy working on hundreds of snake-themed orders.

Hailing from Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County in Guangxi, the Mulam paper-cutting craft is known for its simplicity, rustic beauty, and ethnic uniqueness.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): LUO HUAQING, Inheritor of the paper-cutting tradition of the Mulam ethnic group
"This paper-cutting work is a powerful and beautiful snake. It incorporates snake scales with patterns resembling gold coins and the Chinese character 'Fu,' which symbolizes good fortune and happiness. And the paper cuttings have gained significant popularity in markets at tourist destinations."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Chengdu/Hechi, China.
(XHTV)