Slithering snake

Slithering snake

Slithering snake

We’ve just survived the wrath of the dragon, and now the year of the snake is at our doorstep. Tomorrow is Chinese New Year's Eve, and we are about to embark on a supposedly interesting year ahead. As is known, the Chinese calendar dedicates each year to a particular animal, and within the 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac, each year marks the turn of a different animal sign. The year of the wood snake will be followed by the fiery horse.

Each year, I like to write about the Chinese New Year, perhaps because it reminds me of a long-forgotten 12-animal Turkish calendar, which is also based on the cyclic turn of 12 animal signs. My art historian mother had written an article about it, but unfortunately, it’s somewhere lost among my library shelves. The Turkish-Chinese cultural interactions are quite complex and intertwined; undoubtedly, the patterns in Ottoman embroidery, textiles, tiles and porcelain have strong Chinese influences. The famed “Çintemani” pattern simply means “in Chinese style,” with stylized wavy clouds and three dots in a triangular layout. One mutual interaction between the Chinese and Turkish cultures is the 12-animal calendar. The year of the snake in the Chinese calendar is also dedicated to the snake in the ancient Turkish calendar. Alas, the Chinese calendar, now stepping into 4723, is celebrated worldwide, but the old Turkic calendar seems to be a thing of the past, at least it is so, here in contemporary Türkiye. The old Sino-Turkish animal cycle of 12 solar years is still followed in great geography in Asia, but here nobody seems to recognize it anymore.

For years, scholars have been debating on which calendar came first. Hungarian historian and turcologist László Rásonyi, who also taught in Türkiye between 1933 and 1942, suggested that the animal calendar originated in Central Asian Turkic communities, but was later adopted and elaborated by the Chinese who were advanced in astrology, and then it was re-borrowed by the Turkic people at a later stage. So, this year, it is the year of “Yılan,” which etymologically comes from the Chinese language, another telltale of interesting cultural interaction at the linguistic level.

The snake is an animal that inspires respect, reverence and fear in Turkish beliefs. The year of the snake is considered to be a difficult year, a year of drought and famine, a year without fertility. In Chinese belief, the snake symbolizes rebirth and renewal, as it sheds its skin to reveal a new one beneath. In many cultures serpents and snakes represent a creative life force. Emerging anew from inside their shed skin, snakes symbolize transformation, immortality and healing, as if rejecting death. This is why pharmacies and health institutions feature a snake in their signs, as it represents health and medicine.

This snake year can be a year of transformation, starting anew, hopefully in a positive and constructive way. This is the time to leave the troubles and worries behind as if shedding the old skin and slithering away. Leaving worries behind can be difficult, but the snake makes it seem easy. Effortlessly emerging off its skin and moving away with a smooth oscillating motion, silently sweeping forward only with a hissing sound. In hopes that the snake will bring luck and prosperity, maybe it’s better to stay on the safe side and remember to eat all the lucky foods in the forthcoming days. First, be sure to have as many dumplings as possible that you can eat on Tuesday night. Preferably Chinese dumplings, but any dumplings can be fine, here in Türkiye, Turkish mantı will count too, again remembering the mantı-mantou connection, it is not that far from the old Sino-Turkic relations. A whole fish is also must have dish on New Year’s Eve for wholeness, unity and integrity, all virtues we need for world peace. That is easy to do that here, we always have our grilled fried fish whole, never filleted or cut into pieces, it comes to the table head to tail with bones and eyes looking at you. If you do not feel like having one, it is fine too, at least have a figurine or picture of a fish on your table, even wishing for unity will help.

Last but not least, be sure to have longevity noodles, long and slippery just like snakes, not only to call for health and long life, but to call for renewal of life. So, let’s be ready to meet the Snake Year. Make yourself a longevity noodle or just cook the longest pasta you can find. Slurp and suck each noodle one by one, wish for the best, drag yourself forward, shed your skin and slither away from the past!

Recipe of the Week: Sometimes with an emergency noodle to be ready in a matter of seconds. No, not the cup noodles from the cupboard, where you just pour boiling water over them. This recipe is just as simple, and the amounts are for two. Sharing it will increase the chances of a long life together.

Boil 200 grams of Chinese egg noodles or any long pasta available in your pantry. Finely chop 2 stalks of spring onions. In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, and 3-4 tablespoons of chili oil, preferably the crunchy variety. If you don't have chili oil, simply pour 3-4 spoonfuls of hot oil over a tablespoon of hot chili flakes. Add the pasta to the sauce, a few drops of sesame oil if you have it, and sprinkle chopped spring onion on top. Enjoy and wish for the best!