英闻天下——253 Snake-related Products Popular in China

 　　A gold cobra, shinning shimmering 1, splendid sits in a locked, glass display case in a Hong Kong jewelry 2 shop! It will take a chunk 3 out of your wallet, setting you back some $25,600 U.S. dollars. It took artisans about a month to make the snake, which weighs about 380 grams.

 
　　Retailers 4 in Hong Kong are stocking up on snake-related products to meet the growing demand ahead of the start of the Lunar New Year.
 
　　The Chinese New Year, which falls on Sunday, February 10th, heralds 5 the beginning of the Year of the Snake.
 
　　In the West, snakes are regarded as evil. But many Chinese believe they are clever and agile 6. Some even say the "little dragon" is auspicious 7.
 
　　Kent Wong, Managing Director of Chow Tai Fook Jewelry, says traditionally, demand for gold Chinese zodiac products has always been particularly great.
 
　　"For thousands of years, especially during the Chinese New Year, Chinese people have??liked to buy Chinese zodiac animal products because they believe this kind of product can bring them good luck and fortune. Usually, they like to buy some gold jewelry with a snake design."
 
　　In recent years, the price of gold has risen considerably 8, as investors 9 have sought more stable investment options rather than sink money in troubled markets or global stock exchanges.
 
　　Despite the price increases, Wong says shoppers still want to invest in gold.
 
　　"People like to buy gold for investment purposes, and it's a kind of wealth accumulation. These kinds of purchases are less affected 10 by rising prices."
 
　　The Year of a Snake has been slithering its way into marketing 11 and branding across Hong Kong.
 
　　One Hong Kong footwear designer has created a pair of heels inspired by the coming Year of the Snake.
 
　　Gold-colored with two sparkling snake heads on each heel, the shoes are the latest design by Ameersing Luximon, an assistant professor at the Institute of Textile and Clothing at Hong Kong Polytechnic 12 University.
 
　　He has combined different elements in the shoes to reflect the joyful 13 atmosphere of the coming year. Luximon says:
 
　　"So, the shoes, first they are gold in color, which means prosperity. I think everyone knows the color gold is related to kings, which means rich. Another thing is they have two heads, on which one pair of shoes there are two heads. So, actually, there are four heads, which means one pair is not alone, so it's like a friendship, like a family; and four means like a whole family together. On the back of the shoes, you have two wings. Each shoe has two wings. You don't need one wing to fly. You have two wings, so they can help you fly higher in the scene and achieve success in whatever you want to do."
 
　　From the feng shui perspective, 2013 is the Year of Fire, which represents happiness and prosperity.
 
　　Feng shui is a traditional Chinese belief system that combines analysis of the lunar calendar with a series of key elements??wood, fire, earth, metal, and water??as well as geographical 14 features and meteorology.
 
　　Raymond Lo, a feng shui master in Hong Kong, says as 2013 is the start of the fire cycle, we can expect to see a boost in the global economy, and the snake will charm the stock markets.
 
　　"Since 2008 this is the first time we have had a snake year, which is also the fire year. So, that's why, definitely people's mood will change. Actually, the stock market (is) very much affected by the collective mood of the people. And if everybody feels positive, definitely the economic atmosphere will be much more active, more people will invest money, and the stock market will go up. So, that's why we already smell the power of the snake."
 
　　The Year of the Snake is coming on Sunday, Feb.10th.
 
　　For CRI, I am Li Dong.