1989 Chinese zodiac: Earth Snake
Born on or after February 6, 1989, you are an Earth Snake. Born January 1 to February 5, 1989, you are an Earth Dragon.
Earth Snake · 1989
01 · DATES
Why 1989 has two signs
The Chinese year does not start on 1 January. It starts at Chinese New Year, which was February 6, 1989 in 1989. So the people born in 1989 split across two animals.
| Born | Sign | Chinese year |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1989 to February 5, 1989 | Earth Dragon | 1988 (戊辰) |
| February 6, 1989 to December 31, 1989 | Earth Snake | 1989 (己巳) |
Dates follow the calendar in China. Five Elements (BaZi) charts change year at the start of spring, around 4 February, so a BaZi chart can give a different animal for an early-February birthday. See the Five Elements tool.
Chinese New Year 1989 is on a Monday, February 6, 1989, and the Lantern Festival closes the celebration on February 20, 1989. The Earth Snake year lasts 355 days, until January 26, 1990. The same sign and element came round in 1929 and come round again in 2049. A 1989 birthday turns 37 in 2026 and 38 in 2027. Before it came the Earth Dragon year, from February 17, 1988. After it comes the Metal Horse year, from January 27, 1990.
02 · THIS YEAR
What sets 1989 apart
Chinese New Year came 11 days earlier on the calendar than in 1988. The Sun entered Aquarius on January 20, 1989, 17 days earlier, so the Earth Snake year opens in Aquarius season.
36 days of 1989, from January 1 to February 5, 1989, still belong to the Earth Dragon year. The other 329 belong to the Earth Snake.
Chinese New Year came 2 days after 4 February, the usual start of spring. For those 2 days, from February 4, 1989 to February 5, 1989, the Chinese calendar still counts an Earth Dragon where a Five Elements chart already counts an Earth Snake.
03 · ELEMENT
What the Earth adds to the Snake
The Earth Snake is the most patient. Earth adds steadiness, so this Snake builds slowly and finishes. It is practical, thorough, and very hard to rush. It is a Yin year (odd), the inward, quiet side.
The year's stem is Earth and the Snake's own branch is Fire. Fire feeds Earth in the cycle, so the animal supports the year's element. Traditionally that is the easier mix: the sign backs the element.
Every Snake year has a different element, so an Earth Snake is not the same as the other Snakes. The cycle repeats every 60 years. Read the full Snake guide, or see all 12 signs and every year on the Chinese zodiac overview.
The Snake year before this one was 1977, a Fire Snake year that began on February 18, 1977. Chinese New Year was 12 days later then, and the element moved on from Fire to Earth. The Snake year after this one was 2001, a Metal Snake year that began on January 24, 2001. Chinese New Year was 13 days earlier then, and the element then moved on from Earth to Metal.
Your own year, the year your animal comes round again, repeats every 12 years: 2001 (Metal Snake), 2013 (Water Snake), 2025 (Wood Snake), 2037 (Fire Snake), 2049 (Earth Snake).
| Year | Sign | Starts |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Wood Snake | January 29, 2025 |
| 2013 | Water Snake | February 10, 2013 |
| 2001 | Metal Snake | January 24, 2001 |
| 1989 | Earth Snakethis page | February 6, 1989 |
| 1977 | Fire Snake | February 18, 1977 |
| 1965 | Wood Snake | February 2, 1965 |
| 1953 | Water Snake | February 14, 1953 |
| 1941 | Metal Snake | January 27, 1941 |
| 1929 | Earth Snake | February 10, 1929 |
04 · THE SIGN
The Snake behind the Earth
The Snake's best matches are Ox and Rooster (triple harmony) and Monkey (secret friend). Pig sits opposite on the wheel and is the traditional clash.
Strengths and blind spots, every compatible sign, and the full 2026 and 2027 reading are on the Snake guide.
05 · 2026 AND 2027
What 2026 and 2027 mean for an Earth Snake
Every year carries its own animal and element. Here is how each one sits next to an Earth Snake, read the traditional way. Treat it as something to think with, not a forecast.
2026
Fire Horse year
Animal. Snake and Horse have no special tie, but both are Fire signs, so the year doubles the Snake's own element. Tradition reads heat and drive: ambition runs high, so does the temper, and the Snake that stays composed gets the most from it. It suits bold work done quietly.
Element. Fire feeds Earth in the Five Elements cycle, so the year tends to back you.
2027
Fire Goat year
Animal. Snake and Goat have no special tie, and the Goat's Earth is fed by the Snake's Fire, which gives it a supportive tone. Tradition reads a smoother year than 2026: the Snake can rest, think, and choose a direction without pressure. It is a good year for study and for repairing relationships.
Element. Fire feeds Earth in the Five Elements cycle, so the year tends to back you.
Your sign is where it starts
Your Annual Report
A Earth Snake year is shared by a lot of people, and no two of them live it the same way. Your Annual Report reads your Five Elements and Western chart together, then draws your year as one curve. You can see the months that carry you forward, the ones that ask you to slow down, and how the year builds from January to December.
06 · FAMOUS
Famous Earth Snakes born in 1989
Born from February 6, 1989 to the end of 1989, counted with the same Chinese New Year table as this page.
- Taylor Swift · December 13, 1989
- SZA · November 8, 1989
- Chris Brown · May 5, 1989
- Travis Kelce · October 5, 1989
- Dakota Johnson · October 4, 1989
07 · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the Chinese zodiac for 1989?
Birthdays from February 6, 1989 to December 31, 1989 fall in the Chinese year of the Earth Snake, which runs until January 26, 1990. Birthdays from January 1 to February 5, 1989 belong to the year before: Earth Dragon.
What if I was born in January or February 1989?
The Chinese year starts at Chinese New Year, not on 1 January. In 1989 that was February 6, 1989. Born before it, you are an Earth Dragon. Born on or after it, you are an Earth Snake. 36 days of 1989, from January 1 to February 5, 1989, still belong to the Earth Dragon year. The other 329 belong to the Earth Snake.
When is Chinese New Year 1989?
Monday, February 6, 1989. Chinese New Year came 11 days earlier on the calendar than in 1988. The Lantern Festival, on the 15th day, is February 20, 1989.
How long is the Earth Snake year?
355 days, from February 6, 1989 to January 26, 1990. That is 10 days shorter than a 365-day calendar year, because it has twelve lunar months and no leap month.
What element is the 1989 Snake?
Earth, with Yin polarity. Earth adds steadiness, patience, and a love of routine. The Snake years are 2025 (Wood), 2013 (Water), 2001 (Metal), 1989 (Earth), 1977 (Fire), 1965 (Wood), 1953 (Water), 1941 (Metal), 1929 (Earth).
Does the Snake back its Earth in an Earth Snake?
The year's stem is Earth and the Snake's own branch is Fire. Fire feeds Earth in the cycle, so the animal supports the year's element. Traditionally that is the easier mix: the sign backs the element.
When does the Snake come round again after 1989?
Your own year, the year your animal comes round again, repeats every 12 years: 2001 (Metal Snake), 2013 (Water Snake), 2025 (Wood Snake), 2037 (Fire Snake), 2049 (Earth Snake).
How old is a 1989 Snake in 2027?
A birthday in 1989 turns 37 in 2026 and 38 in 2027, counted the Western way. The sign does not change with age: you stay an Earth Snake for life.
Which famous people were born in 1989 under the Earth Snake?
Taylor Swift, SZA, Chris Brown, Travis Kelce and Dakota Johnson. All were born on or after February 6, 1989, so the Chinese New Year table makes them Earth Snakes.
Who is an Earth Snake compatible with?
The Snake's best matches are Ox and Rooster (triple harmony) and Monkey (secret friend). Pig sits opposite on the wheel and is the traditional clash. These are old zodiac-wheel relations, and they describe tendencies, not outcomes.
What do 2026 and 2027 mean for an Earth Snake?
Snake and Horse have no special tie, but both are Fire signs, so the year doubles the Snake's own element. Tradition reads heat and drive: ambition runs high, so does the temper, and the Snake that stays composed gets the most from it. It suits bold work done quietly. Fire feeds Earth in the Five Elements cycle, so the year tends to back you. For 2027, a Fire Goat year: Snake and Goat have no special tie, and the Goat's Earth is fed by the Snake's Fire, which gives it a supportive tone. Tradition reads a smoother year than 2026: the Snake can rest, think, and choose a direction without pressure. It is a good year for study and for repairing relationships. Fire feeds Earth in the Five Elements cycle, so the year tends to back you.
Updated November 2026
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