The Snake, one of the twelve animals in the Lunar Zodiac, holds a profound place in East Asian art and culture. As a zodiac animal, the Snake symbolizes wisdom, introspection, mystery, and transformation. Its graceful and sinuous form has made it a popular subject in paintings, where it is often depicted with elegance, subtlety, and spiritual depth.

The Lunar Zodiac, often referred to as the East Asian Zodiac, is a system of twelve animals that correspond to the lunar calendar. Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, this tradition has been widely adopted and adapted by other East Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Mongolia, each adding their own cultural nuances while maintaining the shared foundation.

Traditional Chinese animal painting is a significant genre within Chinese art, reflecting the deep cultural, philosophical, and symbolic connections between humans and animals. Often created using traditional techniques such as ink and wash (水墨画) or gongbi (工笔, meticulous brushwork), these paintings are rich in symbolic meanings and serve to convey moral lessons, philosophical ideas, and expressions of beauty in nature.