The Chinese New Year begins Feb. 10, but the Year of the Snake is off to an early start in East Harlem.

Since Jan. 17, a Hispanic hulk — 6 feet to 6-foot-2 and 200 to 240 pounds — has slithered up to and mugged eight people of Asian descent, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said yesterday.

In the latest, a 57-year-old man attacked on East 97th Street at 10:45 a.m. yesterday suffered a broken nose and was robbed of $200.