Steeped in mythology and revered through the ages, the dragon holds a unique place in Chinese culture. Symbolizing power, prosperity, and good fortune, understanding the mythical tales behind this legendary creature enriches the significance of the Lunar New Year. If you're curious to learn more, we invite you to explore the captivating narratives that have shaped the cultural fabric of this auspicious occasion.
Long before it was imbued with symbolic meaning in the zodiac and beyond, the dragon was an ambiguous silhouette adorning art forms—a sheer convention of imagination, says J. Keith Wilson, curator of ancient Chinese art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.
When the Year of the Dragon arrives, birth rates in China tend to boom. Many parents believe that a child born during this year, a lucky dragon baby, will be destined for success. Though this perception is often a self-fulfilling prophecy, with parents investing greater resources in their dragon child, the extraordinary expectations surrounding the zodiac creature speak to its deep associations with intelligence, authority and good fortune. This year, the dragon will take
the helm from the rabbit on February 10, ushering in a long-anticipated period of prosperity unique to the mythical being.
“In the end, the invisible dragon of nature is, ironically, the most real and tangible of all. After its deep winter slumber, this creator awakens in spring and rises to the sky to provide the earth with new life,” wrote Wilson. “In this context, the dragon is a pulsating force, the world’s activating agent.”
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