Chinese New Year: What to expect in the Year of the Dragon

As the Asian community in New Zealand ushers in a new year on Saturday, what can we expect from the Year of the Dragon?

Possessing an ability to transcend both heaven and Earth, the dragon (lóng, 龙) symbolises power, nobility, honour, luck and success in traditional Chinese culture.

As such, the next lunar year is likely to include important changes that have a touch of mystery and vibrancy about them.

Imperial power

In traditional Chinese culture, the dragon symbolizes imperial power.

Indeed, all things related to imperial power in China include the character for "dragon," highlighting the animal's importance in Chinese culture.

The emperor is called the "true dragon son of heaven," a noble figure who sits on a "dragon throne" or travels in a "dragon carriage/boat" wearing "dragon robes".

But the dragon not only represents power and nobility - it also symbolizes auspiciousness, achievement, health and good fortune.

When the Asian community last celebrated the Year of the Dragon in 2012, there was a surge in demand for parents wishing to have "dragon babies". Whether we will observe a similar phenomenon this year remains to be seen.

Prominent people born in the Year of the Dragon include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Beatles singer/songwriter John Lennon, US civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and artist Salvador Dali.

Prominent Chinese individuals born in the Year of the Dragon include Xuanyuan (the Yellow Emperor), Aisin Gioro Huang Taiji (the founding emperor of the Qing Dynasty), Zhu Yuanzhang (the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty), Alibaba Group co-founder Jack Ma and Hong Kong business tycoons Li Ka-shing and Li Zhaoji.

The Yellow Emperor, also known by his Chinese name Huangdi, apparently adopted the dragon as his totem and, as a result, his descendants are also called "descendants of the dragon".

Animal attributes

The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal and its attributes to a year in a perpetually repeating 12-year cycle.

The dozen animals listed in the cycle are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Some parts of the world that follow the zodiac calendar use other animals in place of those listed above, for example replacing a rabbit with a cat or swapping out a sheep with a goat.

According to Chinese tradition, individuals born under certain zodiac signs should be able to enjoy a favourable year under the protection of the dragon.

As they are good friends with the dragon and possess a high level of compatibility, those born in either the Year of the Rat or Monkey are most likely to have a trouble-free year filled with opportunities for personal growth.

What's more, people born in the Year of the Pig or Rooster could experience improved relationships with those close to them and be supported by others this year having been empowered by a sense of motivation and confidence.

However, individuals born in the Year of the Dog or Rabbit should probably take extra care in the year ahead and will need to display plenty of fortitude to overcome challenges.

It's not a great year either for those born in the Year of the Ox, though their journey is made a touch easier thanks to some auspicious stars in the sky above.

Meanwhile, people born in the Year of the Tiger, Snake, Horse or Sheep are neither protected by the dragon nor negatively affected by zodiac signs that conflict with them.

In Chinese culture, there's a general understanding that a person entering a year with the same zodiac sign as the year they were born is likely to face some challenges or opportunities during the year.

Called "ben ming nian" in China, the year might even contain challenges that can be pretty taxing.

Individuals born in the Year of the Dragon would more than likely be getting messages of caution from their family and friends, urging them to exercise caution throughout the year and tread carefully to avoid any potholes, obstacles or setbacks.

For example, they could have their teeth cleaned or donate blood, as such activities are believed to help mitigate the more minor challenges.

In addition to the year a person is born, some believe that the exact month, day of the week and time of day are also influential, but that's all getting far too technical for the space we have available here.

Other influential elements

In addition to the zodiac animals, ancient Chinese tradition believes that five elements also influence one's fortune in a year: wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

And if that wasn't getting complicated enough, the opposing balance of yin (阴) and yang (阳) also plays a role, with the former representing a cool, calm and contracting state and the latter representing an active, bright and expansive philosophy.

According to a traditional Chinese calendar, the elements associated with the 2024 Dragon is yang wood (甲) and yang earth (辰).

Wood essentially represents trees and plants, while earth represents soil and rock.

Plants absorb nutrients from the soil, becoming increasingly robust over time.

As plants grow larger, they displace soil sitting on the surface and below ground, thereby changing its original configuration.

As a result, 2024 is likely to be a year of ongoing conflict between the wood and earth elements due to their conflicting nature.

Consequently, the Year of the Dragon is likely to be a little unpredictable and volatile in nature.

Traditionally, anyone concerned about a difficult year ahead would be advised to do more and speak less until the power of the Year of the Dragon starts to fade early next year.

According to ancient Chinese tradition, one should seize opportunity in auspicious years and accumulate strength in challenging years.

We would like to conclude by wishing all our readers a very happy new year - whatever zodiac animal you happen to be!

Sidebar: What zodiac animal are our political leaders?

Prime Minister and National leader Christopher Luxon: Year of the Dog (1970)

Deputy Prime Minister and New Zealand First leader Winston Peters: Year of the Rooster (1945)

ACT leader David Seymour: Year of the Pig (1983)

Labour leader Chris Hipkins: Year of the Horse (1978)

Greens co-leader James Shaw: Year of the Ox (1973)

Greens co-leader Marama Davidson: Year of the Ox (1973)

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Year of the Horse or Sheep (1966 or 1967)

Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi: Year of the Rooster (1981)