THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

The Dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac, and it is the only sign that is not a real animal.  It is also the most powerful symbol because a dragon is made up of parts of other animals such as the tiger, fish, snake, and eagle.  The Chinese do not see the dragon as scary and evil, like people in Western cultures do.  Instead, they see the dragon as a wise, powerful, and superior ruler.

My mom was born in a Water Dragon year, which is what 2012 is also, so this is supposed to be a very lucky year for her.  But actually, it turns out that this year could be a lucky one for most everybody.  It's a year when a lot of things in your life could change, and it's a good time for new beginnings.  You could start a business, make some smart investments, and earn a bunch of money.  Just be sure to save some of that money and not spend it all, like a Dragon person might do.  Oh, and if you want to get married, this year would be an excellent time to do that.

In the Chinese calendar, today is the start of the year 4709.  This number is counted from when the Yellow King became the king of China in 2697 B.C.E.  The Yellow King was the very first king of China, and he is not the same as the first emperor of China, who was somebody different.

This is a little bit confusing, but here is something that is even more confusing.  The Chinese New Year, which is today, is not really the beginning of the Year of the Dragon.  That's because the Year of the Dragon begins on the Start of Spring, which will be on February 4, 2012.  The Start of Spring is the first day of the Tiger month, which is the first month of the year in the Chinese Fortune-Telling Calendar system.  So, are you confused yet?  I am.  Which is why I decided to just go ahead and talk about the Year of the Dragon anyway, even if it doesn't officially start until February 4.

Okay, now I will tell you about people who were born in a Dragon year.  Since the Dragon is such a powerful symbol, Dragon-year people can be dominant and ambitious.  They are also smart and talented.  They like challenges, and they aren't afraid to take risks.  Dragon people prefer doing things by themselves, in their own way, and they are often successful.  They can have tempers that are quick and fiery, like a dragon, and they might use their sharp dragon-tongues to say things that are sarcastic and biting.

But underneath, dragons have a soft belly, and that means Dragon people have a "soft spot" for those in need.  They like to help others out, but Dragon people don't like to ask for help for themselves.  They are loyal friends and they will do anything to protect the people they love.  The Dragon is a hard worker and is usually lucky.  He is charismatic and gets lots of attention.  A Dragon person is also proud, enthusiastic, and passionate about life.

People who were born in Water Dragon years are calmer than regular Dragon-year people because water calms fire.  They can see things from someone else's point of view, and they don't always think all their own opinions are the right ones.  It seems like this would mean that Mom would see more stuff from my point of view and let me have more things that I ask her for, but it doesn't really work that way, so this part about Water Dragons may not be very true.

The way the dragon got started being so important to the Chinese was like this:  more than 4,000 years ago, there were two big tribes in China, plus a bunch of smaller tribes.  Each tribe had an animal symbol.  The two large tribes joined together, and they chose the dragon for their symbol.  The Han Chinese, which is the biggest ethnic group in China, still call themselves the descendants of the dragon.

So anyway, I want to wish everybody a lot of good luck in the Year of the Dragon.  It could be a very good year for you, but don't do any of those bad Dragon things such as spending your money as fast as you make it or losing your temper a lot!