Photo: AFP/Nurphoto/Mohd Firdaus
Loretta Tóth
19/02/2024 20:04
In Chinese belief, each of the 12 zodiac signs is associated with an element: wood, metal, water, fire or earth. For example, 2012 was the Year of the Water Dragon and 2036 will be the Year of the Fire Dragon. The Chinese believe that the Wood Dragon promotes growth, development and abundance, so this year will be a good one to build a solid foundation for creating something new with long-term potential.
It has been 60 years since the last Year of the Wood Dragon, in 1964, when China conducted its first nuclear test and the Soviet Union launched the Voskhod-1 spacecraft - the latter being the first space flight to have two civilian crew members. But it was also in 1964 that US President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, which legally ended the segregation of blacks in public and private life in the US, and the year The Beatles exploded onto the American scene, significantly influencing the development of Western music for the next half century.
In contrast to Western legends, the dragon is not associated with evil in Eastern culture, but is a symbol of goodwill, representing power, strength and good fortune. Its presence during New Year celebrations heralds happiness and success for the year ahead. And the weeks leading up to the fifteen-day festive period are already filled with preparations and a multitude of customs deeply rooted in symbolism. For example, the celebrations begin with a thorough cleaning to remove stagnant energy and make room for incoming good fortune and prosperity. Homes and streets are covered with red decorations and lanterns, symbolising happiness, good fortune and helping to ward off evil spirits. And most Chinese families are sure to have some kind of dumpling on their table, representing wealth - just like lentils in Hungarian folklore.
The dragon dance is also an important part of the Lunar New Year celebrations and has become a global symbol of unity across cultural boundaries.
The author is a foreign policy journalist
