Happy New Year of the Dragon. 龙年快乐！(Lóng nián kuàile!)

The Dragon is magnificent. In China, the Dragon is the imperial symbol, the sign of the emperor and the male element of Yang. The Dragon is also synonymous with power and wealth.

The Dragon falls on the following years: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and 2012.

It is said that people born in the year of the Dragon carry a natural charisma and are gifted with power and luck. They are egoistical and ambitious, almost to the point of megalomania, and will stop at nothing to get what they want. They can be successful as actors, singers, bankers, financiers, politicians, pharmacists and quite comfortable in the place of many other professions. Some famous people born in the year of the Dragon are Bruce Lee (1940), Florence Nightingale (1820), Paul Allen (1952), and Friedrich Nietzsche (1844).

Once upon a time, the Jade Emperor prepared to select twelve animals to be recognized as the zodiac (生肖shēngxiāo) signs. In accordance with the decree, the first twelve animals to arrive on the appointed day would be selected as the animals of the zodiac. The cat asked the mouse to help it sign up, but the mouse forgot and the cat wasn’t chosen. Ever since, the cat and mouse have been enemies. Other animals wanted to choose the ox for the first place. When the ox walked into the hall, the mouse rode upon his back and was seen first. So then, the mouse took the first place in the zodiac. The tiger and dragon didn’t accept the decision, but were granted as kings of the mountain and sea in retribution. Next, the rabbit didn’t accept the other positions and ran a race with the dragon to take the fourth spot. That’s how the dragon became the Fifth Animal in the Chinese Zodiac.

年 (nián) monster and 守岁 (shǒusuì) stay up late or all night on New Year's Eve

It is said that there was a monster called "年 (nián)" in ancient time of China. The "年 (nián)" monster was huge-sized and with antenna coming out of his head. Usually, it lived at the deep bottom of ocean, but in the New Year's Eve, it comes out to devour the livestock and people living in the villages. However, after many years and many losses people discovered that the "年 (nián)" monster was afraid of the color red, bright lights and slam-bang noises. So on the New Year's Eve (called "除夕 (chúxī)" in China), Chinese people put couplets written on red paper up on their gate, hung red lanterns across gate beams, set off fireworks and stayed up all night, which was called "守岁 (shǒusuì)" in China and people still follow this tradition today. The "守岁 (shǒusuì)" tradition shares the deep lingering feelings from the passing year and a nice longing for the coming new year.

If you are living in China or going to spend the New Year 2012 with your Chinese friends, you can experience Chinese New Year yourself.

本命年 (běnmìngnián)

"本命年 (běnmìngnián)" refers to the year you were born. It matches with one of 12 animals of Chinese Zodiac called "生肖 (shēngxiāo)." In the coming of one's "本命年 (běnmìngnián)," according to Chinese tradition, one should wear a red belt and red socks and stitch a red cloth stripe on one's coat. Because "本命年 (běnmìngnián)" is also called a threshold year which it is believed is hard to get through. Chinese people believe that red is a lucky color, which can help people rid themselves of any misfortunes coming from their "本命年 (běnmìngnián)." Chinese New Year 2012 is the Year of the Dragon!

If you were born in 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and 2012, you belong to the Dragon, so New Year's 2012 is your "本命年 (běnmìngnián)."

What is your wish in New Year 2012? Some wishes that Chinese people might have in the New Year 2012:

College students who sit the graduate entrance exam hope they can be enrolled in their ideal universities in the New Year 2012 and any that did not sit the graduate entrance exam hope they will find a good-paying job in the New Year 2012;

Athletes hope they will win a gold medal in the coming Olympics in 2012; Doctors hope they will have fewer patients to treat in the New Year 2012;

Chefs hopes they will cook more delicious food in the New Year 2012; Cleaners hope the streets will be tidier and cleaner in the New Year 2012;

Taxi drivers hope they will encounter fewer traffic jams in the New Year 2012;

Parents hope their children will be healthier, more beautiful and earn more money in the New Year 2012;

Sons and daughters hope their parents and grand-parents will live longer in the New Year 2012;

Girls hope they will become better in the New Year 2012; Boys who are still single hope they will find a virtuous and beautiful girlfriend in the New Year 2012;

Xiao Lin, working as a online service, hopes that her face will be more smooth and fair in the New Year 2012;

Lao Wang, living in the wireless sub district in Haidian, hopes that he will beat his partner once playing Chinese chess in the New Year 2012;

Sun Jing, working as a volunteer in the Xin Jiang Autonomous Region of China, hopes that she will have more time to spend with her parents and stay with her husband in the New Year 2012.