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The dragon is the fifth zodiac animal in the 12-year Chinese calendar.
In traditional Chinese culture, the term "zodiac" refers to a repeating cycle of 12 years in which each year is represented by a particular animal.
In China, "zodiac" is usually referred to as "shengxiao", literally meaning "born resembling".
As this term suggests, the Chinese zodiac animals are similar to the star signs that are more commonly used in western culture. That is to say that certain personal qualities are associated with the people born during a particular zodiac year. For instance, those born during the Year of the Ox are thought to be hard-working and honest.
In the order that they appear in the cycle, these 12 animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. These animals are honoured in celebrations every Chinese New Year.
In traditional Chinese culture, the dragon typically embodies the qualities of power, nobleness, leadership, honour, luck, and success. In fact, the dragon is often considered the most highly revered zodiac animal of all. Many years ago, it was even commonly thought that the Emperors of enormous dynasties were reincarnations of dragons!
Because of these many positive attributes associated with the dragon, in recent years there has been a considerable spike in birth rates during the Year of the Dragon. This is the result of families planning to have their child this year in the hope that they'll be born with the positive characteristics associated with the dragon.
That said, there are also some negative qualities associated with the dragon. It's thought that they can often be considered impatient and hotheaded.
The order of the Chinese zodiac animals comes from an ancient, traditional Chinese story.
The story begins a very long time ago, with the Jade Emperor deciding that there should be a way to measure and keep track of time.
To do this, on his birthday he told all the animals in the world that there would be a swimming race. The first 12 animals to cross a long river would have a year named after them.
The winner of the race was the rat, with the dragon coming in fifth place, which is why the Year of the Dragon is the fifth year in the Chinese zodiac calendar.
You can use our handy Chinese New Year Story PowerPoint Presentation to teach children more about this traditional Chinese story, or check out the video below to find out more.
The Chinese Year of the Dragon occurs every 12 years. The next Chinese Year of the Dragon will be in 2024. These are the dates of the Chinese Year of the Dragon since the start of the 20th century (1900s):
1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036, 2048
The Chinese Year of the Dragon will continue every 12 years after this. Each Chinese Year of the Dragon has a particular element associated with it, which is either wood, fire, earth, metal or water.
Dragons are one of the most respected and admired animals in China! Traditionally, dragons are a symbol of power and strength. They are also strong and independent. Although they may look fearsome, dragons were also seen as loving and kind creatures in Chinese myths: a little bit different to the idea we have of scary, fire-breathing dragons in Western culture!
Dragons have been traditionally represented as snakelike creatures with physical features of different animals, including: eagle talons, deer antlers and tiger paws. In lots of Chinese art, dragons have been represented with whiskers on each side of their mouths and horns instead of antlers.
According to Chinese mythology, dragons lived with humans to protect and guide them after humanity was created. Chinese people refer to themselves as descendants of the dragon because the first Chinese imperial dynasty was said to have originated from dragons!
The myths say that dragons were present when the Earth was created. One of the goddesses, called Nu Kua, was part dragon herself. She created land and made four pillars to hold up the sky. Each of the pillars had a dragon on top to hold the weight of the heavens. Nu Kua was also the creator of humans, meaning Chinese people have a direct link to dragons right from the start of their existence.
Some dragons were not as loving though! The jealous Dragon Kings caused Nu Kua’s creations to be flooded by the Earth’s waters. But the God of Fire came to the rescue and defeated the Dragon Kings. The goddess Nu Kua then returned to Earth to repair the damage and restore her lands. She also created dragons to walk among humanity to help humans recover and restore order to ancient China. Dragons taught humans essential survival skills, like fishing techniques and agricultural skills. Art and music were also introduced to China by dragons. Some dragons were in heaven to oversee the world, ensure balance and protect Chinese people from natural calamities.
So, why are dragons important in China? Because they are protectors, teachers and part of the Chinese people’s heritage!
Dragons are associated with leadership, wealth and power in China. These mythical creatures are fascinating, so here are some interesting facts about Chinese dragons for you to enjoy!
Perhaps because out of all the Chinese zodiac animals the only supernatural one is the dragon, it's often the one children find most exciting and engaging to learn about. It's also one of the most prominent animals in Chinese New Year celebrations every year. It's even traditional in some places for many people to get together to dress up as a large dragon that's paraded through the streets.
Because of this, The Year of the Dragon can make a fantastic focal point when teaching about Chinese New Year. We have plenty of brilliant resources you can use to quickly whip up exciting and engaging lessons on the topic.
For instance, you could help children learn about some of the most fascinating Year of the Dragon facts with this Chinese Year of the Dragon Display Poster, or teach them about traditional Chinese New Year celebrations with our lovely story, Dragons in the City.
Another brilliant way to teach children about the Year of the Dragon is through craft activities.
These can help children feel like they're actively engaging in another culture, which is a great way to encourage their curiosity and promote class discussion.
Once you've finished your Year of the Dragon craft activities you could even use them to decorate your home or classroom for your Chinese New Year celebrations.
Here are just a few of our Year of the Dragon craft activities you could try:
Find out more about our Chinese New Year craft activities in the handy video below:
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