The Year of the Dragon and What It Means

It's the Year of the Dragon once again, a time where most folks are deemed to enjoy prosperity and advancement. Considered the luckiest of all signs, people from Eastern cultures joyfully anticipate this season, as the Dragon comes out once every 12 years according to the Chinese Zodiac.

Unlike its Western counterpart which assigns a curious assortment of mythological creatures, animals, humans and inanimate objects for each month of the year, the Chinese Zodiac makes use of real animals, and lines them up in a certain order until it reaches the last symbol and the cycle is repeated. The Dragon is the only mythical creature the Chinese have included in their astrological zoo.

And the most likely reason for this would be that the Dragon is, indeed, the embodiment of good fortune.

Fairy tales and much of European folklore would often depict dragons as malevolent beasts that would kidnap beautiful maidens or devour little children. However, in Chinese mythology they are portrayed as benevolent creatures who - being mostly water-dwellers - can control the weather, particularly storms, rainfall and floods.

Because of their size and appearance they have become the symbol of greatness, grandeur and strength. The emperors of ancient China themselves used the dragon on their emblems and royal seals, and had their figures painted, sculpted and carved on almost every surface and implement in and around the palace.

The dragon is also known to represent infinite wisdom and intense power. It is a divine being and as such, believed to be all knowing and can invoke magic at will. They are also thought to be kind and caring protectors, and a constant guardian of people who are devoted to the more spiritual concerns of life.

All in all, if one were to analyze, the dragon is a creature of non-conformity. It can adopt various personas, as it is said to harbor the diverse personalities of the other animals in the Chinese Zodiac. The myriad colors on its scales reflect not just its many attributes, but also its underlying potential.

But while the brightness of its appearance may mesmerize you, the very essence of the dragon remains the same: that it is a strong, elegant, and powerful entity.

There are various other aspects of the dragon that astrological experts have gathered over the years. With time, the dragon only grows in mystery and magnificence. Not surprisingly, the myth of the dragon is one that will not die easily.