Monday, January 17, 2011

Asian New Year Symbol of the Dragon

By John Chan


We will hereby see the characteristics of the Chinese symbol that make them honorable and their association with the important event of Chinese New Year.

The images of the Chinese dragon and the occasion of Chinese New Year have been two eventful components of the Chinese Tradition. For thousands of years now they have still withheld the same importance for themselves and exclusive presence even till date. Moreover, interestingly they are deeply engaged with each other.

The dragon has become a symbol which is immediately linked to the Chinese culture. The west has come to know of this dragon symbol from martial art flicksand art work from China. For the Chinese people, this figure of dragon is a highly honorable mythical animal that is respected for its rarity, magnificence and spiritual powers.

However, keeping honor of the Chinese traditions, one must know that the Chinese New Year occasion is not celebrated on the same day as the western world or for that matter when the entire world celebrates. This is because, the rest of the world goes-by the Gregorian solar calendar whereas the Chinese always followed the lunar calendar. Hence, the New Year day follows the cycle of the moon and falls on a different day from the western New Year day.

New Year is a unusual time in China. It is a time when the festive spirit is soaring and there are all kinds of celebrations going on. As has been the ancient tradition of the country they have animal signs associated with the change of time. There are twelve animals that are repeated after every twelve years. So the year of the dragon returns with all its might and power after every twelve years.

The Chinese New Year symbol of the dragon holds good to indicate overwhelming power. Generally the dragon image is imagined to be a symbol of spirituality and unforeseen power and rage. The anger of the Chinese dragon however, is somehow always justified and is used to represent the correction of any mistake. In this way the angry dragon image is a positive image and often inspiring.

Chinese people believe that the streets have rights over you. When you are walking on the streets and come across evil the responsibility of stopping it falls on you if you have the strength or with your speech if nothing else. If you are unable to stop it then at least recognize the evil act to be wrong.

What the image of a dragon does is to eradicate the wrong doers. It does not represent wrong deeds but works in counter-action. The best option is to avoid doing evil and engaging in doing right things. Hence the Chinese New Year symbol of the dragon is nothing but a movement to bring about peace in a festive and spiritual way.




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