Just in time: Year of the Dragon

To many Westerners, one symbol of Chinese culture stands above all the others: the dragon. After all, the dragon makes an appearance in most street and water festivals, forms part of the design of the brand of Hong Kong and was historically used as a symbol of the emperor of China.

The pervasiveness of the dragon in Chinese culture might seem a little odd to Westerners, given that in the West dragons are often perceived as evil creatures, beings to be slain, obstacles to be overcome. But in Chinese folklore, dragons are a different breed altogether. Indeed, the dragon is a symbol of strength, of power, and of good luck.

And a good thing that is, since after the last few years we’ll take all the good luck we can get. And that luck is apparently just around the corner, as the Year of the Dragon — the first day of the Chinese Astrology Year — begins on Jan. 23.

The first day of the year 4710 begins on Monday. We will therefore see huge celebrations in China and in Chinese communities around the world.

In China, the celebrations are known as the Spring Festival, a 15- day- long observance that includes feasts, family reunions, and the conspicuous use of the colour red. ( Chinese New Year red envelopes are a common sight across Canada and elsewhere.) And red is popular because, according to legend, it was used to scare away a beast that preyed upon humans.

We ought to remember, however, that the Lunar New Year is not merely a Chinese celebration.

Indeed, it is a major holiday across much of Asia.

In Korea, the holiday of Solnal is celebrated for three days, during which children put on traditional clothes called hanbok and give thanks to their elders and ancestors.

Feasts and gift- giving are also important parts of the holiday, as are various activities designed to scare away evil spirits, including the beating of loud drums and gongs and the burning of bamboo.

In Vietnam, the holiday of Tet Nguyen Dan ( Feast of the First Morning) also lasts three days, and similarly involves family reunions, the purchase of new clothes, substantial dinners and firecrackers. As in China, lucky children receive red envelopes, usually containing money.

The Tibetan holiday of Losar is, like the Chinese Spring Festival, a 15- day affair. Losar, which is thousands of years old and predates Buddhism, also involves dinners and family reunions, as well as offerings to the Dalai Lama. It is also celebrated in Bhutan, and in Buddhist areas of India.

On the first day of the Mongolian New Year, Tsagaan Sar ( White Moon), children pay homage to their senior relatives, with the most honoured receiving scarves. Kinship remains the focus of the festival, which lasts seven days and is also marked by various shamanistic rituals.

Indeed, kinship remains central to all Lunar New Year festivities. And that’s something worth celebrating in the Year of the Dragon, and every year.