Celebrating the Chinese New Year

Sunday, January 22, 2012

BASED on the Chinese astrology, 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon, which is believed to bring luck and good life. The dragon symbolizes good fortune and sign of intense power. It is regarded as a divine beast and said to be the deliverer of good fortune and a master of authority. Therefore, people who are born during the Dragon years are to be honored and respected.

This Chinese New Year, we bring tribute to the Water Dragon as we celebrate its feast year.

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But don’t you know that the Chinese New Year is also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival? It is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays.

Some Chinese believe that Nian ("Nyehn") was a reptilian predator that could infiltrate houses silently like the infamous man-eating leopards of India. The Chinese soon learned that Nian was sensitive to loud noises and they scared it away with explosions and fireworks.

Some of us celebrate Chinese New Year with a bang of surprises. In the streets, we can see many vendors selling charms, crystals, figurines, good luck stones, etc., which are ought to bring luck to anyone who possesses them.

But do you think these stuffs really work? For me, I somehow believe in things like these but I don’t think it’s the charm and crystals that bring luck.

According to Chinese myths, these material stuffs serve as our guide in life. If we believe in these things, then we are protected or blessed. But if we don’t, then it’s still useless buying those things.

For me, it is the person. It is us who bring our own luck. It’s us who make our future and decide whether to bring in good luck or just let it go like wind. This good health, good luck, money charms, etc. only works if we work hard for it. It cannot just simply appear into our side since we need to work for it and earn it. In the end, it is up to the person, whether he or she deserves this so called year of luck or not.

Persons born within these dates can be said to have been born in the "Year of the Dragon" with the following elemental sign:

February 16, 1904 – February 3, 1905: Wood Dragon
February 3, 1916 – January 22, 1917: Fire Dragon
January 23, 1928 – February 9, 1929: Earth Dragon
February 8, 1940 – January 26, 1941: Metal Dragon
January 27, 1952 – February 13, 1953: Water Dragon
February 13, 1964 – February 1, 1965: Wood Dragon
January 31, 1976 – February 17, 1977: Fire Dragon
February 17, 1988 –February 5, 1989: Earth Dragon
February 5, 2000 – January 23, 2001: Metal Dragon
January 23, 2012 – February 9, 2013: Water Dragon
February 10, 2024 – January 28, 2025: Wood Dragon

But whatever we believe in, one thing is for sure, no one can ever say or command what will be the future for everyone. It is only ourselves who decide for the future and not the charms. It is us who make things possible and if we work hard and believed that we can achieve it, then it probably, 2012 is our lucky year.