What is Lunar New Year? And how is it different from the Western New Year?
There are two distinct celebrations that signify the beginning of a new year in Australia among people of East Asian origins: the Western New Year and the Lunar New Year. Also known as the Gregorian New Year, the Western New Year is observed on 1 January, while the Lunar New Year, also referred to as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year, is celebrated according to the lunisolar calendar and generally falls between 21 January and 20 February.
While both celebrations share some similarities, they also have their own unique customs and traditions that make them truly special. The Western New Year is widely celebrated around the world and marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year in many countries, particularly in the Western world. On the other hand, the Lunar New Year is a major festival in the Sinosphere or the Sinic world (Chinese-speaking countries and regions, and countries and regions historically under Chinese influence), including mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Vietnam, and Korea.
Why is 2024 Lunar New Year called the Year of the Wood Dragon?
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle that links each year to an animal sign. The 12 animal signs are Rat (shu 鼠), Ox (niu 牛), Tiger (hu 虎), Rabbit (tu 兔), Dragon (long 龍), Snake (she 蛇), Horse (ma 馬), Sheep (yang 羊), Monkey (hou 猴), Rooster (ji 雞), Dog (gou 狗) and Pig (zhu 豬). The order of the animal signs is fixed, with the Dragon being the fifth in the cycle, hence the Year of the Dragon (longnian 龍年) in 2024. Last year, 2023, was the Year of the Rabbit (tunian 兔年) and 2025 is the Year of the Snake (shennian 蛇年).
Each year also corresponds to one of the five basic elements (wuxing 五行) in Chinese cosmology, namely Metal (jin 金), Wood (mu 木), Water (shui 水), Fire (huo 火) or Earth (tu 土), creating a 60-year cycle. The universe is believed to be composed of the five elements that interact with each other in a cyclical way. These five elements are the fundamental building blocks of everything around us. The 60-year cycle is a combination of the 12 animal signs and the five elements. The understanding and application of the five elements is an essential aspect of Chinese astrology, cosmology, medicine, philosophy, and feng shui in particular.
The Chinese lunisolar calendar determines the specific animal and element associated with a particular year. The Year of the Dragon in 2024 is associated with the element of Wood. The combination of the animal sign (Dragon) and the element (Wood) designates the year as the Year of the Wood Dragon.
The Lunar New Year will begin on 10 February in 2024. This marks the start of the Year of the Wood Dragon.
What are people born in the Year of the Dragon like?
Individuals born in the Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese zodiac, are believed to possess certain characteristics and traits associated with the dragon. They tend to be ambitious, confident and charismatic. They possess an abundance of energy and enthusiasm while also displaying exceptional intelligence and power. They are naturally lucky and gifted, often accomplishing their endeavours with exceptional standards of excellence. However, they may also exhibit negative characteristics, such as arrogance, bigotry, dominance, irritability, and subjectivity, which may make them reluctant to accept defeat.
It is important to note that the characteristics and personality traits associated with the Chinese zodiac signs are generalisations. As with any cultural or astrological tradition, there exists a considerable degree of individual variability that should not be overlooked. Therefore, it is recommended to interpret the Chinese zodiac traits with a cultural understanding and a nuanced approach. The years of the dragon include: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012.