I have an interesting relationship with the Dragon. When I was a child, I used to draw the Dragon and Phoenix. They were the two creatures I could draw by heart. Even in my teens when I was active in art, Dragons and Phoenixes were the subjects for my copper tooling and aluminum work. I even sold some of these artworks. Then sometime in my 20s, I was told the Dragon and the Dog were not compatible. In the year of the Dragon, those born in the year of the Dog like me would have a tough time. At some point, I started to distance myself from the Dragon. It seemed strangely dangerous. Because it is mythical, its perceived powers appeared even more threatening. I would remove a vase with a Dragon on it. I went to great lengths to ensure there were no sign or symbol of the Dragon within my household or place of work.
Yes, I am borderline superstitious about these things. Ok, maybe more than borderline. And it is going to be the year of the Dragon very soon. The last Dragon years were 1976, 1988 and 2000. I am trying to remember if those were really difficult years. Yet as the Dragon year nears, I find myself looking forward to it. This year of the metal Rabbit is supposed to be very good for the Dog but it has been one of the toughest years in my adult life. I am rekindling my childhood memories of the Dragon. I feel I have somehow been ‘separated’ from the Dragon and have been deprived of its mystic. I don’t want to fear the Dragon anymore. I want to embrace it. But in order to do so, I need to re-acquaint myself with the Dragon.
The Dragon is essentially a legendary creature. Occupying the 5th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs. It is also the only Chinese Zodiac sign that is mythical. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. There are two distinct cultural traditions of Dragons – the European Dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern mythologies, and the Chinese Dragon, with counterparts in Japan, Korea and other East Asian countries. Traditionally Dragons are referred to as the divine mythical creature that brings with it ultimate abundance, prosperity and good fortune. The Celestial Chinese Dragon is comparable as the symbol of the Chinese race itself. Chinese around the world proudly proclaim themselves ‘Descendent of the Dragon’.
As the emblem of the Emperor and the Imperial command, the legend of the Chinese Dragon permeates the ancient Chinese civilization and shapes their culture till today. Its benevolence signifies greatness, goodness and blessings. The Dragon is seen as masculine, as the Phoenix is feminine. A Dragon overcomes obstacles until success is his. He is energetic, decisive, optimistic and intelligent. Unlike the negative energies associated with Western Dragons, most Eastern Dragons are also beautiful, friendly, and wise. They are the angels of the Orient. They are loved and worshipped. Temples and shrines have been built to honor them, for they control the rain, rivers, lakes, and seas. Many Chinese cities have pagodas where people burn incense and pray to Dragons.
The Dragon Year will arrive on the 4th of February according to Chinese Astrology even though the Lunar New Year starts from the 23rd of January. This is the year of the Water Dragon. The colour of Water in the Five Elements system is related to Black. We can therefore say 2012 is a Black Water Dragon year. Folk tales speak of the Dragon having all the attributes of the other 11 creatures of the zodiac. This includes the whiskers of the Rat, the face and horns of the Ox, the claws and teeth of the Tiger, the belly of the Rabbit, the body of the Snake, the legs of the Horse, the beard of the Goat, the brain of the Monkey, the crest of the Rooster, the ears of a Dog, and the snout of the Pig. Historically, the Dragon was the symbol of the Emperor of China. In the Zhou Dynasty, the 5-clawed Dragon was assigned to the Son of Heaven, the 4-clawed Dragon to the nobles, and the 3-clawed Dragon to the ministers. In the Qin Dynasty, the 5-clawed Dragon was assigned to represent the Emperor while the 4-clawed and 3-clawed Dragons were assigned to the commoners.
Some sources have suggested the form of the Chinese Dragon came from the Snake, Fish and Crocodile. The Crocodile is known to be able to accurately sense changes in air pressure and the coming rain. This may have been the origin of the Dragon’s mythical attributes in controlling the weather, especially the rain. They are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas. In this capacity as the rulers of water and weather, the Dragon is more anthropomorphic in form, often depicted as a humanoid, dressed in a king’s costume, but with a Dragon head wearing a king’s head-dress. The association with the crocodile is also supported by the view in ancient times that large Crocodiles are a variety of Dragon. For example, in the Story of Zhou Chu, about the life of a Jin Dynasty warrior, he is said to have killed a ‘Dragon’ that infested the waters of his home village, which appears to have been a Crocodile.
The number nine is special in China as it is the largest possible single digit, and Chinese Dragons are frequently connected with it. For example, a Chinese Dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 (9×13) scales – 81 (9×9) Yang and 36 (9×4) Yin. This is also why there are nine forms of the Dragon and the Dragon has nine offsprings. The ‘Nine Dragon Wall’ is a screen wall with images of nine different dragons, and is found in imperial Chinese palaces and gardens. As nine was considered the number of the emperor, only the most senior officials were allowed to wear nine Dragons on their robes.
The Dragon is also the most popular Chinese Zodiac sign, hence there are more babies born in Dragon years than in any other animal years of the Zodiac. This Sunday night, after our reunion dinner, I have booked a table by the Marina Bay to watch the fireworks at midnight and to welcome the Dragon Year. I have never looked forward to a Dragon Year in the way I am looking forward to the Water Dragon this year. It will be like seeing an old friend again, someone I have, for various reasons I am starting to seriously rethink, been a stranger to.
Life is a roller coastal ride – there are good and bad times for all of us and going thru’ bad times is not exactly such a bad thing, at least it offers us a different perspective to life where we learn from our mistakes, humility….[I've learnt to come up with creative solution to a problem or obstacles during those bad times] Keeping a cool positive frame of mind helps one to gain a solid sense of footing; providing one with solutions and possible insights.
I pray that you will do well in whatever you do, be it in a dragon year of rabbit year…Here’s wishing you and Yun mama a blessed, prosperous and happy new year! Especially for Yun Mama -身体建康!