Analysis: One of the most important and sacred symbols in Chinese culture, the dragon comes with rich meaning and symbolism
According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on February 10th and it is the Year of the Dragon. The dragon holds long-standing cultural significance in China and serves as a unique spiritual icon for the Chinese nation, symbolising courage and indomitable spirit.
One of the most important and sacred symbols in Chinese culture, the dragon comes with rich meaning and symbolism. In myths and legends, dragons are often depicted as heroic and powerful creatures. The Dragon is a mysterious creature that combines the characteristics of many animals, such as the head of an ox, the horns of a deer, the ears of a horse, the body of a snake, the scales of a fish, and the claws of an eagle. It can summon wind and rain, control thunder and lightning, and dispel darkness.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland in 2019, Cian McCormack reports on the Chinese New Year festival in Dublin
As an animal in ancient Chinese mythology, the dragon represents power, dignity and glory. It is a mysterious and majestic symbol endowed with rich cultural connotations. In modern society, the dragon has been endowed with the symbolic meaning of unity and harmony, innovation and development.
As the dragon symbolises bravery, strength and independence, the Year of the Dragon is an important year and is regarded as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. People born in the Year of the Dragon are considered to have unique personalities and talents. They usually have a strong sense of self and creativity, like to think and act independently, and pursue freedom and independence. At the same time, they are believed to have high leadership and organisational skills and can achieve great success in their careers.
In the Year of the Dragon, people will carry out various traditional customs and activities, the most common of which are dragon and lion dances, dragon boat races, and dragon lantern displays. These activities not only have strong local characteristics, but also contain profound cultural connotations and historical values.
From Asia Hot, dragon dance in Hong Kong in 2019
Dragon dance and lion dance
The dragon dance and lion dance are some of the most common traditional customs in the Year of the Dragon. People will perform dragon dance and lion dance in the streets to pray for good weather, peace and prosperity for the country and the people. The performance is accompanied by gongs, drums and other musical instruments, and the scene is lively. During the performance, the audience can throw red envelopes with money inside to the performers to express their blessings.
Dragon boat racing
Dragon boat racing is one of the most famous traditional customs in Chinese culture. At the Dragon Boat Festival (May 5th on the Chinese Calendar), grand dragon boat races will be held in various places. The contestants are mostly local villagers and young men. During the competition, the contestants will wear traditional dragon boat costumes and wave paddles to paddle hard. The scene is very spectacular. Dragon boat racing is not only a contest of strength and skills, but also a manifestation of unity and fighting spirit.
Dragon Boat Show with 1,500 drones in Shenzhen, China
Dragon lantern displays
Releasing dragon lanterns is an important activity in the traditional customs of the Year of the Dragon and is also an unique art form in traditional Chinese culture. People will make dragon lanterns of various shapes and then place them in the river or on the streets, or let them fly in the night sky. Putting up dragon lanterns means praying for good luck, happiness and health. During the process of setting off dragon lanterns, people will also set off fireworks and firecrackers to drive away evil and disaster.
Dragon food
In the Year of the Dragon, people will eat various dragon-related foods, such as dragon beard noodles and Longan fruit (literally "dragon's eye"). Dragon beard noodles are a variety of noodles from Northern China. They derive their names from their long, thin appearance, said to resemble the beard of a Chinese dragon. These food have unique and symbolic meanings, representing people's pursuit and prayer for a better life.
From TED-Ed, Megan Campisi and Pen-Pen Chen recount the classic myth behind the Chinese zodiac
The mysterious customs and folk beliefs of the Year of the Dragon reflect people's worship of the dragon and their pursuit of good luck. The Chinese idiom 龙腾虎跃 "to soar like a dragon and leap like a tiger" is often used to describe dynamic and vigorous people.
There is a Chinese folklore tale about the carp leaping over the dragon gate. In Chinese culture, the carp is considered a symbol of good luck. Legend has it that a carp can transform into a dragon by leaping over the Dragon Gate. This tale symbolizes the relentless pursuit of progress and realization of dreams.
In the Year of the Dragon, people wish each other 龙凤呈祥 "dragon and phoenix present auspiciousness" and 龙马精神 "dragon and horse spirit", which means the arrival of good luck and happiness. The mysterious customs and folk beliefs of the Year of the Dragon have enriched Chinese culture and also demonstrated people's pursuit for a better future.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
