Today is the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year- the year of the Dragon. All the Chinese people are celebrating it happily.

The Lunar New Year is around the corner, and according to the Chinese Zodiac, the year of 2012 is the Year of Dragon, which begins on January 23, 2012 and ends on February 9, 2013.

The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend. A symbol of good fortune and sign of intense power, the Oriental Dragon is regarded as a divine beast-the reverse of the malicious monster that Westerners felt necessary to hunt and slay. In Eastern philosophy, the Dragon is said to be a deliverer of good fortune and a master of authority.

Fifth in the cycle of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animals’ signs, Dragon Year follows the Rabbit and recur every twelfth year. The Chinese New Year does not fall on a specific date, so it is essential to check the calendar to find the exact date on which each Dragon Year actually begins. According to Chinese astrology, the year of 2012 can also be called the Year of Water Dragon.