The Dragon in the Chinese zodiac
The Dragon is fifth in the cycle and the only mythical animal in it, paired with the Chen hour in the morning. Popular readings link it with confidence, big plans and a taste for the spotlight.
The Dragon sits fifth, between the Rabbit and the Snake, and pairs with the earthly branch Chen (辰), the hours from 7 am to 9 am. It is the only animal in the set that never lived in a field or forest. As with every animal, a Dragon year begins at Chinese New Year rather than January 1.
Chinese dragons (龍, lóng) are not the fire-breathing monsters of European stories. Traditionally they are water spirits that bring rain and move between sky, river and sea, and later they became a symbol of imperial power. The Dragon Boat Festival races carry some of that river-spirit feeling.
The passage by Wang Chong that we checked mentions the Azure Dragon as a symbol of the east, but it does not pair the earthly branch Chen with the dragon the way it pairs the other eleven branches with their animals. So the Dragon's place in the cycle is tradition here, not something that passage shows. A Dragon year is traditionally seen as an auspicious time to welcome a child.
Modern popular readings describe Dragon people as confident, generous and hard to ignore. A good reflection is whether you lead because you want to, or because you are used to being looked at.
For entertainment and reflection only. Not medical, financial, or legal advice.
Zodiac year dates
Years begin at Lunar New Year, not January 1. A birthday before the start date belongs to the previous animal year.
Dates follow the Chinese calendar in China. If your birthday falls within one day of Lunar New Year, check the boundary notice in your chart.
| Year | Starts | Ends (inclusive) |
|---|---|---|
| 1904 | ||
| 1916 | ||
| 1928 | ||
| 1940 | ||
| 1952 | ||
| 1964 | ||
| 1976 | ||
| 1988 | ||
| 2000 | ||
| 2012 | ||
| 2024 | ||
| 2036 | ||
| 2048 | ||
| 2060 | ||
| 2072 | ||
| 2084 | ||
| 2096 |
Calculated from our bundled Lunar New Year table; 1901–2100 dates checked against the Hong Kong Observatory calendar tables.
Sources
- Lunabao original writing