Today is the Chinese Year of 4710, the year of the Dragon. The dragon is the mightiest of Chinese Zodiac animal figures. It is a Yang (Positive) year. The date of Chinese New Years changes every year. It is a 15 day celebration, beginning on the first day of the new moon, January 23, 2012, and ends on the full moon which will be February 9, 2013. The celebration on the15th day is called the Chinese Lantern Festival.
Chinese culture is amongst the oldest in the world. While the rest of the world is in the early years of but the third millennium, Chinese culture is in their fifth millennium.
In Chinese astrology, every year is represented by an animal. The cycle is twelve years, with a different animal each year. This is the year of the "Rat". According to Chinese astrology, it is a "Yang" or positive year. Every person is born under one of these animals that also dictates your personality and character. To find out more about your sign, see Chinese Astrology.
Chinese New Years or Spring Festival, is the biggest holiday in chinese culture. It is celebrated with festivities, fireworks, brightly colored lights, special meals with family and gift giving. Like Christmas in the western world, most chinese travel home to be with family for the new year celebration.
Information courtesy of http://www.holidayinsights.com/other/cnewyr.htm.
