What's happening?

At midnight tonight, more than one billion fireworks will explode above China. The Year of the Dragon will begin.

The LunarTo do with the Moon. New Year is the world's biggest festival. Families will gather to eat spring rolls, dumplings and rice cakes. Prayers will be offered to ancestorsThe people related to us who lived a long time ago. . In China alone, roughly 200 million people will travel long distances to meet their families.

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Years on the Chinese calendar are named after twelve animals. The dragon is the greatest of these creatures. People born during dragon years are thought to be successful leaders.

Chinese dragons are god-like beings. Some are said to protect China's great rivers and lakes. Others are symbolsMarkers that represent something other than themselves. Although they can be physical markings or objects, spoken words, sounds and even actions and gestures can also function as symbols. In recent decades entire societies are often characterised by means of shared symbols. of power.

Yes! Dragons appear in stories told all around the world. They can teach us about power and courageBravery. Strength in the face of difficult situations. . We all learn from the dragon.

No! Dragons do not really exist - so of course they cannot teach us anything. And if we could learn lessons from stories, we would have learnt them by now.