Happy Chinese New Year

A Chinese Dragon bracelet carved from gem quality Cassiar Jade.

We are entering the Year of the Dragon, This mythological creature is a symbol of good luck, Unlike Western dragons, which are often depicted as aggressive, fire-breathing, flying lizards, Chinese dragons, although fierce in appearance, with their scaled, sinuous, serpentine bodies, stag’s antlers, eagle’s talons and tiger like fangs are credited with bringing rain and ensuring a bountiful harvest. 

This image of the Dragon or Long, is quite recent. The earliest jade dragons carved thousands of years ago, had a head with a long snout and slender eyes, a mane that seemed to float, and a body curled like a hook. Oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang dynasty depict it as a giant, horned creature with a large mouth and a curved body. 

No one really knows how far back the dragon goes in Chinese mythology, but they were carved in prehistoric times. In 1994, a giant stone sculpture of a dragon, 20 metres in length was discovered. Radiocarbon dating puts it between 7,600 and 8,000 years old.

Whatever their origins and wherever they come from, I wish you good luck in the coming year. May it bring you everything you need. As the Chinese say, Long Nian Da Ji 龙年大吉 which roughly translates as "good luck in the Year of the Dragon."