Dragon (zodiac)
The Dragon is the fifth of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Year of the Dragon is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 辰.
It has been proposed that the Earthly Branch character may have been associated with scorpions; it may have symbolized the star Antares. In the Buddhist calendar used in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka, the dragon is replaced by the nāga. In the Gurung zodiac, the dragon is replaced by the eagle. In the Old Turkic calendar it is replaced by a fish or crocodile. Early Persian translations of the medieval period change the dragon to a sea serpent, although in current times it is generally referred to as whale.
During China's Cultural Revolution, there was an attempt to replace the dragon with the giant panda; however, the movement was short lived.
Years and the five elements
People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the Year of the Dragon, while bearing the following elemental sign:| Start date | End date | Heavenly branch |
| 23 January 1928 | 9 February 1929 | Earth dragon |
| 8 February 1940 | 26 January 1941 | Metal dragon |
| 27 January 1952 | 13 February 1953 | Water dragon |
| 13 February 1964 | 1 February 1965 | Wood dragon |
| 31 January 1976 | 17 February 1977 | Fire dragon |
| 17 February 1988 | 5 February 1989 | Earth dragon |
| 5 February 2000 | 23 January 2001 | Metal dragon |
| 23 January 2012 | 9 February 2013 | Water dragon |
| 10 February 2024 | 28 January 2025 | Wood dragon |
| 28 January 2036 | 14 February 2037 | Fire dragon |
| 14 February 2048 | 1 February 2049 | Earth dragon |
| 2 February 2060 | 20 January 2061 | Metal dragon |
| 19 February 2072 | 6 February 2073 | Water dragon |
| 6 February 2084 | 25 January 2085 | Wood dragon |
| 25 January 2096 | 11 February 2097 | Fire dragon |
There are typically marked spikes in the birth rates of countries that use the Chinese zodiac or places with substantial Chinese populations during the Year of the Dragon, because these births are considered to be lucky and have desirable characteristics that supposedly lead to better life outcomes. The relatively recent phenomenon of planning a child's birth in a Year of the Dragon has led to hospital capacity issues and even an uptick in infant mortality rates toward the end of these years due to strained neonatal resources.
Compatibility
| Sign | Best match or balance | Match | Non-match or rival |
| Dragon | Rooster, Rat | Monkey, Ox, Pig, Horse | Dog, Goat |
Cycle : Dragon needs Monkey, Monkey needs Rat, Rat needs Dragon; It is opposed to or rivals the Dog.