Chinese Astrology: Dragon Year (2012-13) and the 5 Elements
December 13, 2011 by Sifu Peter Allsop
Filed under Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology
Read My New eBook ‘Year of the Dragon (2012-13) 5 Elements Handbook and Guide’
Elemental Dragons!
Underpinning the 12 Year Animal Cycles of the Chinese Zodiac is a 10-Year Elemental Cycle of 5 Elements repeating sequentially in first Big Yang and then Small Yin Mode. Year Elements (Yang Water in Dragon Year 2012-13) modify Year Energies and Dragon individuals’ natures as shown below.
Dragon Personality
Ambitious, enterprising and independent-natured, Dragons, enjoying challenges, are willing to take risks to achieve their goals. Full of enthusiasm and passion, Dragons are also usually colourful, charismatic figures who are attractive to others.
Dragons’ self-sufficiency, however, can sometimes be interpreted as arrogance and conceit. Determination to ‘do their own thing’ plus a certain impatience, means well-intentioned Dragons can appear tactless, abrupt or even meddlesome at times.
Famous Dragons Include:
Mao Tse-Tung, Lee Jun-Fan (Bruce Lee), Sammo Hung, Kitty Zhang, Joan of Arc, Florence Nightingale, Sigmund Freud, Dr. Seuss, Shirley Temple, Bing Crosby, Neil Diamond, Cliff Richard, Tom Jones, Placido Domingo, John Lennon and Ringo Starr amd Elaine Paige.
The 12-Year Cycle’s Year Animals and Year Elements have been:
2008 Yang Earth Rat; 2009 Yin Earth Ox; 2010 Yang Metal Tiger; 2011 Yin Metal Rabbit; 2012′s Yang Water Dragon is followed by 2013′s Yin Water Snake.
Infants Born During Dragon Year 2012-13 Will Be Water Babies
Yang Water Dragons are those born in Black Dragon Year 2012-13 (their 1952-53 counterparts being Yin Water Dragons)! Earlier Dragon generations were influenced by different Year Elements whose characteristics follow:
'Ni Hao Hak Shui Lung'/Hello Black Water Dragon!
Five Elements’ Attributes
Wood: green, growth and expansion, nurture, ‘spirit’ versatility;
Fire: red, heat, light, warmth, explosion, destruction;
Earth: yellow, supportive, interactive, balancing, wise, suffocating;
Metal: white, strong, communicative, brilliant, intense. dangerous, destructive (2010 and 2011 Year Element);
Water: blue/black, internal, emotional, understanding, sensitive, intrusive (2012-13 Year Element).
Earlier Dragon Generations–Elemental Categories:
Water Dragons 1952 and 2012:
Water calms their natural enthusiasm, making them sensitive, patient, intuitive and practical (elemental colours blue/black).
Metal Dragons 1940 and 2000 :
Metal gives these strength and endurance. Metal Dragons make good leaders (elemental colours white/gold);
Earth Dragons 1928 and 1988 :
Earth ensures these are firmly grounded. Earth Dragons are usually sensible and self-controlled (elemental colour yellow/beige);
Fire Dragons 1916 and 1976:
Fired-up these can be Impatient, unpredictable and outgoing with a quick temper (elemental colours red and orange);
Wood Dragons 1904 and 1964 (and 2024) : Wood makes these Dragons creative, versatile and gregarious (elemental colours green/brown);
Lively Lung!
The Dragon is a Person! There on the Left, Complete With Chinese Hat. We Dragons are People you Know!
‘Lung’ Lessons Straight From the Heart
What does all this mean for Dragons? Well, becoming 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60 etc., in 2012-13, the Chinese believe one’s ‘Year’ should incorporate structured meditation reviewing the previous 12 years and planning for the next 12. Exact opposite of Western notions of wild birthdate celebrations–instead spend a quiet year involving self-review, perhaps from 5 Elements/’Wuxing and/or ‘Chan’ perspectives.
Avoid/put-off digging trenches, building foundations or laying drains i.e. major undertakings such as moving house (which would distract you from meditation and self-review ). I’m an Ox and did this in Ox Year 2009. It was a most useful formative experience. which I unhesitatingly recommend.
Combining the 12 Animal and 5 Elemental Cycles gives 60 as a key figure. Yin Water Dragons (1952) reaching this eminent age in 2012-13 may find this exercise particularly rewarding (see above). Our Year Animal/Element birth-combination repeats after 60 years (hence the importance!). Add in the Yin/Yang dimensions of these calculations and 120 appears as a figure to contemplate. This give us the 120 personality-types of Chinese Astrology, compared to the West’s basic 12. The much older Chinese system has prompted more than one later, less detailed version (1)
The Chinese believe living in harmony with nature and the universe enables healthy life-spans of a similar duration (pursuing Longevity has been an abiding Chinese interest for millennia). The 12 Animals and 5 Elements, plus their Yin/Yang attributions, represent these natural and universal forces. Hopefully this article will help some individuals understand and attune to such energies more effectively.
The Chinese Calendar’s Current 12 Year 12-Animal Cycle runs from 2008-20:
2008 Rat, 2009 Ox, 2010 Tiger, 2011 Rabbit/Hare, 2012 Dragon, 2013 Snake, 2014 Horse, 2015 Sheep, 2016 Monkey, 2017 Rooster/Chicken, 2018 Dog, 2019-20 Pig.
Dragon Years 2000-01 and 1988-89 Revisited
2012-13 is a Yang Water Dragon-Year. Previous Dragon-Year/’Lung Nien’ was Yin Metal Dragon-Year 2000, the Year of the Millenium. Some of you may remember the celebrations, awards, excitement and ‘buzz’ accompanying our Vibrant Visitor back then. Yang Metal Dragon Year 1988, however, contained the mid-air explosion of Pan Am Flight 103, the ‘Lockerbie Bombing’, repercussions of which are still evolving.
The Dragon symbolises virility and vivacity and more than 25% of the World’s population live under its banner in China
Year Animal Analysis!
Myth or Man (or Woman)? Associated with the Chinese Emperor himself, the Dragon has always symbolised strength and dominance. A symbol of good fortune, beneficial ‘Sheng Qi’, Wealth, Power and Authority, the noble Eastern Dragon is regarded as auspicious-having strong links to heavenly activities in Asian Philosophy. The Western Monstrous variety springs from ancient superstition, hence its Gothic wings, smoke and flames.
My greatly esteemed teacher, Grandmaster Yap Leong (‘Leong’ is Cantonese for ‘Lung’/Dragon) says China, the Great Dragon, is always active and full of surprises in Dragon Years. So watch out for these, they are usually pleasant ones! The maxim runs:’The Dragon (China) changes shape quickly, taking those unprepared by surprise!’ Anyway, the Chinese will be here in the U.K. for the Olympics.
Thus, Dragon Years are usually volatile visitors! Personally, it may seem like your good and bad traits are magnified. Issues may swing to-and-fro and so caution is required to avoid being carried-away by events’ However, the Dragon, associated with ‘Spirit’, is an auspicious Year for those Martial Artists and others ‘attuned’ to its energies. Idealism and flexibility may prove useful qualities over the period.
Water Wealth
Yang Water as the Year Element symbolises Wealth (consider Current Accounts, cash-flow,’flotation’, liquidity) and also Communication (word-flow, stream of consciousness, rivers of words).’Big’ Water representatives include: Oceans, Seas; the Yangtze River (aka ‘Chang Jiang’ or ‘Long River’, the world’s biggest). Multi-national Communications Organisations could also be classified under ‘Big Water’, so be prepared for for developments in related fields.
Notes
(1) ‘Qigong: 5 Elements, Pentagram and Pentagon are Chinese Originals!’ has more on this topic
Contact!
Contact Sifu Peter Allsop M.Ed. to join Classes, Seminars or Courses or for more information via this Website, on 07960531968, email sifupeterallsop@yahoo.co.uk. Or, via Grandmaster Yap Leong at www.shaolinway.com www.hylenergiser.com has details of the Grandmaster’s remarkable Health, Youth and Longevity Programme.
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