In Korea,
we celebrate New Year’s Day by the lunar calendar, and also count the year by the
ten celestial stems and the twelve terrestrial branches, same as the Chinese zodiac
signs. By this traditional calculation method, this year is called “the Year of the
Black Dragon” which has intervals of sixty years. People welcome the New Year and
wish good luck and health, saying “this will be a lucky year for you under the powerful
influence of the ascending black dragon.”
According to Oriental theory, the
number sixty has a special meaning; the cycle of birth. The year a baby is born is their special zodiac symbol. After sixty years, it is the sign they were born under, again. Therefore, Koreans regard the 60th
birthday as an important milestone in life and hold a grand feast.
In Asian cultures, since ancient times, the dragon is regarded as a sacred creature. Having magical powers, it is also known
as a symbol of rising and hope. The black dragon, especially, is called the
dragon of all dragons. There is a myth that: a baby having an aura of nobility becomes
born after a birth dream of the black dragon. In past years, in 2007, it was the Year
of the Gold Pig. In Korea, the pig is believed to bring wealth and good
fortune, therefore, there was a baby boom.
The craze for the Year of the Black Dragon
can be explained by Korea’s peculiar cultural tradition. Also, it is a social
phenomenon related with people’s psychology, hoping that their new year will become more
prosperous, and they can manage through the difficulties of the year with help from the dragon’s strong vigor and
wisdom.
Written by: Jihye Lim
WSU International Student
South Korea
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