The Chinese New Year of the Rooster started in Andrew Square with a spectacular dragon sighting. The New Year is an annual Far Eastern celebration set by a Lunar Calendar. It began here in Boston on Friday, January 27-28, as dated by our own Gregorian Calendar. Late last Friday afternoon, Andrew Square’s Anna Travel (corner of Devine Way and Dorchester Avenue) was visited by two huge dragons, an impeccably dressed Chinese gentleman (with fan), and a trio of drum-and-cymbal percussionists (with, well, drums and cymbals).
Unlike the episodes in the dragon stories of the Western World (such as Smaug in Tolkien’s “The Hobbit”?), a dragon sighting brings good health and fortune to many Eastern nations. The Chinese Lunar New Year and its hopes are symbolized by dragon figures everywhere, including Boston’s own Chinatown. Andrew Square is just a couple of miles from Chinatown, so it’s reasonable to expect one or two dragons to drop from the clouds and land there as well.
The Chinese zodiac has a twelve-year cycle, each part of which is represented by a different animal. As of January 27-28, we have now entered the Year of the Rooster. People who were born in a Year of the Rooster (2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933) are punctual, observant, and hard-working. However, 2017 may not be a good year for its Roosters except where love is involved. – watch your money and your health, but go ahead and get married.
On the global scene, the last Year of the Rooster was 2005 – a year of storms and increasing arms races. If our world leaders don’t get their acts together and soon, history will repeat itself, because the “aura” of each sign in the Chinese zodiac tends to return again every twelve years.