And eventually, she adds, “dragons became symbolic and a part of the Chinese culture.” So, as we step into 2025’s Year of the Wood Snake, let’s keep the spirit of the dragon alive.

It is a Chinese character composed of three smaller characters for the word “dragon” written in traditional Chinese. A rare character, it has sparked heated discussions online.

Dragons in Chinese culture symbolize power, good luck, strength and authority. They have control over typhoons, water, rainfall and floods. Emperors were assumed to have descended from the dragons.

In the Chinese zodiac, each year is connected to an animal, and people believe it tells them about luck, especially the lucky colors. This year, 2024, is the Year of the Dragon.