2012 Chinese Zodiac: Year of the Water Dragon

2012 is the year of the Water Dragon (壬辰 Rénchén), from 23 January 2012 to 9 February 2013. Anyone born in 2012 before 23 January 2012 belongs to the Metal Rabbit year.

• Animal: Dragon
• Element: Water (Yang)
• Cycle name: 壬辰 Rénchén, year 29 of the 60-year cycle
• Starts: 23 January 2012
• Ends: 9 February 2013

The Water Dragon

Water years are traditionally linked with adaptability, perception and communication: the element that finds a way around any obstacle. The Dragon is the only mythical creature in the cycle, and traditionally the most celebrated: Dragon years have long been seen as lucky years to be born. Tradition describes Dragon people as charismatic, ambitious and energetic, with big plans and the confidence to announce them.

Born in January or February 2012?

Anyone born from 1 January to 22 January 2012 belongs to the Metal Rabbit year of 2011. From 23 January 2012 the Water Dragon year begins.

How the dates are worked out

Each Chinese New Year here is worked out from the sky, not copied from a list. A lunar month starts on the day of a New Moon in China Standard Time (UTC+8, or Beijing local time before 1929). The month holding the December solstice is the 11th month. When 13 New Moons fall between two of those months, the first month with no principal solar term (the Sun reaching a multiple of 30 degrees) is a leap month. New Year is the first day of the 1st month, which is why it moves between 21 January and 20 February. New Moons and solar terms follow Jean Meeus's Astronomical Algorithms. The rules follow the Chinese calendar.

2011: Metal Rabbit · 2013: Water Snake · All Dragon years · All 12 animals