When is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year 2012 starts on Jan 23 2012 and ends on the eve of Feb 10 2013. 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon. The Chinese New year marks the first day of the lunisolar Chinese calendar year. Chinese New Year start on a new moon. Dragons are compatible with Rats, Snakes, Monkeys, and Roosters.

Chinese New Year Animal

Each year is associated with an animal and an element. There are twelve animals(Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.) and five elements(Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water). This provides you with a sixty year cycle for all possible combinations of animals and elements. The current cycle, started in 1984 and the next cycle will start in 2044. Each element has Yin or Yang year. Every year on Chinese New Year a new animal takes the year. Every twelfth year the animal signs repeat. Every other year the element changes. 2011 is the year of the Metal Rabbit. 2013 is the year of the Water Snake.

To see what past years were, see Chinese New Year Dates.