In anticipation of the Chinese New Year, art students are creating Chinese dragons by brightly coloring pre-printed dragon parts, assembling the parts, and adding other materials.
Chinese dragons are viewed differently from the dragons of the Western world. They’re not the fire-breathing dangerous dragons of books and movies but are seen as lucky and good. Chinese dragons also look different from Western interpretations of dragons, tending to be longer and more snake like than their Western counterparts.
Dragons are an important part of the Chinese New Year, one of the most important holidays for Chinese people all over the world. During new year celebrations, a large team of people perform a Dragon Dance by carrying portions of the dragon on poles and moving the poles in a manner that depicts the movement of the dragon. The dance is traditionally done to scare away evil spirits and bring good luck to those watching.
Click photos to enlarge.
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