More than a lucky year sign: How much do Chinese people love loong?

New Year ornaments featuring Chinese dragon are seen at a small commodity market in Shenyang City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, December 24, 2023. [CFP]

As the Year of the Loong – or Chinese dragon – approaches, images of the year sign can be seen everywhere in China. Some are printed on packages, giving all products wrapped inside a touch of the New Year. Others are made into giant statues standing in parks or on squares, summoning prosperity for the future.

Products featuring elements of the year sign also see rising demand in the market. Since January, there were over 23 million searches for dragon-themed products on major online retailer JD.com, according to data from the platform.

Currently, more than 1,700 subcategories of products with dragon elements are available on the platform. The turnover, when compared to last year's rabbit-themed items, has increased by more than 10 times. Take the gold jewelry featuring Chinese dragon for example, the sales of gold locks for babies and gold bracelets increased by more than 10 times year-on-year.

Industry leaders analyzed that zodiac charms have always been popular among consumers because of their commemorative function, and many consumers who were not born in the dragon year also buy dragon products as they are associated with good fortune and protection.

Plush toys at the Shanghai Road New Year Goods Market in Nanning City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, January 11, 2024. [CFP]

Meanwhile, dragon plushes, lanterns and paintings are seeing increasing orders as well in the Yiwu International Trade Market, in Yiwu City, east China's Zhejiang Province. A shop owner in the world's largest small-commodity market said over 10,000 plush toys featured with the year sign have been sold per day in his shop in recent months.

Lou Baojuan, president of the Yiwu Chamber of Commerce of New Year Paintings and Calendars, told China Media Group that most of the dragon zodiac products are now out of stock, and she is looking to increase the supply soon to meet the rising demand.

A villager displays a decorated steamed bun at a workshop in Dazhan Village, Putuo District, Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, January 22, 2024. [CFP]

Making decorated steamed buns is one of the traditional New Year customs in Huozhou City, north China's Shanxi Province. The bun-making craft is not only an intangible cultural heritage in the city, but also a business that offers jobs for more than 5,000 people.

Zhang Ling, an inheritor of the bun-making craft, said she and her colleagues have developed a new series of Chinese dragon items this winter to celebrate the coming Year of the Dragon. 

"Sales of these items have been particularly good, and orders have now surpassed 10,000," said Zhang.

Children perform a dragon dance at a kindergarten in Hai'an City, east China's Jiangsu Province, January 23, 2024. [CFP]

In southwest China, the small dragon dance is a must-see performance during the Chinese New Year in Jinning District, Kunming City, Yunnan Province. In the traditional dragon dance, a big dragon is held up together by many performers. But for the small dragon dance, each dancer holds a small dragon. Looking from afar, performers are like a flock of small dragons playing together to the music of traditional Chinese instruments such as gongs and drums.

Recently, about 50 local students in Jinning District were rehearsing the dance for a festive event to celebrate the New Year. Special moves suitable for children were added to their performance so that it could be more lively and interesting.

Zhang Yunyong, an inheritor of the small dragon dance in the district, is responsible for instructing these pupils. In addition to students at school, the 40-year-old performer also instructs young people who are interested in learning the dance.

"It could be performed by one person or 100 people. It's quite flexible. People can perform more complicated moves and formations when there are many performers," said Zhang. "We need to put new moves to the dance so that it could keep pace with the times while maintaining its uniqueness."

A view of a light show in Jinjiang District, Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, January 22, 2024. [CFP]