Year of the Dragon 龙: every year and its exact dates
Last checked · calculated, then checked against the Hong Kong Observatory tables
Most recent Year of the Dragon
2024: Wood Dragon, Feb 10, 2024 to Jan 28, 2025
Next Year of the Dragon
2036: Fire Dragon, from Jan 28, 2036
Earthly Branch
辰 Chen, 5th of 12
The Dragon is the 5th of the twelve zodiac animals, the Earthly Branch 辰 (Chen). From 1900 to 2100 there are 17 Years of the Dragon. Their Chinese New Year comes as early as Jan 23 (1928, 2012) and as late as Feb 19 (2072), so check the exact start date for a January or February birthday. 6 of them have a leap month (1928, 1952, 1976, 2012, 2036, 2096). In the traditional calendar the branch 辰 also marks the double hour from 7 am to 9 am, the direction East-southeast and the fixed element Earth; it is a Yang branch.
Every Year of the Dragon, 1900 to 2100
Age is the age reached at the birthday in 2026. Open a year for its exact boundaries.
| Year | Element | Stem-branch | Starts | Ends | Age in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1904 | Yang Wood | 甲辰 Jia-Chen | Feb 16, 1904 | Feb 3, 1905 | 122 years |
| 1916 | Yang Fire | 丙辰 Bing-Chen | Feb 3, 1916 | Jan 22, 1917 | 110 years |
| 1928 | Yang Earth | 戊辰 Wu-Chen | Jan 23, 1928 | Feb 9, 1929 | 98 years |
| 1940 | Yang Metal | 庚辰 Geng-Chen | Feb 8, 1940 | Jan 26, 1941 | 86 years |
| 1952 | Yang Water | 壬辰 Ren-Chen | Jan 27, 1952 | Feb 13, 1953 | 74 years |
| 1964 | Yang Wood | 甲辰 Jia-Chen | Feb 13, 1964 | Feb 1, 1965 | 62 years |
| 1976 | Yang Fire | 丙辰 Bing-Chen | Jan 31, 1976 | Feb 17, 1977 | 50 years |
| 1988 | Yang Earth | 戊辰 Wu-Chen | Feb 17, 1988 | Feb 5, 1989 | 38 years |
| 2000 | Yang Metal | 庚辰 Geng-Chen | Feb 5, 2000 | Jan 23, 2001 | 26 years |
| 2012 | Yang Water | 壬辰 Ren-Chen | Jan 23, 2012 | Feb 9, 2013 | 14 years |
| 2024 | Yang Wood | 甲辰 Jia-Chen | Feb 10, 2024 | Jan 28, 2025 | 2 years |
| 2036 | Yang Fire | 丙辰 Bing-Chen | Jan 28, 2036 | Feb 14, 2037 | – |
| 2048 | Yang Earth | 戊辰 Wu-Chen | Feb 14, 2048 | Feb 1, 2049 | – |
| 2060 | Yang Metal | 庚辰 Geng-Chen | Feb 2, 2060 | Jan 20, 2061 | – |
| 2072 | Yang Water | 壬辰 Ren-Chen | Feb 19, 2072 | Feb 6, 2073 | – |
| 2084 | Yang Wood | 甲辰 Jia-Chen | Feb 6, 2084 | Jan 25, 2085 | – |
| 2096 | Yang Fire | 丙辰 Bing-Chen | Jan 25, 2096 | Feb 11, 2097 | – |
FAQ
Which years are Years of the Dragon?
From 1900 to 2100: 1904, 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036, 2048, 2060, 2072, 2084, 2096. Each one starts on Chinese New Year, not on January 1, so the first weeks of each of those calendar years belong to the previous animal.
When is the next Year of the Dragon?
The next one runs from January 28, 2036 to February 14, 2037; it is a Fire Dragon year (丙辰).
Which elements can a Dragon year have?
All five, each once every 60 years: Fire Dragon (1976), Earth Dragon (1988), Metal Dragon (2000), Water Dragon (2012), Wood Dragon (2024).
Other animals
Dates are calculated with astronomical algorithms in China Standard Time (UTC+8) and checked against the Hong Kong Observatory, Gregorian-Lunar Calendar Conversion Table from 1901. This page describes the traditional calendar; it does not describe personality or fortune.