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1964 Chinese zodiac: Year of the Dragon
1964 is the year of the Wood Dragon, 甲辰: from Chinese New Year on 13 February 1964 to 1 February 1965.
Confident, ambitious and generous. The only mythical animal in the cycle, the Dragon brings rain and good harvests; emperors took it as their emblem. Wood years favour growth and beginnings: planting, building, the first steps of long projects.
The Wood Dragon
Element
Wood years are associated with growth and flexibility: spring, bamboo, new shoots. In the sixty-year cycle each animal meets each element once, so the Wood Dragon came last in 1904 and returns in 2024. The year's 纳音 (the "sound" of its stem and branch in the old almanacs) is 覆灯火.
Company
The Dragon shares a trine with the Rat and the Monkey; its secret friend is the Rooster. Those signs are said to find a Dragon year easiest. Dragon years see a rise in births across the Chinese-speaking world: parents plan for them.
Years of the Dragon
Each starts at Chinese New Year.
- 1928Earth Dragon, from 23 January 1928
- 1940Metal Dragon, from 8 February 1940
- 1952Water Dragon, from 27 January 1952
- 1964Wood Dragon, from 13 February 1964
- 1976Fire Dragon, from 31 January 1976
- 1988Earth Dragon, from 17 February 1988
- 2000Metal Dragon, from 5 February 2000
- 2012Water Dragon, from 23 January 2012
- 2024Wood Dragon, from 10 February 2024
- 2036Fire Dragon, from 28 January 2036
Born in 1964?
Between 13 February 1964 and 1 February 1965 you are a Wood Dragon.
Anyone born from 13 February 1964 to 1 February 1965 is a Wood Dragon (甲辰) and turns 62 in 2026. Confident, ambitious and generous. The only mythical animal in the cycle, the Dragon brings rain and good harvests; emperors took it as their emblem. Wood years favour growth and beginnings: planting, building, the first steps of long projects.
Born in January or early February 1964, before the 13 February 1964 new year? Then the previous animal, the Rabbit, is yours: the zodiac follows the lunar calendar, not 1 January. The zodiac calculator settles it from the exact date.
Your zodiac years (本命年, when the Dragon comes round again) are 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036, 2048, 2060; the next one is 2036. Tradition has you wear something red through a 本命年 for protection. The signs said to suit a Dragon best are the Rat, the Monkey and the Rooster: the compatibility table has every pair.
Questions
What is the Chinese zodiac for 1964?
1964 is the Year of the Wood Dragon. Anyone born from 13 February 1964 to 1 February 1965 is a Dragon; a birthday earlier in 1964, before Chinese New Year, belongs to the Rabbit.
When does the Year of the Dragon 1964 start and end?
It starts at Chinese New Year, 13 February 1964, and ends on 1 February 1965, the day before the next new year.
What element is the Dragon in 1964?
Wood (木), from the heavenly stem 甲. Wood years are associated with growth and flexibility: spring, bamboo, new shoots.
Is a baby born in January 1964 a Dragon?
No. A baby born before 13 February 1964 belongs to the previous animal, the Rabbit. The zodiac year follows the lunar calendar, not 1 January.
Which other years were Wood Dragon years?
2024. The same stem and branch return every sixty years.
Your Dragon in ink
The Dragon painted in ink wash above your name and lunar birthday.
Make the poster
Enter your birthday; we set the animal, the element, the lunar date and your name, and add a Chinese name as a seal if you have one.
Start with my birthdayMore about the animal: Year of the Dragon. All twelve: the zodiac.