GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: Today marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year. Despite a government crackdown on New Year's protests by the outlawed Kalin Gong (ph) sect, celebrations are underway to herald the start of the Year of the Dragon. Beijing bureau chief Rebecca Mackinnon has a report.</s>REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Many Chinese are ringing in the lunar new year in much the same way their ancestors did, lighting incense, praying for good fortune, bowing to the laughing Buddha, hoping he will bring them happiness in this very special year. (on camera): This year is doubly special for the Chinese, because not only is it the start of the new millennium according to the Western calendar, now it's also the Year of the Dragon, the most powerful animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle. (voice-over): Dragons are everywhere, and expectations are high. "The Chinese are the dragon's offspring," says this railway clerk. "It's a very lucky year for us." Lest the people get too superstitious about this allegedly auspicious year, authorities recently cracked down on books and organizations deemed to be spreading superstition. Fearing trouble, this fortuneteller would only talk to us about the dragon year and the Chinese zodiac if we agreed not to show his face. He says there are five different kinds of dragon: gold, wood, fire and earth. This year is a gold dragon. The gold dragon comes just once every 60 years, and the last gold dragon to fall on a millennium was 3,000 years ago. The fortuneteller says not all dragon years are lucky. The dragon year of 1976 saw an earthquake, killing tens of thousands, and the death of communist China's founder, Mao Zedong, but he says that was a turbulent fire dragon. The gold dragon, he predicts, should be peaceful and prosperous. In this festival season, hopes of peace and prosperity are lifting the spirits of all Chinese, whether they believe in fortune telling, lucky coin tossing, or just hard work and common sense. Rebecca Mackinnon, CNN, Beijing.
Today Marks Beginning of Chinese New Year