Dragons have been a part of Asian culture for thousands of years. Unlike the fire-breathing villains ofthe West, Asian dragons are friendly and benevolent creatures that play a key role in celebrations, particularly Chinese New Year. The Spring Festival (Chun-jie) is a critical time of rebirth that signals the upcoming planting season and can always benefit from the dragon's wisdom, longevity and life-giving rain!

As Chinese people began to immigrate to other parts of the world, the powerful dragon was sure to follow. Today, wherever Chinese communities exist around the globe, one can expect to see a dragon dancing in the streets sometime in January or February. This is certainly true of Canada where almost 5% ofits population is Chinese.

People join the spectacle waving flags and banners. Drums, cymbals, gongs and firecrackers keep evil spirits at bay as a coordinated team of dancers moves the dragon's long, serpentine body. Each person holds a section of its body atop a pole while theleader carries the “pearl of wisdom,” moving it up and down, to the left and right, for the dragon to follow as it weaves its way through the streets.

Make 2016 a happy and prosperous year with this beautiful coin! Order today!

• CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR! A beautiful collectible that celebrates Chinese New Year! The Spring Festival is a critical timeof rebirth that signals the upcoming planting season and can always benefit from the dragon's wisdom, longevity, and life-giving rain!
• 99.99% PURE SILVER! Your coin has been expertly crafted in 99.99%pure silver with a matte proof finish that accentuates every detail to stunning effect!
• ASIAN-INSPIRED BEAUTY BOX! Your coin arrives packaged in an Asian-inspired beauty box that sets the stage for a breathtaking presentation in your collection.
• UNIQUE: The unique 8-dollar denomination on your coin is highly symbolic of wealth and prosperity.
• Your coin is GST/HST exempt!

Design:
Designed by Canadian artist Harvey Chan, your coin features a traditional Chinese dragon, its long, serpentine body disappearing far into the distance. The dragon's undulating form conveys the dynamic energy of its danceas numerous people with poles move its body above their heads. Above the dragon, tiny bursts add a festive tone to the image. The dragon's face is reminiscent of a horse, but it also has a beard, whiskers, fangs, horns, fish scales and is holding the “pearl of wisdom” is its mouth.

• Wu Long is the Chinese term for“dragon dance.” In China, thereare generally two styles: northern and southern.
• Dragons are believed to have special powers. They can fly, swim under water and walk on land. They often combine the features of numerous animals, such as fish scales, horns and claws.
• Longer dragons are considered luckier than shorter ones. Dragons can range from a few metres to 100 metres in length.
• An odd number of joints in the dragon's body is considered auspicious. Usually, they have 9, 11, 13 or29 joints.
• The dragon's body is often kept in a “dragonking temple,” and is only taken out on the day of the dance. At the end, the body is promptly returned to the temple while the tail and head are burned.

Packaging:
Your coin is encapsulated and presented in a Royal Canadian Mint-branded maroon clamshell with an Asian-inspired beauty box.

Order your coin today!