Tomorrow marks the start of the Lunar New Year, a day of festivity, rebirth and hope throughout much of the world. For many, this weekend’s celebration is a particularly exciting one as the New Year also happens to be the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac—a sign that’s long been associated with good fortune and an important cultural symbol throughout much of Asia.
 

Here at DC, we wish all of you a wonderful Year of the Dragon, full of success, good health and prosperity. The above illustration was exclusively created for us by Haining, the artist behind the acclaimed Spirit World miniseries, which she introduced last year along with writer Alyssa Wong. The image features Spirit World’s star, Xanthe Zhou, a “Spirit Envoy” tasked with maintaining the balance between the worlds of the living and dead. Xanthe possesses the ability to create physical objects by burning Chinese joss paper and is a master of the occult who’s gained the respect of no less than John Constantine. But in Haining’s vibrant Lunar New Year illustration, the concerns of the spirit world have been put aside for a celebration that’s packed full of symbolism…if you know how to read it.

Below are Haining’s notes on what everything means, allowing you to fully understand the significance of everything that Xanthe has brought to the party. Happy New Year, everyone!