A Time of Golden Dragons

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is the
author of several books, including The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese
Women’s Lives, Kurlek and Margaret Laurence: T

This vividly illustrated, large-format book marks the Year of the Golden
Dragon, which coincides with the Western Millennium Year only once in
every 3000 years. The Chinese people accept the dragon as a symbol of
themselves and their country.

A Time of Golden Dragons has a brief text aimed at primary schoolers.
Topics covered include “Before There Were Dragons,” their origins,
opposing legends in the East and West, the Emperor’s dragon, legendary
habitats in mountain lakes or beneath the sea, dragon boat races, modern
dragons, and the 12-year cycle that represents the passage of years as
well as the hours of the day. Each year/hour has its own symbol and
characteristics.

Song Nan Zhang graduated from the Central Institute of Fine Arts in
Beijing in 1964 and immigrated to Canada in 1989. He is the author and
illustrator of several fine picture books, including Cowboy on the
Steppes (1997). His paintings have been exhibited in China, Europe, and
North America. His son, Hao Yu Zhang, born in Beijing, came to Canada
with his mother in 1990, and has a journalism degree from Concordia
University. Their colorful and intriguing portrait of dragon legends is
highly recommended.