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PORTLAND - At the Lan Su Chinese Garden in downtown Portland, parents and children line up for an ancient Chinese tradition,the rolling of oranges and tossing of money. � To start the new year, its auspicious to roll oranges and toss gold coins through your front door. And what it does is setting the year off and wishing you wealth and prosperity for the entire year,� said Gary Wilson, Director of Programs for the garden. Monday was the Chinese New Year based on a calendar thousands of years old. It follows the seasons and the position of the sun and moon. The zodiac sign for the year is the dragon, a powerful creature that brings good fortune. �It is a mystical animal, no one really been able to see it but it is the one that brings luck to everyone,� said Richard Louie, President of Portland�s Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. Louie says many women will try to have babies this year. �Children born under the year of the dragon are more intelligent, have more opportunity, their life goes a lot smoother and easier," Louie said. The impact is felt around the world but especially in Shanghai,China where the number of births is expected to jump 15 percent this year. In Taiwan, women have been going to temple to give offerings for the goddess of fertility, praying for a little one in the new year. Back in Portland, Robin Taylor adds to the legend of the dragon birth advantage. �Its been great to be a dragon, yeah,� she said. She says she was born during an earlier dragon year and it�s been terrific," Taylor said. �The most important, finishing the allotted life span. So health, happiness,� she said.