The 'Chinese dragon' is a
mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other
East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the ''Oriental (or Eastern) dragon''. Depicted as a long, snake-like creature with four claws, in contrast to the Western
dragon which stands on four legs and which is usually portrayed as evil, it has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in
Chinese folklore and
art. Chinese dragons control 'water' in an agricultural water-driven nation. This is the contrast of the western dragon, which controls 'fire' to show its mythical power. The dragon is also the embodiment of the concept of
yang (male) and associated with the weather as the bringer of rain and water in general. Its female counterpart is the
Fenghuang.
Symbolism
The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a
national emblem of
China. However, this usage within both the
People's Republic of China and the
Republic of China on
Taiwan is rare.
Firstly, the dragon was historically the
symbol of the
Emperor of China. Starting with the
Yuan Dynasty, regular citizens were forbidden to associate themselves with the symbol. The dragon re-emerged during the
Qing Dynasty and appeared on
national flags.
[1]
Secondly, the dragon has aggressive,
warlike connotations that the
Chinese government wishes to avoid. It is for these reasons that the
giant panda is far more often used within
China as a national emblem than the dragon. In
Hong Kong, however, the dragon is part of the design of
Brand Hong Kong, a symbol used to promote Hong Kong as an international brand name
[2].
Many
Chinese people often use the term "'
Descendants of the Dragon'" (龍的傳人) as a sign of ethnic identity. Though this trend only started when different Asian nationalities were looking for animal symbols for representations in the 1970s. The wolf was used among the
Mongols, the monkey among
Tibetans.
1
In
Chinese culture today, it is mostly used for decorative purposes. It is a
taboo to disfigure a depiction of a dragon; for example, an
advertisement campaign commissioned by
Nike, which featured the
American basketball player
LeBron James slaying a dragon (as well as beating up an old
Kung Fu master), was immediately censored by the
Chinese government after public outcry over disrespect.
[3]
A number of Chinese
proverbs and
idioms also feature references to the dragon, for example: "Hoping one's son will become a dragon" (望子成龍, i.e. be as successful and powerful as a dragon).
Dragon worship
Origin
The origin of the Chinese dragon is not certain, but many scholars agree that it originated from
totems of different tribes in
China. Some have suggested that it comes from a stylized depiction of existing animals, such as snakes, fish, or crocodiles. For example, the
Banpo site of the
Yangshao culture in
Shaanxi featured an elongated, snake-like fish motif. Archaeologists believe the "long fish" to have evolved into images of the Chinese dragon. The association with fish is reflected in the legend of a
carp that saw the top of a mountain and decided he was going to reach it. He swam upstream, climbing rapids and waterfalls letting nothing get in the way of his determination. When he reached the top there was the mythical "Dragon Gate" and when he jumped over he became a dragon. Several waterfalls and cataracts in
China are believed to be the location of the Dragon Gate. This legend is used as an allegory for the drive and effort needed to overcome obstacles and achieve success.
An alternative view, advocated by He Xin, is that the early dragon depicted a species of crocodile. Specifically,
Crocodylus porosus, an ancient, giant crocodile. The crocodile is known to be able to accurately sense changes in air pressure, and be able to sense coming rain. This may have been the origin of the dragon's mythical attributes in controlling the weather, especially the rain. In addition, there is evidence of crocodile worship in ancient
Babylonian,
Indian, and
Mayan civilizations. The association with the crocodile is also supported by the view in ancient times that large crocodiles are a variety of dragon. For example, in the ''Story of Zhou Chu'', about the life of a
Jin Dynasty warrior, he is said to have killed a "dragon" that infested the waters of his home village, which appears to have been a crocodile.
Others have proposed that its shape is the merger of totems of various tribes as the result of the merger of tribes. The coiled snake or dragon form played an important role in early Chinese culture. Legendary figures like
Nüwa (女媧),
Fuxi (伏羲) are depicted as having snake bodies. Some scholars report that the first legendary
Emperor of China Huang Di (黃帝,Yellow Emperor) used a snake for his
coat of arms. Every time he conquered another tribe, he incorporated his defeated enemy's emblem into his own. That explains why the dragon appears to have features of various animals.
There is no connection to the
western dragon.
The dragon as mythical creature
Non-Imperial Chinese dragon in
Shanghai.
Nine Dragon Screen,
Datong (detail).
From its origins as totems or the stylized depiction of natural creatures, the Chinese dragon evolved to become a mythical animal. By the
Han Dynasty, the scholar Wang Fu recorded the anatomy of the Chinese dragon in extensive detail. The dragon's appearance is described as having the trunk of a
snake; the scales of a
carp ; the tail of a
whale; the antlers of a
stag; the face of a
camel; the talons of
eagles; the ears of a
bull; the feet of a
tiger and the eyes of a (dragon)
lobster.
Chinese dragons are physically concise. Of the 117 scales, 81 are of the yang essence (positive) while 36 are of the yin essence (negative). This malevolent influence accounts for their destructive and aggressive side. Just as water destroys, so can the dragons in the form of floods, tidal waves and storms. Some of the worst floods were believed to have been the result of a mortal upsetting a dragon.
Many pictures of oriental dragons show a flaming pearl under their chin. The pearl is associated with wealth, good luck, and prosperity.
Chinese dragons are occasionally depicted with bat-like wings growing out of the front limbs, but most do not have wings, as their ability to fly (and control rain/water, etc.) are mythical and not seen as a result of their physical attributes.
This description accords with the artistic depictions of the dragon down to the present day. The dragon has also acquired an almost unlimited range of supernatural powers. It is said to be able to disguise itself as a silkworm, or become as large as our entire universe. It can fly among the clouds or hide in water (according to the ''Guanzi''). It can form clouds, can turn into water or fire, can become invisible or glow in the dark (according to the ''
Shuowen Jiezi'').
The dragon as ruler of weather and water
Main articles: Dragon King
Chinese dragons are strongly associated with water in popular belief. They are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas. They can show themselves as water spouts (
tornado or twister over water). In this capacity as the rulers of water and weather, the dragon is more
anthropomorphic in form, often depicted as a humanoid, dressed in a king's costume, but with a dragon head wearing a king's headdress.
There are four major
Dragon Kings, representing each of the four seas: the East Sea (corresponding to the
East China Sea), the South Sea (corresponding to the
South China Sea), the West Sea (sometimes seen as the
Indian Ocean and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as
Lake Baikal).
Because of this association, they are seen as "in charge" of water-related weather phenomenon. In premodern times, many Chinese villages (especially those close to rivers and seas) had temples dedicated to their local "dragon king". In times of drought or flooding, it was customary for the local gentry and government officials to lead the community in offering sacrifices and conducting other religious rites to appease the dragon, either to ask for rain or a cessation thereof.
The King of
Wu-Yue in the
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was often known as the "
Dragon King" or the "Sea Dragon King" because of his extensive hydro-engineering schemes which "tamed" the seas.
The dragon as symbol of imperial authority
At the end of his reign, the first legendary Emperor
Huang Di was said to have been immortalized into a dragon that resembled his emblem, and ascended to Heaven. Since the Chinese consider Huang Di as their ancestor, they sometimes refer to themselves as "''the descendants of the dragon''". This legend also contributed towards the use of the Chinese dragon as a symbol of
imperial power.
The dragon, especially yellow or golden dragons with five claws on each foot, was a symbol for the emperor in many
Chinese dynasties. The imperial throne was called the ''Dragon Throne''. During the late
Qing Dynasty, the dragon was even adopted as the
national flag. It was a capital offense for commoners to wear clothes with a dragon
symbol. The dragon is featured in the carvings on the steps of imperial palaces and tombs, such as the
Forbidden City in
Beijing.
In some
Chinese legends, an Emperor might be born with a
birthmark in the shape of a dragon. For example, one legend tells the tale of a peasant born with a dragon birthmark who eventually overthrows the existing dynasty and founds a new one; another legend might tell of the prince in hiding from his enemies who is identified by his dragon birthmark.
In contrast, the
Empress of China was often identified with the
Fenghuang
Modern belief in the Chinese dragon
In modern times, belief in the dragon appears to be sporadic at best. There appear to be very few who would see the dragon as a literally real creature. The worship of the
Dragon Kings as rulers of water and weather continues in many areas, and is deeply ingrained in Chinese cultural traditions such as
Chinese New Year celebrations.
They also used dragon kites in celebrations.
Depictions of the dragon
Neolithic depictions
Dragons or dragon-like depictions have been found extensively in neolithic-period archaeological sites throughout
China. The earliest depiction of dragons was found at
Xinglongwa culture sites.
Yangshao culture sites in
Xi'an have produced clay pots with dragon motifs. The
Liangzhu culture also produced dragon-like patterns. The
Hongshan culture sites in present-day
Inner Mongolia produced jade dragon amulets in the form of
pig dragons.
One such early form was the
pig dragon. It is a coiled, elongated creature with a head resembling a
boar[4]. The character for "dragon" in the earliest
Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later
jade dragon
amulets from the
Shang period.
Classical depictions
Dungeons & Dragons describes "Nine Classical Types" of dragons, nine being an auspicious
number in Chinese culture. These are:
★
Tianlong (天龍, tiān lÒng: literally "heaven dragon"), The Celestial Dragon - the ruler of the dragons.
★
Shenlong (神龍, shén lóng: literally "spirit dragon"), The Spiritual Dragon - controls the weather and had to be appeased, or weather conditions would turn disastrous.
★
Fucanglong (伏藏龍), The Dragon of Hidden Treasures - the guardian of precious metals and jewels buried in the earth.
★
Dilong (地龍), The Earth Dragon - controls rivers. It spends springtime in heaven and autumn in the sea.
★
Yinglong (應龍), The Winged Dragon - believed to be a powerful servant of Huang Di, the yellow emperor, later immortalized as a dragon.
★
Jiaolong (虯龍), The Horned Dragon - considered to be the mightiest.
★
Panlong (蟠龍), The Coiling Dragon - dwells in the lakes of the Orient.
★
Huanglong (黃龍), Yellow Dragon - a hornless dragon known for its scholarly knowledge.
★ The
Dragon King (龍王) - each rules over one of the four seas, those of the east, south, west, and north.
Contrary to popular belief, Chinese never made any conscious effort in catagorizing dragons themselves, albeit various words were used to described dragons in various states. For example,
Panlong is a dragon in coiled state. They did however, divide the dragons by their colors. In other words, black dragon represents the North, red dragon represents the South, green/blue dragon represent the East, white dragon represent the West and Yellow dragon represents Center. This is a less popular representation of directions and seasons than
four symbols used in
Chinese constellation.
The ''Jiao'' (
Jiaolong) and the ''Li'' (
Lilong) are sometimes used to describe other (inferior) dragon species, both hornless. Whereas the dragon is mostly seen as auscpicious or holy, the ''jiao'' and ''li'' are sometimes depicted as evil or malicious.
Besides these, there are Nine Sons of Dragon, which feature prominently in architectural and monumental decorations:
★ The first son is called ''bixi'' (贔屭
pinyin: bìxì), which looks like a giant tortoise and is good at carrying weight. It is often found as the carved stone base of monumental tablets.
★ The second son is called ''chiwen'' (螭吻 or 鴟吻
pinyin chǐwěn or 嘲风
pinyin cháofēng), which looks like a beast and likes to see very far. It is always found on the roof.
★ The third son is called ''pulao'' (蒲牢
pinyin pǔláo), which looks like a small dragon, and likes to roar. Thus it is always found on bells.
★ The fourth son is called ''bi'an'' (狴犴
pinyin bì'àn), which looks like a tiger, and is powerful. It is often found on prison doors to frighten the prisoners.
★ The fifth son is called ''taotie'' (饕餮
pinyin tāotiè), which loves to eat and is found on food-related wares.
★ The sixth son is called ''qiuniu'' (囚牛
pinyin qíuníu), which likes music, and is found on musical instruments such as Chinese harps (胡琴).
★ The seventh son is called ''yazi'' (睚眦 or 睚眥
pinyin yázī), which likes to kill, and is found on swords and knives.
★ The eighth son is called ''suanni'' (狻猊
pinyin suānní), which looks like a lion and likes smoke as well as having an affinity for fireworks. It is usually found on incense burners.
★ The youngest is called ''jiaotu'' (椒圖
pinyin jiāotú), which looks like a conch or clam and does not like to be disturbed. It is used on the front door or the doorstep.
Dragon toes
It is sometimes noted that the Chinese dragons have five
toes on each foot,
Korean dragons have four, while the
Japanese dragons have three. To explain this phenomenon,
Chinese legend states that all Imperial dragons originated in
China, and the further away from China a dragon went the fewer toes it had. Dragons only exist in China, Korea, and Japan because if they traveled further they would have no toes to continue. The Japanese legend has a story similar to the Chinese one.
However, historical records show that ordinary Chinese dragons had four toes, but the Imperial dragon had five (as in the
Five elements of
Chinese philosophy). Four-clawed dragon was reserved for princes and certain high rank officials. Three clawed dragon was used by the general public (widely seen on various Chinese goods in
Ming dynasty). In fact, it was a capital offense for anyone - other than the emperor himself - to use the five-clawed dragon
motif. Improper use of claw number was considered treason, punishable by execution of the offender's entire clan. Since most east Asian nations at one point or another were considered Chinese tributaries, they were only allowed four-clawed dragons.
Cultural references
Number nine
The number
nine is considered lucky in
China as it is the largest possible single digit, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 scales - 81 (9x9) male and 36 (9x4) female.
This is also why there are nine forms of the dragon and the dragon has nine children (see
Classical depictions above). The "Nine Dragon Wall" is a screen wall with images of nine different dragons, and is found in imperial palaces and gardens. As nine was considered the number of the emperor, only the most senior officials were allowed to wear nine dragons on their robes - and then only with the robe completely covered with
surcoats. Lower-ranking officials had eight or five dragons on their robes, again covered with surcoats; even the emperor himself wore his dragon robe with one of its nine dragons hidden from view.
There are a number of places in
China called "Nine Dragons", the most famous being
Kowloon (in Cantonese) in
Hong Kong. The part of the
Mekong in Vietnam is known as ''
Cửu Long'', with the same meaning.
Chinese zodiac
Main articles: Dragon (Zodiac)
The dragon is one of the 12 animals in the
Chinese zodiac which is used to designate years in the
Chinese calendar. It is thought that each animal is associated with certain personality traits. Dragon years are usually the most popular to have babies. There are more babies born in Dragon years than in any other animal years of the Zodiac.
Famous people born in the year of the dragon include:
Bruce Lee,
Ringo Starr,
Dr. Seuss,
John Lennon,
Helen Keller,
Salvador Dalí,
Susan B. Anthony,
Joan of Arc,
Orlando Bloom,
Sigmund Freud,
Florence Nightingale,
Napoleon III,
Keanu Reeves,
Ronaldo,
Mike Allen,
James Coburn, and
Mae West.
Constellations
The Azure Dragon -
Qing Long - 青龍 is considered to be the primary of the four
celestial guardians, the other three being the
Zhu Que - 朱雀 (
Vermilion Bird),
Bai Hu - 白虎 (white
tiger),
Xuan Wu - 玄武 (black
tortoise-like creature). In this context, the Azure Dragon is associated with the East and the element of Wood.
.
Dragonboat racing
:''Main article
Dragon boat''
At special festivals, especially the
Duan Wu festival, dragon boat races are an important part of festivities. Typically, these are boats rowed by a team of up to 12 rowers, and with a carved dragon as the head of the boat. Dragon boat racing is also an important part of celebrations outside of China, such as at
Chinese New Year.
Dragon dancing
:''Main article
Dragon dance''
On auspicious occasions, including
Chinese New Year and the opening of shops and residences, festivities often include dancing with dragon puppets. These are "life sized" cloth-and-wood puppets manipulated by a team of people, supporting the dragon with poles. They perform choreographed moves to the accompaniment of drums and music.
Dragons and Tigers
Tigers have always been an eternal rival to the dragon, thus various artworks depict a dragon and tiger fighting an epic battle. A well used
Chinese idiom to describe equal rivals (often in sports nowadays) is "''Dragon versus Tiger''". In
Chinese martial arts, "''Dragon style''" is used to describe styles of
fighting based more on understanding movement, while "''Tiger style''" is based on brute strength and memorization of techniques.
Chinese dragons in popular culture
As a part of traditional folklore, dragons appear in a variety of mythological fiction.
★ In ''
Journey to the West'', the son of the
Dragon King of the West was condemned to serve as a horse for the travellers because of his indiscretions at a party in the heavenly court.
★ In ''
Fengshen Yanyi'' and other stories,
Nezha, the boy hero, defeats the
Dragon Kings and tames the seas.
See also
★
Chinese mythology
★
Fenghuang
★
Culture of China
★
Dragon
★
Dragon boat race
★
Dragon dance
★
Dragon Kung Fu
★
Imperial guardian lions
★
Lion dance
★
Persian dragon
★
European dragon
★
Japanese dragon
★
Korean dragon
★
Vietnamese dragon
★
List of dragons in mythology and folklore
★
List of Chinese dragons in popular culture
★
Long Mu (Dragon's Mother)
★ ''
An Instinct for Dragons'', hypothesis about the origin of dragon myths.
References
1. Sleeboom, Margaret. [2004] (2004). Academic Nations in China and Japan: Framed in Concepts of Nature, Culture and the Universe. Routledge publishing. ISBN 041531545X
2. "Brand Overview", Brand Hong Kong, 09-2004. Retrieved on 23-02-2007.
3. The Dragon battles back to beat Nike Benjamin Robertson
4. "Jade coiled dragon, Hongshan Culture (c. 4700-2920 B.C.)", National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Retrieved on 23-02-2007.
External links
★
Chinese Dragons - an explanation of the Chinese dragon
★ Everything Dragons -
Collection of articles on Chinese Dragons
★ Draconika -
Chinese Dragons
★
Articles on Eastern Dragons
★ Asian Dragon -
Dragons throughout Chinese History
★ Dragonorama -
Chinese dragons
★ The Circle of the Dragon -
Eastern dragons
★ Shinto and Japanese Buddhist Corner -
(has nice illustrations)
★
Nine Dragon Wall (colorful ceramic relief) in the
Forbidden City
★
Dragons in Ancient China: Dragons in Chinese architecture, paintings, and culture
★
Dragon's Children a Chinese webpage that shows pictures of some of the dragon's children.
★
The Way of the Heavenly Dragon, Tianlong Dao
★
Chinese Dragons History and Information on Dragonsinn
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