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The Chinese dragon or Lóng in Mandarin Chinese (; Cantonese Yale: Lùhng; Japanese: ryū or tatsu 竜; Korean: ryong 룡; Thai: mungkorn มังกรจีน; Vietnamese: rồng) is a mythical Chinese creature that also appears in other East Asian cultures, and is also sometimes called the Oriental dragon in the West. Usually depicted as a long, snake-like creature with numerous claws, it has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art. It is also the embodiment of the concept of yang and associated with the weather as the bringer of rain and water in general. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity.

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 extremely rare. Firstly, the dragon was the sign of the Emperor of China, and was on the national flag of the late Qing Dynasty. These monarchist connotations run counter to recent Chinese ideologies. Secondly, the dragon has aggressive, warlike connotations which the Chinese governments wish to avoid. It is for the latter reason that the giant panda is far more often used within China as a national emblem than the dragon.

Despite this, the dragon still commands much respect in the Chinese culture. 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 the disrespect of the dragon.

A number of Chinese proverbs and idioms also feature references to the dragon, for example: "Hoping one's child will become a dragon (望子成龍, ie. be as successful and powerful as a dragon)".

Dragon Worship

Origin

There is no consensus on the origin of mythical Chinese dragon, but many scholars agree that it came 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 that a carp which is able to leap over the mythical "Dragon Gate" would become 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, Crocodilus Porosis, 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. Some scholars report that the first legendary Emperor of China Huang Di (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 apparent connection to the western dragon.

The dragon as mythical creature

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 dragon's appearance is described as having a body of a snake; the scales and tail of a fish; the antlers of a stag; the face of a camel; and two pairs of talons of eagles; ears of a bull; feet of a tiger and the eyes of a demon. It has a flaming pearl under its chin. Chinese dragons are occasionally depicted with bat-like wings growing out of the front limbs, but most do not have wings.

This description accords with the artistic depictions of the dragon down to the present day. The dragon has also acquired a wide range of supernatural powers. It is said to be able to disguise itself as a silkworm, or be so large that it covers the sky. 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

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 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.

The Empress of China was often identified with the Chinese phoenix.

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.

Depictions of the dragon

Neolithic depictions

Dragons or dragon-like depictions have been found extensively in neolithic-period archaeological sites throughout China. 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. For an example see *. It is a coiled, elongated creature with a head resembling a boar. 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

There are "Nine Classical Types" of dragons as depicted in Chinese art and literature, nine being an auscpicious number in Chinese culture. These are:

Besides these, there are Nine Dragon Children, 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 pinyin chǐwěn), 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 baxia (蚣蝮 pinyin gōngfù or bāxià), which likes to be in water, and is found on bridges.
  • The seventh son is called yazi (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. 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.

There are two other (inferior) dragon species, the jiao and the li, both hornless. The jiao is sometimes said to be female dragons. The word is also used to refer to crocodiles and other large reptiles. The li is said to be a yellow version of the jiao. Whereas the dragon is mostly seen as auscpicious or holy, the jiao and the li are often depicted as evil or malicious.

Dragon toes

Chinese or Korean Imperial dragons have five toes on each foot; Indonesian dragons have four and Japanese dragons have three. To explain this phenomenon, Chinese legend states that although dragons originated in China, the further away from China a dragon went the fewer toes it had, and dragons only exist in China, Korea, Indonesia, and Japan because if they traveled further they would have no toes to continue. Japanese legend has an opposing story made up after the Chinese one, namely that dragons originated in Japan, and the further they traveled the more toes they grew and as a result, if they went too far they would have too many toes to continue to walk properly. These theories are rejected in Korea and Indonesia.

Another interpretation: according to several sources, including historical official documents, ordinary Chinese dragons had four toes - but the Imperial Dragon had five. It was a capital offense for anyone other than the emperor to use the five-clawed dragon motif. Korean sources seem to disagree (or perhaps agree) with this theory, as the Imperial dragon in Gyeongbok Palace has seven claws, implying its superiority over the Chinese Dragon; of course, this dragon image is hidden in the rafters of the palace and is not entirely in view, even to those who know it is there, suggesting that while the ancient Koreans viewed it as superior, they also knew that it would be offensive to the Imperial Chinese Court. The Han style dragon is also 3 clawed, which explains how the 3 clawed dragon went to Japan in the Tang or pre-Tang period.

Cultural references

Number nine

The number nine is considered lucky in China 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.

There are a number of places in China called "Nine Dragons", the most famous being Kowloon in Hong Kong. The part of the Mekong in Vietnam is known as Cửu Long, with the same meaning.

Chinese zodiac

Main Article 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.

Constellations

The Green 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 (red phoenix), Bai Hu - 白虎 (white tiger) and Xuan Wu - 玄武 (black tortoise-like creature). In this context the dragon is associated with the element of Wood - see Five elements (Chinese).

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 techniques, while "Tiger style" is based on raw strength.

Dragons in fiction

As a part of traditional folklore, dragons appear in a variety of mythological fiction.

In recent years, the Chinese dragon features in the Japanese manga Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, which has proved popular throughout Asia.

See also

External links

Chinese culture | Chinese mythology | Dragons

Drage (kinesisk) | Long (Mythologie) | Dragon chinois | 용 | דרקון סיני | Chinese draak | 竜 | Dragão chinês | Chinese dragon | Кинески змај | Kinesisk drake | சீன ட்றஹன் | มังกรจีน | 龙

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Chinese dragon".

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