Chinese dragon
Chinese
Dragon, this mythological symbol dates back to 3000 BC and stands for
happiness, immortality, procreation, fertility and activity. Chinese
Dragons were believed to ward off evil spirits. Take a look at a Chinese
city and you will see dragons decorating ancient monuments and buildings,
sometimes playing with a pearl or thunder-ball. One can also see dragons
on the garments of ancient Chinese generals. The Emperor alone had nine
of them on his brocade.
In ancient days the dragon was regarded as a most sacred animal, and
used to be the imperial emblem of Chinese emperors. It is the first
of the four Divine Creatures to Chinese-the others being the unicorn,
the phoenix and the tortoise. Unlike the evil dragon the West, the Chinese
Dragon is a beneficent and gracious creature and is worshipped as the
divine ruler of Lakes, Rivers and Seas. It is the powerful yet gentle
"Long" that brings rain to the earth, hastens the crops and
cools the toiling framer. It is one of the most
popular of Chinese art motifs, being sculptured on stone pillars of
Chinese temples and embroidered on beautiful gold and silk tapestries.
Chinese Dragon is also the symbol of the Chinese race. Chinese proclaim
themselves "Long De Chuan Ren" (Descendents of the Dragon).
Chinese emperors think they are the real dragons and the sons of heaven.
Thus the beds they sleep on are called the dragon beds, the throne called
the dragon seat, and the emperor's ceremonial dresses called the dragon
robes.
Chinese Dragon and Culture
Dragons are deeply rooted in the Chinese culture. The Chinese often
consider themselves, 'the descendants of the dragon.' As the emblem
of the Emperor and the Imperial command, the legend of the Chinese Dragon
permeates the ancient Chinese civilization and shaped their culture
until today. Its benevolence signifies greatness, goodness and blessings.
The Chinese Dragon, or Long, symbolizes power and excellence, valiancy
and boldness, heroism and perseverance, nobility and divinity. A dragon
overcomes obstacles until success. He is energetic, decisive, optimistic,
intelligent and ambitious.
In ancient China, nobody had any doubts about the existence of dragons.
People showed great respect for any dragon depicted in pictures, carvings
and writings, and as a result the dragon became the symbol of Chinese
nation. All people in china, including the emperor, prostrated themselves
before the image of a dragon with reverence and awe. As a result, this
unreal animal became the spiritual sustenance for a nation: firstly,
as the totem of a tribe and then as the symbol of the nation. Eventually
it became the sign on the national flag of the last feudal dynasty,
the Qing Dynasty. The chinese people regard themselves as descendants
of the dragon.
Being the divine mythical animal, the Dragon can ward off wandering
evil spirits, protect the innocent and bestow safety to all that hold
his emblem. The Chinese Dragon is look upon as the ultimate symbol of
Good Fortune. Everything connected with Chinese Dragons is blessed.
The Year of the Dragon, which takes place every
twelve years, is lucky. Present-day Oriental astrologers claim
that children born dung Dragon Years enjoy health, wealth, and long
life. Year of the Dragon - personality traits: The Dragon person is
self confident and impulsive and consequently does not always listen
to the advice of others. He is also a perfectionist and he sets high
standards for himself. Although strong and decisive the Dragon is not
manipulative or sly. He refuses to deceive or compromise and fails to
spot subversive intent. He enjoys being in command and like an emperor
holding court he eliminates obstacles until success is his.
The Black Dragon Pool Chapel, near Peking, was reserved for the Empress
and her court. Special worship services took place there on the first
and fifteenth of every month. Dragon shrines and altars can still be
seen in many parts of the Far East. They are usually along seashores
and riverbanks, because most Chinese Dragons live in water.
History
The Chinese sign for the dragon appears during the Yin and Shang dynasties
(from the 16th to the 11th century BC, the period of the earliest Chinese
hieroglyphs), between inscriptions on bones and turtle shields. These
inscriptions depicted a horned reptile, teeth, scales and sometimes
paws as well.
From the Han dynasty and on (206 BC-220 AD) dragons took a symbolic
meaning based on their colors. Chinese dragons were often red or gold,
turquoise or white. The turquoise dragon was the symbol of the Emperor,
the East, the rising sun, and the rain as well as the fifth element
of the Chinese zodiac. The white dragon on the other hand stood for
the West and death.
What's the dragon look like?
According to Chinese mythology, dragons lived under the surface of the
Earth and only visited the world in the second month of the Chinese
calendar to cause rain and thunder. They looked like snakes and had
no wings. Each one of its four short legs had five toes. Even though
depicted without wings the Chinese dragon is believed to fly and is
usually painted against the clouds and the sun or moon.
Nobody really knows where the dragon comes
from. The dragon looks like a combination of many animals. For the Chinese
people, Dragons were described visually as a composite of parts from
nine animals: The horns of a deer; the head of a camel; the eyes of
a devil; the neck of a snake; the abdomen of a large cockle; the scales
of a carp; the claws of an eagle; the paws of a tiger; and the ears
of an ox. The Chinese word for Dragon is
spelled out in roman characters as either lung or long. In China, the
Dragon was credited with having great powers that allowed them to make
rain and to control floods (by striking the river with its tail, causing
it to open and thus divert the floodwaters) also Dragons are credited
for transportation of humans to the celestial realms after death. Also,
in China, Dragons are symbols of the natural world, adaptability, and
transformation. When two dragons are placed together but turned away,
they symbolize eternity via the famous Yin-Yang.
Chinese Dragon and Chinese festival
The Chinese Spring Festival, the Chinese dragon is seen parading in
the streets. The Day of the Lanterns is another celebration where dragons
are seen parading. In parade appearance, the dragon performs its gyrations
in pursuits of a costumed figure who holds aloft a pole with a ball
on the end called the "Precious Pearl." The creature's movement
and tempo are controlled by this leader who manipulated the "pearl"
according to plan, accompanied by drums and gongs.
In China the dragon is known as the ruler of spring that positively
influences natural growth. In the area of wealth the same principle
applies and so wealth will not be achieved in a dragon year if one's
motivation is greed. A balanced attitude towards life is required
How many kinds of dragons?
There are nine major types of Chinese dragons These include the horned
dragon, the winged dragon, the celestial dragon(which supports and protects
the mansions of the gods), the spiritual dragon (which generates wind
and rain for the benefit of mankind), the dragon of hidden treasures
(which keeps guard over concealed wealth), the coiling dragon (which
lives in water), and the yellow dragon (which once emerged from water
and presented the legendary Emperor Fu Shi with the elements of writing)
.The last of the nine is the dragon king, which actually consists of
four separate dragons, each of which rules overone of the four seas,
those of the east, south, west, and north.
WOOD DRAGON: The Wood Dragon is creative, imaginative, and inquisitive.
He is both a thinker and a doer and is capable of brilliant new concepts.
His every move is guided by sound logic. His drive and ambition allow
him to put many of his ideas into practice, nevertheless this Dragon
is capable of concealing his domination and tries not to offend. He
will even compromise if it is advantages. Although not as self-centered
as other Dragons, he is still outspoken and fearless when challenged.
FIRE DRAGON: The Fire Dragon is the most extroverted and competitive
Dragon. He tends to push too hard and expects a lot from everyone. His
criticisms are objective and he has the ability to arouse massive popular
support. His insatiable ambition can make him short-tempered and intolerant.
He is an empire builder who needs to master his less favorable traits
and learn how to communicate more humbly with people as individuals.
EARTH DRAGON: The Earth Dragon is a quieter, more reflective
Dragon, He will be appreciative of other's opinions even if he fails
to agree with them. He is reasonable in his approach to problems and
his leadership is less dictatorial. He is not given to outbursts of
temper, but at the same time demands respect. He knows the value of
cooperation and is more diplomatic than the other Dragons. He is ambitious,
but his initiatives are less hurried and more carefully thought out.
METAL DRAGON: The Metal Dragon is the most strong-willed Dragon.
He is inflexible, unbending, and combative. He gives little regard to
the feelings of others. This ruthlessness can result in a rapid rise
to a position of authority, but often at the cost of destroying important
relationships. It is futile to attempt to convince him that certain
things are simply undoable. He will go it alone if he can't gain support.
He succeeds because he refuses to accept failure. WATER DRAGON: The Water Dragon is less selfish and opinionated
than the other Dragons. He is more inhibited and less power-hungry.
He can accept
defeat without recriminations. He makes a good negotiator as he knows
when, where, and how to apply pressure. He has a tendency to be over-optimistic
and needs to learn how to relinquish what is unfeasible so that he can
concentrate his energies on the most rewarding endeavors.
The influence of a dragon painting is the successful overcoming of difficulties
and the painting itself a reminder that we can win through difficult
situations if we accept them as challenges instead of obstacles. The
most auspicious placing for a dragon painting is facing water, ideally
an ocean, sea, river or stream - moving water
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