The
History of Dragons
In case you’re one of those people who knows
nothing about dragons, then you’re in the right place.
Not because we know anything about
dragons, but because here’s a great article on them and what they do.
Most
of us are all too familiar with the classic western concept of the dragon, but
not all have a great insight into probably one of the most recognized dragons,
the Chinese dragon.
In
Chinese mythology there are five types of dragon:-
The
First dragon appeared to the mythical emperor Fu-Hsi,
and filled the hole in the sky made by the monster Kung Kung.
Its waking, sleeping and breathing determined day and night, season and
weather.
There
are many differences between the classical dragon and the Chinese dragon; these
include the ability to fly even without wings, shape-shifting abilities, and of
course the general benevolent behavior to the populace.
The
Chinese dragon is made up of nine entities - the head of a camel, the eyes of a
demon, the ears of a cow, the horns of a stag, the neck of a snake, the belly
of a clam and the claws of an eagle. The soles of his feet are that of a tiger
and the 117 scales that cover its body are that of a carp.
The
Chinese dragon has four claws as standard, but the Imperial dragon has five, to
identify it above the lesser classes. Anyone other than the emperor using the 5
claw motif was put to death.
The Chinese dragon (Lung) was a divine bringer of rain, necessary for the good
of the people. Throughout Chinese history the dragon has been equated with
weather. It is said that some of the worst flooding was caused when a mortal
upset a dragon. The dragon was also a symbol of the Emperor, whose wisdom and
divine power assured the well-being of his subjects. Many legends draw
connections between the dragon and the emperor. Some emperors claimed to have
even descended from the dragon.
Chinese
dragons of myth could make themselves as large as the universe or as small as a
silkworm. They could also change color and disappear in a flash. They rise to
the skies in the spring and plunge into the waters in the autumn.
The
ancient Chinese dragon occupies a very important position in Chinese mythology.
It shows up in arts, literature, poetry, architecture, songs, and many aspects
of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but
certainly pre-dates the written history.
Nine Dragon Wall
A
very popular tourist site in Beijing is Nine-Dragon Wall
in BaiHai Park. After hundreds of years, the colors
of the ceramic tiles are just as brilliant. The wall was built in 1756, is 21m
long, 15m high and 1.2m thick. It is faced with 424 seven-color ceramic tiles.
At the centre of the wall is a giant dragon, flanged by four dragons on each
side. In addition to these nine large dragons, the wall is covered from edge to
edge with many smaller dragons. In all, there are 635 dragons.
According
to legend the Dragon had nine sons, and each had a strong personality. There is
no general agreement as to what the Dragon's sons are called, but to most people
they are:
1.Haoxian A reckless and adventurous dragon whose image can be
found decorating the eaves of palaces. 2.Yazi Valiant and
bellicose; his image is seen on sword-hilts and knife hilts. 3.Chiwen Chiwen likes to gaze into the distance and his appearance
is often carved on pinnacles. 4.Baxia
Baxia is a good swimmer and his image decorates many
bridge piers and archways. 5.Pulao
Pulao is fond of roaring and his figure is carved on
bells. 6.Bixi Bixi is an excellent pack-animal whose image appears on
panniers. 7.Qiuniu Qiuniu loves music and his figure is a common decoration on
the bridge of stringed musical instruments. 8.Suanmi Suanmi is fond of smoke and fire; his likeness can be seen
on the legs of incense-burners. 9.Jiaotu
Jiaotu is as tight-lipped as a mussel or a snail. His
image is carved on doors.
Awakening the Dragon
by Shelagh Pierce
The
Chinese dragon boat races will always be a symbol of Chinese culture and
spirit. As one of the three largest Chinese festivals of the year, this mythical
celebration can now be witnessed around the world. To experience a dragon boat
race - either watching or participating - is a thrill in itself and can be
enjoyed by everyone.
You'll
watch as long, multicolored boats, with frightening dragons' heads, long tails,
and scaly bodies, splash through the water. You'll see men, women, and children
grunt and sweat as they push themselves harder and faster to be the first to
the finish line. You'll hear the crowds screaming and cheering for their
favorite team, while the drummers pound on their drums
and yell at the paddlers. The event is not intended to be quiet and peaceful
but loud and exciting - a celebration!
To
observe the Chinese dragon boat races of today, you can only dream of its
meager beginnings. A time when superstition determined how a person lived. In
fact, dragon boat racing began more than 2000 years ago when a group of
superstitious people believed that the boat racing would ensure prosperous and
bountiful crops. Their celebrations took place on the summer solstice - the
time of year typically associated with disease and death and when man felt most
helpless against the powers of nature. The race has come to symbolize both man's
struggle against nature and his fight against dangerous enemies.
The
tragic tale of Ch'u Yuan further integrated the
dragon boat races into the lives of the Chinese. The Fourth Century B.C. is
known as the period of the "warring states" in Chinese history. It
was a time when numerous supremacy wars between feudal lords erupted. Many
kingdoms had already disappeared, except for Ch'u,
which was one of the mightiest kingdoms remaining. Ch'u
Yuan was a poet and a minister and councillor to the
king of Ch'u - truly a great patriot. He feared for
the future of his kingdom and to do the best for his country, he gave advice to
the king. To his surprise, the advice was not accepted and he was exiled. At
the devastation of the
The
people of Ch'u loved Ch'u
Yuan. They grieved over his death and spent much time trying to scare the fish
and water dragons away from Ch'u Yuan's body by
rowing around the river in their fishing boats, splashing their oars, and
beating their drums. And to ensure that Ch'u Yuan
never went hungry, they wrapped rice in leaves and threw them into the river.
Rice cakes are still eaten today as part of the dragon boat festival
celebration.
The
dragon boat festival is typically celebrated on the ‘Fifth of the Fifth’ - the
fifth day of the fifth month. Red is the prominent color on the boats because
it is the color of the number five and symbolizes heat, summer, and fire. The
lengths of the boats can range between 30 and 100 feet and are wide enough to
fit two people side by side. Some of the original rituals are still practiced
today, like the ‘Awakening of the Dragon’ by dotting the eyes of the dragon's head on each boat. This ceremony is conducted to
cleanse and bless the area of the competition, the competitors, and their
boats. It also gives the boats and their crew the strength of the Dragon and
the blessing of the Goddess of the Sea.
Nevertheless,
much has changed in the festival. The crowd no longer throws stones at the
rival boats and it is not imperative a boat capsize and at least one person
drown - which was considered a special sacrifice to the gods and was,
surprisingly, a sign of good luck.
Today
the dragon boat races are primarily a form of amusement. It is no longer a
ceremony performed to scare away evil and call for a good year but
entertainment, which teaches people a little about Chinese history and culture.
We are not nearly as superstitious as we were in the past but it sure is fun
pretending!
The Dragon in Oriental Mythology
In the mythology of various Oriental countries,
notably