Chinese Dragon Facts: Read About This Legendary Creature
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Most of us have seen cool dragon iconography in films, books, and clothes, such as a dragon robe or dragon decoration.
You may have even seen someone sporting a dragon tattoo. But how many of us have stopped our work and thought for a moment about its origin?
Have you ever wondered why these dragons are called Chinese dragons on several occasions? The time has arrived to find all your answers in one go. Keep reading this article to learn about this visually pleasing creature.
History And Origin Of Chinese Dragons
It isn't easy to ascertain precisely when and where the legend of the Chinese dragon originates. Several myths are linked to the history and origin of this beautiful mythological creature.
In Chinese mythology, one of the most popular stories revolves around the life story of an ancient Chinese Yan leader named Yandi, who later became more famous as the Yellow Emperor. The legend of the Yellow Emperor talks about how his real father was a dragon, which made him stronger than all other men of his time.
When he came of age, he took control over the lands of neighboring tribe members after partnering with Emperor Huang Di and then went on to establish a mighty empire in China. His conquests were centered in and around the Yellow River of China, and that is how he got the name of 'Yellow Emperor.'
Yandi, with Emperor Huang Di alongside him, achieved the task of uniting the various warring tribes of China and, in this fashion, carved up a unique place for himself in Chinese history.
During the unification drive, Yuandi integrated the individual totems that the various tribes used as their respective standards and made one for himself, representing the whole empire's sole standard. This unified totem standard had the image of a dragon, and this is where the legend of the Chines dragon begins, as per this story.
The story says that Yuandi and Huang Di were the pioneers of Chinese civilization.
Another traditional story from Chinese mythology talks about the dragon being a godlike figure who watches over the farmers in floods and heavy rainfall. In ancient China, as is today, Chinese people have extensively relied on farming, and it has always played a significant role in society.
Since the Chinese farmers had to regularly face the forces of nature, they thought of them as gods. Over time, the shapeless God took on the form of a dragon. The dragon was made the all-powerful God of rainfall, thunder, and lightning. The farming communities began revering this figure to grow their crops peacefully.
A third theory connected to the origin of the Chinese dragon comes from the Chinese dragon's likeness to the marine crocodile. The giant crocodiles found in China were believed to be dragons in ancient China. Because in Chinese tradition, crocodiles were seen to be powerful creatures, the Chinese people associated them with the Chinese dragon.
The similarity of the Chinese Dragon with other animals and creatures of the wild cannot be ruled out.
In ancient times, when mythical creatures formed the basis of Chinese myths and Chinese culture, Chinese people thought about giving shape to a mighty dragon by mixing the most important qualities of animals and birds that they had encountered in their surroundings, such as the tiger, the snake, the eagle, and the carp.
Even though we cannot point out the exact time when these exquisite mythological creatures took root in Chinese culture, archaeological finds have proved that the image of the dragon existed in the Neolithic Period in China.
In 1994, archaeological excavations in Inner Mongolia called Xinglongwa Culture relic unearthed a stone with a dragon's carved image. After tests were carried out in laboratories, it was confirmed that the stone belonged to the Neolithic Period, which dates back to 8000 BC.
Other specimens of the Chinese dragons can be traced back to 3000 BC.
Whatever be the origin of the Chinese dragon, it has evolved into an influential Chinese legend. It is an integral part of Chinese art and architecture.
Powers Of Chinese Dragons
Chinese dragons may be mythological creatures, but they have been invested with extraordinary powers by Chinese people. In Chinese culture, dragons are seen as overseers of the harvest, climate, and time passage.
For a very long time, Chinese dragons have been associated with the masculine traits of Chinese men. Since men are considered physically more dominating and powerful in Chinese society, the contributors to the myth of the Chinese dragon allocated the dominating traits of the Chinese male to the Chinese dragons.
In a way, the Chinese dragon became another form of the ideal Chinese man.
The Chinese dragon has powers over astrology. As per the Chinese astrological calendar, people born in the Year of the Dragon are deemed more wealthy and noble-hearted than the rest. The characteristics of the Chinese dragon, those of strong-mindedness, decisiveness, high confidence levels, are naturally transferred to all those who are born in the designated dragon years.
Chinese tradition believes that the Chinese dragon has power over natural phenomena such as rainfall and lightning. It is thought that if people pray and seek the blessings of these mythical creatures, they would reward the devotion shown for them by ushering in favorable weather conditions.
Whereas the male Chinese dragon is winged, the female Chinese dragon does not possess wings.
The male winged dragon goes up into the sky and brings rain to the earth when pleased. On the other hand, the female Chinese dragon controls all water bodies on the planet's surface, such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and seas.
The Chinese dragon is also revered in Chinese society as the spiritual dragon. It does not breathe fire like its European counterpart and seldom harms life on earth.
This is why Chinese people often draw or engrave the image of the spiritual dragon on day-to-day objects like utensils, books, and doors to entice good fortune and luck in their lives.
Dragons being the most powerful figure in Chinese culture, Chinese emperors of the past had associated themselves with these magnificent magical creatures. In Imperial China, the Chinese emperors were believed to be the human embodiment of the heavenly dragon.
Types Of Chinese Dragons
According to Chinese tradition, there exist a plethora of dragon types. Each type of Chinese dragon comes with unique characteristics that differentiate one from another. Let us go through the chief varieties of Chinese dragons present in Chinese mythology.
The Spiritual Dragon: The Spiritual Dragon is known as 'Shenlong' in the Chinese language. It is blue as it is closely connected to water.
This dragon is the controller of the winds and the rains. The main task of the spiritual dragon is to ensure that humans receive adequate amounts of both rainfall and wind to help in the sustenance of life.
The Flood Dragon: This type of dragon is called 'Jiaolong' in Chinese and has scales all over its body.
The Winged Dragon: Known as Yinglong in Chinese, is connected to rain and floods.
The Horned Dragon: Called 'Qiulong,' the horned dragon is very powerful as per Chinese legend. It has been depicted as being an evil dragon in some of the stories associated with it. But, on the whole, the horned dragon helps people by bringing rainfall.
The Hornless Dragon: The 'Chilong' in the Chinese language, the hornless dragon, does not have horns.
The Coiling Dragon: A marine dragon that lives in the sea, the coiling dragon is known as 'Panlong' in Chinese and possesses the power to control time. The coiling dragon is also addressed as 'the dragon that has gone to the skies.'
The Azure Dragon: The azure dragon represents the eastern direction in the Chinese constellations. It is called 'Qinglong' in Chinese.
The Celestial Dragon: Called 'Tianlong,' the celestial dragon is entrusted with the duty of protecting the gods who live in heaven from falling down on to earth.
The Fuzanglong Dragon: Also called the 'Treasure Dragon,' the Fuzanglong dragon or the 'Fucanglong' has the job of protecting all forms of treasures and precious items.
The Dilong Dragon: The Dilong dragon is also called the Underworld Dragon. It can control the seas, rivers, and other water bodies. Some traditions see it as the female counterpart of the spiritual dragon.
The Dragon King: The dragon king is called by the name of Longwang in the Chinese language. According to Chinese mythology, the dragon king is by far the most powerful dragon.
The dragon king or the dragon god has extensive powers, one of which is to change his form into several shapes such as human beings. As per Chinese tradition, the dragon god is viewed as the undisputed ruler of all the Chinese seas and the guardian of the central universe.
Features Of Chinese Dragons
The Chinese dragon is a mythical creature that is physically long in length, has close characteristics to that of snakes, and is an integral part of Chinese civilization.
All throughout China, one gets to see dragon symbols on temple walls, outside houses, in art galleries and exhibitions. Even in modern China, the presence of dragon decorations on a person's home is a common sight.
This feature can essentially be traced back to the time of the imperial Han dynasty that ruled most of China from 202 BC to 220 AD.
Visit the most significant museums of China. You will find a great collection of traditional dragon statues and other artifacts kept on display for visitors. Also, in China's capital city, Beijing, if you visit the Forbidden City of the Ming Tombs, you will find many dragon imageries in most of the artificial structures around you.
A traditional Chinese story states that the Chinese dragon has nine sons in total, each having its own unique features. These nine sons of the Chinese dragon are:
Quiniu: It has a yellow body with scales all over it.
Yazi: Its instinct is to kill and fight.
Chaofeng: Chaofeng is a dragon and a phoenix mix and is adventurous by nature.
Pulao: It has the behavior of a wild animal and can make a roaring noise when provoked.
Suanni: It looks like a lion and has the fondness to smoke.
Bixi: It has the features of a turtle and has the inclination to carry a heavy burden.
Bian: This is a cross between a dragon and a tiger.
Fuxi: The Fuxi looks like a gentle dragon.
Chiwen: This has fish-like features and is large in size.
FAQs
Q: What are three facts about dragons?
A: The three facts about dragons are as follows:
Chinese dragons are different from western dragons. The former is generally peaceful and friendly, while the latter is depicted as ferocious and breathing fire.
Chinese dragons are products of traditional myth and do not exist in reality.
The symbol Han nationality uses a dragon and a phoenix on it.
Q: What do the colors of Chinese dragons mean?
A: Chinese dragons are usually represented in five colors. They are yellow, red, black, white and green. The yellow dragon is associated with power and the coming of good fortune.
The yellow dragon is also believed to have control over the seasons and time. The red dragon stands for happiness and good luck. The black dragon is linked to the ideas of revenge and vendetta.
Black dragons are hence tied to natural calamities such as floods and storms. The white dragon is the embodiment of everything that is pure and true. At times, it is also connected to death. Finally, green dragons signify the best of nature. They are supposed to bring the spring season, along with the harbinger of new life and vitality.
Q: What do Chinese dragons symbolize?
A: Chinese dragons mainly symbolize the most important elements of nature, such as wind, water, and sky.
Q: What are Chinese dragons known for?
A: Chinese dragons are variously called 'loong' or 'long' and are known to be symbols of peace, prosperity, and profundity.
Q: What powers do Chinese dragons have?
A: The powers of Chinese dragons range from changing the earthly seasons, bringing rainfall, and controlling the waters of all the water bodies.
Q: What food do Chinese dragons eat?
A: Chinese dragons are mythical creatures. So, their dietary practices remain unknown.
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Bachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights
Anusuya MukherjeeBachelor of Arts and Law specializing in Political Science and Intellectual Property Rights
With a wealth of international experience spanning Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East, Anusuya brings a unique perspective to her work as a Content Assistant and Content Updating Coordinator. She holds a law degree from India and has practiced law in India and Kuwait. Anusuya is a fan of rap music and enjoys a good cup of coffee in her free time. Currently, she is working on her novel, "Mr. Ivory Merchant".
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