文化 | Hello China 英文版《你好中国》（23-24）
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23 Bamboo in Chinese culture
24 Dragons：A Chinese symbol of power
Chinese dragons, also known as East Asian dragons, are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology, Chinese folklore, and East Asian culture at large. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms such as turtles and fish, but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs.
They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons, and floods. The dragon is also a symbol of power, strength, and good luck for people who are worthy of it in East Asian culture. During the days of Imperial China, the Emperor of China usually used the dragon as a symbol of his imperial power and strength.
Chinese dragons are powerful and benevolent symbols in Chinese culture, with supposed control over watery phenomenon, e.g. summoning rain during a drought. Dragons are everywhere in China — in legends, festivals, astrology, art, names, and idioms.
Dragons are seen as lucky and good — quite different to the evil, dangerous, fire-breathing dragons of most Western stories.
In stories, a Chinese dragon can be composed of many different animal parts, but it’s more commonly depicted as having: the tail of a fish, the scales of a carp, the neck of a snake, the belly of a clam, the head of a camel, the claws of an eagle, the paws of a tiger, the ears of a cow, the eyes of a demon, the beard of a goat and the horns of a stag. Quite the beast, huh?
Chinese dragons can be of many colors;they can be blue, yellow, black, white or red. Depending on the dynasty that was ruling, the “official” Chinese dragon colorvaried.
Under the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.), for instance, the Chinese dragon symbolizing the Emperor, who was viewed as a god at that time, was turquoise. This turquoise Chinese dragon also symbolized the fifth element in the Chinese five elements, the sun, the East and the West.
Han dynasty aside, it was mostly the yellow Chinese dragon that was chosen by the Emperors as their symbol. This was particularly the case during the Qing dynasty (from 1644 to 1912 AD). The Qing’s Emperor Yan, in fact, was said to be the offspring of his mother’s telepathic communications with a mystical Chinese dragon (not unlike the first Emperor of China, as you’ll see later), and claimed that the most powerful Chinese dragon was yellow.
Behavior
Chinese dragons are given many powers in Chinese folklore. They are said to control thunder, floods and rain. Unlike the western Chinese dragon, rumored to be evil and dangerous, the Chinese dragon is said to be kind and noble. He symbolizes divinity, goodness, excellence, power and energy. Chinese dragons are also very smart. They are not to be afraid of, but are mainly considered as protectors that keep people from harm. Chinese dragons typically live in heaven or in worshiped places.
Dragons have always been related to people, since Chinese beliefs are very strong. Let’s see how they created this magical relationship and why the Chinese dragon is such a important cultural symbol in China.
Where does the Chinese dragon come from?
Stories state that a long time ago, around ~2500 BC, in ancient China, tribes fought each other to gain more lands. The so-called Yellow Emperor Huang Di made an alliance with another tribe leader named Yan Di to gain an edge in the battle. Yan Di was said to be born thanks to his mother’s telepathic communications with a powerful dragon. Ah the story goes, that powerful dragon helped him through his quests and thanks to the dragon’s help, both Huang Di and Yang Di defeated their common enemy the 九黎Jiǔlí people led by Chiyou during涿鹿之戰Zhuōlùzhīzhàn the Battle of Zhuolu. As Huang Di’s and Yan Di’s tribes united, they picked a dragon as the symbol for their newly-formed tribe’s banner.
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学习之路，现在开始也不晚
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学习之路，现在开始也不晚
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