| Chinese dragon | |
|---|---|
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| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese: | 龍 |
| Simplified Chinese: | 龙 |
| Hanyu Pinyin: | Lóng |
| Japanese name | |
| Hiragana: | 1. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use is a Japanese Syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system, along with Katakana and Kanji; the Latin alphabet りゅう 2. たつ |
| Kyūjitai: | 龍 |
| Shinjitai: | 竜 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul: | 룡/용 |
| Hanja: | 龍 |
| Vietnamese name | |
| Quốc ngữ: | rồng, long |
| Hán tự: | 龍 |
The Chinese dragon is visualized as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with five claws. Kyūjitai (in Shinjitai: ja 旧字体 in Kyūjitai 舊字體 meaning "old character form" is the traditional form of the Japanese Kanji used before Shinjitai (in Shinjitai ja [[wikt新字体 新字体]] in Kyūjitai: ja [[wikt新字體 新字體]] meaning "new character form" are the forms of Hanja is the Korean name for Chinese characters. More specifically it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated The Vietnamese alphabet has the following 29 letters in collating order Description The Vietnamese alphabet called Chữ Quốc Ngữ Hán tự ( {{IPA|/han˦˥ tɯ˨/}}; 漢[[wikt 字|字]] meaning " Chinese character " or chữ Nho ( {{IPA|/tɕɯ˧˨˧ ɲɔ/}} China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The dragon is a Legendary creature of which some interpretation or depiction appears in almost every culture worldwide In contrast to the European dragon which stands on four legs and which is usually portrayed as evil, the Chinese dragon has long been a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art. European dragons are Legendary creatures in Folklore and Mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe. Chinese folklore has a long history going back several thousand years Chinese art ( Chinese: 中國藝術/中国艺术 has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling Dynasties of China and changing The Chinese dragon is traditionally also the embodiment of the concept of yang (male) and associated with the weather as the bringer of rain and water in an agriculturally water-driven nation. In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin and yang ( is used to describe how seemingly opposing forces are bound together intertwined and interdependent in the Its female counterpart is the Fenghuang. Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds The Chinese dragon is the derivation of other Oriental dragons.
The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China. This article is about symbols of nations Many countries it can be used for is Chantal China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan is rare. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia.
Firstly, the dragon was historically the symbol of the Emperor of China. The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece The Emperor of China ( refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning since the founding of the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC until the fall of Starting with the Yuan Dynasty, regular citizens were forbidden to associate themselves with the symbol. The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai The dragon re-emerged during the Qing Dynasty and appeared on national flags. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China [1]
Secondly, in European-influenced cultures, the dragon has aggressive, warlike connotations that the Chinese government wishes to avoid. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES It is for these reasons that the giant panda is far more often used within China as a national emblem than the dragon. The Giant Panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca, "black-and-white cat-foot" is a Mammal classified in the Bear family ( Ursidae) native to China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National In Hong Kong, however, the dragon is part of the design of Brand Hong Kong, a symbol used to promote Hong Kong as an international brand name[2]. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The Brand Hong Kong ( is a symbol used for promoting Hong Kong as a brand
Many Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" (龍的傳人) as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s when different Asian nationalities were looking for animal symbols for representations. The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong Han Chinese ( are an Ethnic group native to China and by most modern definitions the largest single Ethnic group in the world. This article is about the Decade 1970-1979 For the Year 1970 see 1970. [1] The wolf was used among the Mongols, the monkey among Tibetans. The Tibetan people are indigenous to Tibet and surrounding areas stretching from Central Asia in the North and West to Myanmar and China Proper [1]
In Chinese culture today, it is mostly used for decorative purposes. The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history 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 disrespect. A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m LeBron Raymone James (born December 30 1984 in Akron Ohio) is an American professional Basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial arts. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES [3]
A number of Chinese proverbs and idioms also feature references to the dragon, for example: "Hoping one's son will become a dragon" (望子成龍, i. A proverb (from the Latin proverbium) also called a byword or nayword, is a simple and concrete Saying popularly known and repeated An idiom is a Phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal Definition, but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only e. be as successful and powerful as a dragon).
Contents |
The Worship of the Chinese Dragon
The Origin of the Chinese Dragon
The origin of Chinese dragon is not certain, but many scholars agree that it originated from totems of different tribes in China. The Hongshan culture ( was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China. A totem is any supposed entity that watches over or assists a group of people such as a family Clan or tribe ( Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary and Webster's China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National 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. Banpo (半坡 is an archaeological site first discovered in 1953 and located in the Yellow River Valley just east of Xi'an, China. The Yangshao culture ( was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the central Yellow River in China. ( Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the People's Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess 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, Crocodylus porosus, an ancient, giant crocodile. The saltwater or estuarine crocodile ( Crocodylus porosus) is the largest of all living Crocodilians and Reptiles It is found in suitable 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. Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Maya civilization is a Mesoamerican Civilization, noted for the only known fully developed written language of the Pre-Columbian Americas 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. The Jìn Dynasty ( 265 – 420) one of the Six Dynasties, followed the Three Kingdoms period and preceded the Southern and Northern Dynasties
Others have proposed that its shape is the merger of totems of various tribes as the result of the merger of tribes. The coiled snake or dragon form played an important role in early Chinese culture. Legendary figures like Nüwa (女媧), Fuxi (伏羲) are depicted as having snake bodies. In Chinese mythology, Nüwa ( Traditional Chinese: 女媧 Simplified Chinese: 女娲 Pinyin: nǚwā also Nügua is mythological character In Chinese mythology Fu Xi or Fu Hsi ( aka Paoxi ( mid 2800s BCE was the first of the mythical Three Sovereigns (三皇 sānhuáng of ancient China Some scholars report that the first legendary Emperor of China Huang Di (黃帝,Yellow Emperor) used a snake for his coat of arms. The Emperor of China ( refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning since the founding of the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC until the fall of Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a Legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people 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.
"Coiled dragon" forms have been attributed to the Hongshan culture. The Hongshan culture ( was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China. [4] Why the Hongshan peoples "coiled" their dragon motifs while other cultures did not? Possibly the sleeping dinosaur fossil may offer a suggestion, because it was discovered within the same province, Liaoning. Mei (from Chinese 寐 mèi soundly sleeping) is a Genus of Duck -sized Troodontid Dinosaur first unearthed ( is a northeastern province of the People's Republic of China. Perhaps Hongshan peoples found additional "sleeping dinosaur" fossils.
There is no direct connection between the Chinese dragon and the western dragon. European dragons are Legendary creatures in Folklore and Mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.
The Chinese Dragon as a mythical creature
From its origins as totems or the stylized depiction of natural creatures, the Chinese dragon evolved to become a mythical animal. The Han Dynasty scholar Wang Fu recorded Chinese myths that long dragons had nine anatomical resemblances. The Han Dynasty ( 206 BC–220 AD followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. Wang Fu (王符 c 78 - 163），was a philosopher from Zhenyuan County Gansu, Gansu, China.
The people paint the dragon's shape with a horse's head and a snake's tail. Further, there are expressions as 'three joints' and 'nine resemblances' (of the dragon), to wit: from head to shoulder, from shoulder to breast, from breast to tail. These are the joints; as to the nine resemblances, they are the following: his horns resemble those of a stag, his head that of a camel, his eyes those of a demon, his neck that of a snake, his belly that of a clam (shen, 蜃), his scales those of a carp, his claws those of an eagle, his soles those of a tiger, his ears those of a cow. Upon his head he has a thing like a broad eminence (a big lump), called [chimu] (尺木). If a dragon has no [chimu], he cannot ascend to the sky. [5]
Further sources give variant lists of the nine animal resemblances. Sinologist Henri Doré lists these characteristics of an authentic dragon: "The horns of a deer. The head of a camel. A demon's eyes. The neck of a snake. A tortoise's viscera. A hawk's claws. The palms of a tiger. A cow's ears. And it hears through its horns, its ears being deprived of all power of hearing. "[6] He notes that, "Others state it has a rabbit's eyes, a frog's belly, a carp's scales. " The anatomy of other legendary creatures, including the chimera and manticore, is similarly amalgamated from fierce animals. The manticore is a Legendary creature similar to the Egyptian Sphinx.
Chinese dragons are physically concise. Of the 117 scales, 81 are of the yang essence (positive) while 36 are of the yin essence (negative). This malevolent influence accounts for their destructive and aggressive side. Just as water destroys, so can the dragons in the form of floods, tidal waves and storms. Some of the worst floods were believed to have been the result of a mortal upsetting a dragon.
Many pictures of oriental dragons show a flaming pearl under their chin. The pearl is associated with wealth, good luck, and prosperity.
Chinese dragons are occasionally depicted with bat-like wings growing out of the front limbs, but most do not have wings, as their ability to fly (and control rain/water, etc. ) are mythical and not seen as a result of their physical attributes.
This description accords with the artistic depictions of the dragon down to the present day. The dragon has also acquired an almost unlimited range of supernatural powers. It is said to be able to disguise itself as a silkworm, or become as large as our entire universe. 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 Shuōwén Jiězì ( "Explaining Simple and Analyzing Compound Characters" was an early 2nd century CE Chinese dictionary from the Han Dynasty
In Singapore and many other countries, folktales speak of the dragon having all the attributes of the other 11 creatures of the zodiac, this includes the whiskers of the rat, the face and horns of an ox, claws and teeth of a tiger, belly of a rabbit, body of a snake, legs of a horse, the beard of a goat, wit(or brain) of a monkey, crest of a rooster, ears of a dog, the snout of a pig
The Chinese Dragon as ruler of weather and water
Chinese dragons are strongly associated with water in popular belief. For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 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). A tornado is a violent rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a Cumulonimbus cloud or in rare cases the base of a Cumulus 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. Anthropomorphism is the attribution of uniquely Human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings natural and supernatural phenomena material states and objects
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). For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 The East China Sea is a Marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1249000 km² The South China Sea is a Marginal sea south of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from Singapore to the The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Lake Baikal (о́зеро Байка́л Ozero Baykal, ˈozʲɪrə bʌjˈkɑl Байгал нуур Baygal nuur) is in Southern Siberia in Russia
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. Kingdom of Wuyue ( Traditional Chinese: 吳越國 Simplified Chinese: 吴越国 Pinyin Wúyuè Guó 907 - 978, was a small independent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms ( 907-960 was an era of political upheaval in China, beginning in the Tang Dynasty and ending in the Song Dynasty. For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王
The Chinese 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. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a Legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the 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. Chinese civilization originated in various city-states along the Yellow River ( valley in the Neolithic era
The dragon, especially yellow or golden dragons with five claws on each foot, was a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties. The following is a Chronology of the dynasties in Chinese history. The imperial throne was called the Dragon Throne. During the late Qing Dynasty, the dragon was even adopted as the national flag. Not to be confused with Qin Dynasty, the first dynasty of Imperial China It was a capital offense for commoners to wear clothes with a dragon symbol. The musical instrument is spelled Cymbal. A symbol is something --- such as an object, Picture, written word a sound a piece The dragon is featured in the carvings on the steps of imperial palaces and tombs, such as the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial Palace from the mid- Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty.
In some Chinese legends, an Emperor might be born with a birthmark in the shape of a dragon. Chinese mythology is a collection of Cultural history, Folktales, and Religions that have been passed down in oral or written form A birthmark is a Blemish on the Skin formed before Birth. A little over 1 in 10 babies have a Vascular birthmark 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.
In contrast, the Empress of China was often identified with the Fenghuang
Modern belief in the Chinese dragon
In modern times, belief in the dragon appears to be sporadic at best. Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds There appears 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. For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. Dragon kites are also used in these celebrations. Dragons are also very widely used in Chinese arts and crafts creation. Chinese art ( Chinese: 中國藝術/中国艺术 has varied throughout its ancient history, divided into periods by the ruling Dynasties of China and changing It means blessings and power. In Chinese antiques, dragons are nearly everywhere.
Depictions of the dragon
Neolithic depictions
Dragons or dragon-like depictions have been found extensively in neolithic-period archaeological sites throughout China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The earliest depiction of dragons was found at Xinglongwa culture sites. The Xinglongwa culture (興隆洼文化 ( 6200 - 5400 BC) was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China, found mainly around the Inner Mongolia Yangshao culture sites in Xi'an have produced clay pots with dragon motifs. The Yangshao culture ( was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the central Yellow River in China. UserEl_C --> Xi'an ( Postal map spelling: Sian is the Capital of the Shaanxi province in the The Liangzhu culture also produced dragon-like patterns. The Liangzhu culture ( ( 3400 - 2250 BC) was the last Neolithic Jade culture in the Yangtze River Delta of China. The Hongshan culture sites in present-day Inner Mongolia produced jade dragon amulets in the form of pig dragons. The Hongshan culture ( was a Neolithic culture in northeastern China. Inner Mongolia ( Mongolian:, Öbür mongɣul; occasionally romanized to Nei Mongol is the Mongol A pig dragon or zhulong (Chinese 猪龍 is a type of Jade artifact from Neolithic China.
One such early form was the pig dragon. A pig dragon or zhulong (Chinese 猪龍 is a type of Jade artifact from Neolithic China. It is a coiled, elongated creature with a head resembling a boar[7]. The boar or wild boar ( Sus scrofa) is an Omnivorous, gregarious Mammal of the biological family Suidae. The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang period. A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese ( Jade is an Ornamental stone. The term jade is applied to two different rocks that are made up of different Silicate minerals. An amulet ( the Elder|Pliny]] meaning "an object that protects a person from trouble" a close cousin of the talisman (from Arabic The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the
Classical depictions
Chinese literature and myths refer to many dragons besides the famous long. The linguist Michael Carr analyzed over 100 ancient dragon names attested in Chinese classic texts. Chinese classic texts or Chinese canonical texts ( refer to the pre- Qin Chinese texts especially the Confucian Four Books and Five Classics [8] Many such Chinese names derive from the suffix -long:
- Tianlong (Chinese: 天龍; pinyin: tiānlóng; Wade-Giles: t'ien-lung; literally "heavenly dragon"), celestial dragon that guards heavenly palaces and pulls divine chariots; also a name for Draco (constellation)
- Shenlong (Chinese: 神龍; pinyin: shénlóng; Wade-Giles: shen-lung; literally "god dragon"), thunder god that controls the weather, appearance of a human head, dragon's body, and drum-like stomach
- Fucanglong (Chinese: 伏藏龍; pinyin: fúcánglóng; Wade-Giles: fu-tsang-lung; literally "hidden treasure dragon"), underworld guardian of precious metals and jewels, associated with volcanoes
- Dilong (Chinese: 地龍; pinyin: dìlóng; Wade-Giles: ti-lung; literally "earth dragon"), controller of rivers and seas; also a name for earthworm
- Yinglong (Chinese: 應龍; pinyin: yìnglóng; Wade-Giles: ying-lung; literally "responding dragon"), winged dragon associated with rains and floods, used by Huangdi to kill Chi You
- Jiaolong (Chinese: 蛟龍; pinyin: jiāolóng; Wade-Giles: chiao-lung; literally "crocodile dragon"), hornless or scaled dragon, leader of all aquatic animals
- Panlong (Chinese: 蟠龍; pinyin: pánlóng; Wade-Giles: p'an-lung; literally "coiled dragon"), lake dragon that has not ascended to heaven
- Huanglong (Chinese: 黃龍; pinyin: huánglóng; Wade-Giles: huang-lung; literally "yellow dragon"), hornless dragon symbolizing the emperor
- Feilong (Chinese: 飛龍; pinyin: fēilóng; Wade-Giles: fei-lung; literally "flying dragon"), winged dragon that rides on clouds and mist; also a name for pterosaur (compare Feilong kick and Fei Long character)
- Qinglong (Chinese: 青龍; pinyin: qīnglóng; Wade-Giles: ch'ing-lung; literally "Azure Dragon"), East one of the Four Symbols, mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations
Fewer Chinese dragon names derive from the prefix long-:
- Longwang (Chinese: 龍王; pinyin: lóngwáng; Wade-Giles: lung-wang; literally "Dragon Kings") divine rulers of the Four Seas
- Longma (Chinese: 龍馬; pinyin: lóngmǎ; Wade-Giles: lung-ma; literally "dragon horse"), emerged from the Luo River and revealed Bagua (concept) to Fu Xi
Chinese scholars have classified dragons in diverse systems. In Grammar, a suffix (also postfix, ending) is an Affix which is placed at the end of a word In Chinese mythology, Tianlong or Tien-long ( - literally "heaven dragon" are the celestial dragons who pull the chariots of the Gods Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Draco (ˈdreɪkoʊ Dragon) is a far northern Constellation that is circumpolar for many Northern hemisphere observers Shenlong ( literally "spirit dragon" Japanese: 神龙 Shinryū is a spiritual dragon from Chinese Mythology that controls wind Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin In Chinese mythology the Fucanglong ( Futs-Lung or Futs-Long, are the Chinese Underworld dragons which guard buried Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Earthworm is the usual name for the largest members of Oligochaeta (which is either a class or subclass depending on the author in the phylum Annelida In classical Yinglong ( was a dragon believed to be a powerful servant of Huang Di (黃帝 the yellow emperor who was later immortalized as a dragon Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a Legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the For the Manhwa, see Heavenly Executioner Chiwoo ----------------------- Mythology Along with Yan Di and Huang Jiaolong ( or jiao is an aquatic dragon in Chinese mythology, variously translated as a "hornless dragon" "scaly dragon" "flood Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Huang Long (黄竜 or 黄龙 Yellow Dragon Japanse:Kōryū or Ōryū Korean:Hwang-Ryong is a hornless dragon who once emerged from the River Luo and presented Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin For other meanings see Pterodactyl (disambiguation. Pterosaurs (ˈtɛrəsɔr from the Greek πτερόσαυρος pterosauros For the Street Fighter character see Fei Long. A Feilong is a jumping kick where two kicks are executed Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin The Azure Dragon (青龍 青竜 青龙 is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations It is sometimes called the Azure Dragon of the East The Four Symbols ( are four mythological creatures in the Chinese constellations They also appear in Korean mythology An affix is a Morpheme that is attached to a stem to form a word Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Wade-Giles (ˌweɪdˈʤaɪlz) sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a Romanization system (phonetic notation and Transcription) for the Mandarin The Bagua ( are eight diagrams used in Taoist Cosmology to represent a range of interrelated concepts In Chinese mythology Fu Xi or Fu Hsi ( aka Paoxi ( mid 2800s BCE was the first of the mythical Three Sovereigns (三皇 sānhuáng of ancient China For instance, Emperor Huizong of Song canonized five colored dragons as "kings". Emperor Huizong ( November 2, 1082 – June 4, 1135) was the eighth and one of the most famous emperors of the Song Dynasty of
- The Azure Dragon [Qinglong 青龍] spirits, most compassionate kings.
- The Vermillion Dragon [Zhulong 朱龍] spirits, kings that bestow blessings on lakes.
- The Yellow Dragon [Huanglong 黃龍] spirits, kings that favorably hear all petitions.
- The White Dragon [Bailong 白龍] spirits, virtuous and pure kings.
- The Black Dragon [Xuanlong 玄龍] spirits, kings dwelling in the depths of the mystic waters. [9]
With the addition of the Yellow Dragon of the Center to Azure Dragon of the East, these Vermillion, White, and Black Dragons coordinate with the Four Symbols, including the Vermilion Bird of the South, White Tiger of the West, and Black Tortoise of the North. The Vermilion Bird (朱雀 is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations According to Wu Xing, the Taoist five-elemental The White Tiger (白虎 is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations It is sometimes called the White Tiger of the West (西方白虎
Children of Dragon
Several Ming Dynasty texts list the Nine Children of a Dragon (龍生九子), which feature prominently in Chinese architectural and monumental decorations. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led The scholar Xie Zhaozhe (謝肇淛, 1597-1624) gives this listing.
A well-known work of the end of the sixteenth century, the [Wuzazu 五雜俎], informs us about the nine different young of the dragon, whose shapes are used as ornaments according to their nature. The [pulao 蒲牢], dragons which like to cry, are represented on the tops of bells, serving as handles. The [qiuniu 囚牛], which like music, are used to adorn musical instruments. The [chiwen 螭吻/鴟吻], which like swallowing, are placed on both ends of the ridgepoles of roofs (to swallow all evil influences). The [chaofeng 嘲風], lion-like beasts which like precipices, are placed on the four corners of roofs. The [yazi 睚眦/睚眥], which like to kill, serve as ornaments of sword-grips. The [bixi 贔屭], which have the shape of the [chilong 螭龍], and are fond of literature, are represented on the sides of grave-monuments. The [bi'an 狴犴], which like litigation, are placed over prison gates (in order to keep guard). The [suanni 狻猊], which like to sit down, are represented upon the bases of Buddhist idols (under the Buddhas' or Bodhisattvas' feet). The [baxia 霸下], finally, big tortoises which like to carry heavy objects, are placed under grave-monuments.
Further, the same author enumerates nine other kinds of dragons — there are so many, says he, because the dragon's nature is very lewd, so that he copulates with all animals —, which are represented as ornaments of different objects or buildings according to their liking prisons, water, the rank smell of newly caught fish or newly killed meat, wind and rain, ornaments, smoke, shutting the mouth (used for adorning key-holes), standing on steep places (placed on roofs), and fire. [5]
The Sheng'an waiji (升庵外集) collection by the poet Yang Shen (楊慎, 1488-1559) gives different 5th and 9th names for the dragon's nine children: the taotie (饕餮), which loves to eat and is found on food-related wares, and the jiaotu (椒圖), which looks like a conch or clam, does not like to be disturbed, and is used on the front door or the doorstep. The Taotie ( Japanese: tōtetsu is a motif commonly found on ritual bronze vessels from the Shang and Zhou Dynasty. Yang's list is bixi, chiwen or cháofēng, pulao, bi'an, taotie, qiuniu, yazi, suanni, and jiaotu.
Oldest attestation of the list found in 菽園雜記[3] (by 陸容, 1436-1494), however, he noted that the list enumerates mere synonyms of various antiques, not children of a dragon.
Dragon toes
It is sometimes noted that the Chinese dragons have five toes on each foot, while the Japanese dragons have three. Toes are the digits of the Foot of an animal Many animal species such as Cats walk on their toes and are described as being Digitigrade For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. To explain this phenomenon, Chinese legend states that all Imperial dragons originated in China, and the further away from China a dragon went the fewer toes it had. Chinese mythology is a collection of Cultural history, Folktales, and Religions that have been passed down in oral or written form China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Dragons only exist in China and Japan because if they traveled further they would have no toes to continue.
However, historical records show that ordinary Chinese dragons had four toes (this dragon was known as Mang), but the Imperial dragon had five (as in the Five elements of Chinese philosophy) (this dragon was known as Long). Chinese philosophy is Philosophy written in the Chinese tradition of thought The four-clawed dragon was typically for nobility and certain high ranking officials. The three clawed dragon was used by the general public (widely seen on various Chinese goods in Ming dynasty). The Long, however, was only for select royalty closely associated with the Imperial family, usually in various symbolic colors, while it was a capital offense for anyone - other than the emperor himself - to ever use the completely gold-colored, five-clawed Long dragon motif. In art a motif is a repeated idea pattern image or theme Paisley designs are referred to as motifs Improper use of claw number and/or colors was considered treason, punishable by execution of the offender's entire clan. Since most east Asian nations at one point or another were considered Chinese tributaries, they were only allowed four-clawed dragons. The five toes rule was enforced since 1336 AD (Yuan the second year). The Yuan Dynasty ( Pinyin: Yuáncháo Dai Ön Ulus (Дай Юан Улс was a ruling Dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai "(For commoners) It is forbidden to wear any cloth with patterns of Qilin, Male Fenghuang (Chinese phoenix), White rabbit, Lingzhi, Five-Toe Two-Horn Loong, Eight Loongs, Nine Loongs, Long-live, Fortune-longevity character and Golden Yellow etc. The Qilin ( also spelled Kylin, or Kirin ( Japanese and Korean) is a Mythical hooved Chinese chimerical Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds Língzhī (traditional Chinese 靈芝; simplified Chinese 灵芝; Japanese reishi; Korean yeongji, hangul 영지 is the name for one " ("禁服麒麟、鸾凤、白兔、灵芝、双角五爪龙、八龙、九龙、万寿、福寿字、赭黄等服")[10]
Cultural references
Number nine
The number nine is considered lucky in China as it is the largest possible single digit, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. In mathematics Nine is a Composite number, its proper Divisors being 1 and 3. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 scales - 81 (9x9) Yin and 36 (9x4) Yang. The reason why the dragon of non supremacy has only one claw is because it was lost in a great battle between rich and the very poor. 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. As nine was considered the number of the emperor, only the most senior officials were allowed to wear nine dragons on their robes - and then only with the robe completely covered with surcoats. A surcoat was an outer garment commonly worn in the Middle Ages by both men and women Lower-ranking officials had eight or five dragons on their robes, again covered with surcoats; even the emperor himself wore his dragon robe with one of its nine dragons hidden from view.
There are a number of places in China called "Nine Dragons", the most famous being Kowloon (in Cantonese) in Hong Kong. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Kowloon refers to an urban area in Hong Kong made up of Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon, bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders The part of the Mekong in Vietnam is known as Cửu Long, with the same meaning. The Mekong is one of the world’s major Rivers It is the 11th-longest river in the world and 7th longest in Asia Cửu Long was a province in the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam.
Chinese zodiac
The dragon is one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac which is used to designate years in the Chinese calendar. The Dragon ( 龍) is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac The Chinese Zodiac is a 12 year cycle Each year of the 12 year cycle is named after one of the original 12 animals The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, incorporating elements of a Lunar calendar with those of a Solar calendar. It is thought that each animal is associated with certain personality traits. Dragon years are usually the most popular to have babies. There are more babies born in Dragon years than in any other animal years of the Zodiac.
Famous people born in the year of the dragon include:
Bruce Lee, Ringo Starr, Dr. Seuss, John Lennon, Helen Keller, Salvador Dalí, Susan B. Anthony, Joan of Arc, Orlando Bloom, Sigmund Freud, Florence Nightingale, Napoleon III, Keanu Reeves, Ronaldo, Mike Allen, James Coburn, and Mae West, Ernesto "Che" Guevara, Friedrich Nietzsche. Bruce Lee ( November 27 1940 – July 20 1973 was an American-born Martial artist, Philosopher, instructor, Martial arts actor and the Ringo Starr, MBE (born Richard Starkey on 7 July 1940 is an English Musician, Singer, Songwriter and Actor Theodor Seuss Geisel (ˈsɔɪs ˈɡaɪzəl March 2 1904 – September 24 1991 was an American Writer and Cartoonist, better known by his pen name John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born Helen Adams Keller (June 27 1880 – June 1 1968 was an American Author, Activist and lecturer Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech 1st Marquis of Púbol (May 11 1904 &ndash January 23 1989 was a Spanish Catalan Surrealist Susan Brownell Anthony ( February 15, 1820 &ndash March 13, 1906) was a prominent American Civil rights leader who played Joan of Arc (c 1412 Joan asserted that she had visions from God that told her to recover her homeland from English domination late in the Hundred Years' Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom (born 13 January 1977) is an English Actor. Sigmund Freud (ˈziːkmʊnt ˈfʁɔʏt born Sigismund Shlomo Freud (May 6 1856 &ndash September 23 1939 was an Austrian Psychiatrist who founded Florence Nightingale, OM, RRC (in her own pronunciation ˈflɒɾəns ˈnaɪtɪŋgeɪl 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910 who came to be known as "The Napoléon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (full name Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 9 January 1873 was the first President Keanu Charles Reeves (kiːˈɑːnuː born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian Actor. Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima (xo'nawdʊ lu'iz na'zaɾjʊ dʒɪ 'limɐ born September 18, 1976. Michael Allen may refer to Michael K Allen (b 1955 Ohio politician and prosecuting attorney for Hamilton County Ohio Michael H James Harrison Coburn Jr ( 31 August &ndash 18 November) was an American film and television actor known for his charisma and natural charm Mae West (August 17 1893 &ndash November 22 1980 was an American actress, Playwright, Screenwriter, and Sex symbol. Ernesto "Che" Guevara (June 14 Following the Cuban revolution,Guevara reviewed Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15 1844 August 25 1900 ( was a nineteenth-century German philosopher and classical philologist
Constellations
The Azure 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 (Vermilion Bird), Bai Hu - 白虎 (White Tiger), Xuan Wu - 玄武 (Black Tortoise-like creature). The Azure Dragon (青龍 青竜 青龙 is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations It is sometimes called the Azure Dragon of the East The Vermilion Bird (朱雀 is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations According to Wu Xing, the Taoist five-elemental The White Tiger (白虎 is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations It is sometimes called the White Tiger of the West (西方白虎 In this context, the Azure Dragon is associated with the East and the element of Wood.
- See also: Five elements (Chinese philosophy). In traditional Chinese philosophy, natural phenomena can be classified into the Wu Xing ( or the Five Phases, usually translated as five elements,
Dragonboat racing
- Main article Dragon boat
At special festivals, especially the Duan Wu festival, dragon boat races are an important part of festivities. A dragon boat or "dragonboat" is a very long and narrow human-powered Boat now used in the team Paddling sport of dragon boat 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. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays.
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. Dragon dance ( is a form of traditional Dance and performance in Chinese culture. Chinese New Year is the most important of the Traditional Chinese holidays. 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. The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus 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 understanding movement, while "Tiger style" is based on brute strength and memorization of techniques. Kung fu and wushu are popular terms that have become synonymous with Chinese Martial arts. The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979.
Chinese dragons in popular culture
As a part of traditional folklore, dragons appear in a variety of mythological fiction. In the classical story Journey to the West, the son of the Dragon King of the West was condemned to serve as a horse for the travellers because of his indiscretions at a party in the heavenly court. Journey to the West ( is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 The Monkey King's cudgel Rú Yì Bàng was stolen from the Eastern (Donghai) Dragon King áo guǎng. Sun Wukong ( known in the West as the Monkey King, is the main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West. The Chinese word Gun ( refers to a long Chinese staff Weapon used in Chinese martial arts. Ruyi Jingu Bang ( Chinese: 如意金箍棒 Pinyin: Rúyì Jīngū Bàng literally meaning "As-you-will Golden-bound Cudgel" or simply as Jingu Bang East Sea ( Chinese: 東海 Pinyin: Dōng Hǎi is identified as the body of water east of the mainland according to ancient Chinese Geography For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 In Fengshen Yanyi and other stories, Nezha, the boy hero, defeats the Dragon Kings and tames the seas. Fengshen Yanyi ( (translated as The Investiture of the Gods or The Creation of the Gods) also known as Fengshen Bang ( is one For the Mortal Kombat character see Onaga. See also Dragon King (disambiguation The four Dragon Kings (龍王 Chinese dragons also appear in innumerable Japanese anime movies and TV shows, manga, and in Western political cartoons as a personification of the People's Republic of China. (anime in Japanese, ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration or Comic strip containing a political or Social message that usually In the Kamen Rider series, a chinese dragon is used as Kamen Rider Ryuki. is a Japanese Tokusatsu television series It was the twelfth installment in the Kamen Rider Series of tokusatsu shows Temeraire, the lead character in the series of books of the same name by Naomi Novik is a celestial chinese dragon.
See also
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References
- ^ a b c Sleeboom, Margaret. [2004] (2004). Academic Nations in China and Japan: Framed in Concepts of Nature, Culture and the Universe. Routledge publishing. ISBN 041531545X
- ^ "Brand Overview", Brand Hong Kong, 09-2004. Retrieved on 23-02-2007.
- ^ Robertson, Benjamin. "The Dragon battles back to beat Nike", Asia Times Online, 2004-12-17. Asia Times Online (abbr "ATol" is an Internet -only news and commentary publication that reports and examines geopolitical, political "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Retrieved on 2007-03-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden.
- ^ [1] National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
- ^ a b de Visser, M. W. 1913. The Dragon in China and Japan. Johannes Müller, 70. [2]
- ^ Doré, Henri. 1917. Researches into Chinese Superstitions. M. Kennelly, D. J. Finn, and L. F. McGreat, trs. T'usewei. Ch'eng-wen reprint 1966, 681.
- ^ "Jade coiled dragon, Hongshan Culture (c. 4700-2920 B.C.)", National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Retrieved on 23-02-2007.
- ^ Carr, Michael. 1990. "Chinese Dragon Names," Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area 13. 2:87-189. He classified them into seven categories: Rain-dragons, Flying-dragons, Snake-dragons, Wug-dragons [wug refers to "worms, bugs, and small reptiles"], Crocodile-dragons, Hill-dragons, and Miscellaneous dragons.
- ^ Adapted from Doré 682.
- ^ The Twenty-Four Histories: The History of Yuan-Dress Code (zh:元史·舆服), compiled under Song Lian (宋濂), 1370 AD. The Twenty-Four Histories ( is a collection of Chinese Historical books covering a period of history from 3000 BC to the Ming Dynasty in the
11. Bates, Roy, Chinese Dragons, Oxford University Press, 2002
12. Bates, Roy, All About Chinese Dragons, TuDragons Press, 2007
External links
- Chapter VII, Myths of the Waters, Myths & Legends of China, E. T. C. Werner, 1922:208-235.
- Chinese Dragons, Crystalinks
- Chinese Dragons, Draconika
- Chinese Dragons, Dragonorama
- Chinese, Oriental Dragons, History and Information, Dragonsinn
- Dragons, Dragon Art, and Dragon Lore in Japan, A to Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhism
- Dragon Articles, Crystal Dragon of Taiwan
- Dragons in Ancient China, China the Beautiful
- Eastern Dragon Overview, The Circle of the Dragon
- Forbidden City Dragon Wall panography, World Heritage Tour
- The Chinese Dragon, Everything Dragons
- 龙生九子, The Dragon's 9 Children (Chinese)
Dictionary
Chinese dragon
-noun
- a mythical or symbolic creature, usually depicted as long and snakelike, with many claws, common in several East Asian cultures
- (Eastern) A large snake-like lizard with the eyes of a hare, the horns of a stag, and the claws of a tiger; known for its benevolent behavior in ancient Oriental mythology. Also, the nickname for China in Command and Conquer Generals and Generals Zero Hour.
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