Origins of the Chinese Dragon
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The Chinese dragon is depicted in many ways in the Chinese culture. It can be depicted as one of the animals in the zodiac. It can also be a part of their folklore. And it can be a form of symbolism of the power dynasties and emperors.
The Chinese dragon is actually a mythical figure derived from different animals throughout Chinese history and culture. It is usually depicted as a big snake-like creature with four claws. And it is usually used to represent power. The Chinese dragon is also associated with the weather.
Historically, the dragon was a symbol used to represent the emperor of China. But come the Yang Dynasty, Chinese were prohibited from using the symbol. It was only during the Qing Dynasty when the symbol was used again.
It is not certain where the Chinese dragon really originated but one thing scholars agree on is that the symbol of the Chinese dragon came from the different emblems of the different tribes in China which were commonly animals like snakes and crocodiles. An elongated snake-like fish symbol, for example, is featured at the Banpo site in Shaanxi.
Some archeologists believe that this fish symbol eventually evolved into what became the dragon. This theory is supported by legend of the carp. This carp is said to have seen a mountain and decided that he wanted to reach it. He was so determined to do it even if it took swimming upstream, rapids and water falls to get there. The carp is said to have seen a “Dragon Gate” at the top. What happed was he jumped over and then he became a dragon. This legend is now being used to encourage perseverance and determination in facing obstacles so people will succeed in their endeavors.
Aside from fishes, the Chinese dragon is said to have come from the figure of a giant crocodile. Since the crocodile is known to have the ability to sense changes in air pressure and rain, the beginnings of the myth of the dragon being able to change the weather is attributed to this premise. On the other hand, the Chinese dragon is largely linked with water. It is said that the Chinese dragons are the lords of the moving bodies of water like the rivers, waterfalls and seas. They can appear as tornadoes. But they are commonly depicted as kings with dragon heads wearing crowns fit for kings.
The Chinese dragon is also used to signify power and authority. In fact, it is believed that the legendary Emperor Huang Di was transformed into a dragon. In many dynasty dragons were depicted as yellow or golden in color and they had five claws in each foot.
The worship of dragon kings has already been embedded into the Chinese culture. People would observe this in celebrating Chinese traditions like the Chinese New Year. Another is the dragon kite flying. Chinese dragons are also included in the list of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Each animal in the 12 zodiacs represents certain personality traits. And the dragon years are said to be a good for having babies. It was observed that more babies were actually born during dragon years.
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