The Chinese zodiac consists of 12 signs, with the Rat being the equivalent to Sagittarius and Jupiter being powerful in Sagittarius. Dragons, the fifth animal sign in the Chinese zodiac cycle, are known for their generosity, vitality, and strength. They are often associated with Aries, who are strong-minded and command respect.
The Dragon is also associated with the Gemini sign, which is cheerful and attractive. In the tropical system, the corresponding sign is Aries, as the Dragon corresponds to the month of April and the advent of the Yang Wood energy of Spring. People born in the Year of the Dragon with a Gemini sign are generally cheerful and attractive.
The Dragon is naturally idealistic, while the Crab is spiritual and possessive. The Cancerian is slow learner but what is learned is for life. Wood dragon energy is generally neutral when compared to western air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) and water signs (Cancer, Scorpio).
The Year of the Dragon comes once every 12 years, with the dragon years of the last century occurring in 1928. The Dragon is a symbol of nobility and power, used by Chinese Emperors to represent themselves. The Chinese New Year is on February 10, 2024, and a Virgo Dragon person combines the analytical nature of Western Virgo with the courageous and confident traits of the Chinese Dragon. The Dragon’s vigor fuels their innate drive for achievement, urging them to tackle challenges head-on.
In summary, the Chinese zodiac consists of 12 signs, with the Dragon being the fifth animal sign. It is characterized by generosity, vitality, and leadership qualities.
📹 Dragon – Chinese astrology 2024: Luck and Hard Work Predictions
Here are your Chinese astrology predictions for 2024. This video covers your luck and hard work areas. Your luck areas are the …
What is the difference between Chinese and Western astrology?
The Western Zodiac divides the year into twelve constellations, while the Chinese Zodiac assigns animals to each year. Both systems have deep roots in their cultures and unique ways to determine a person’s zodiac sign. The Western Zodiac is guided by starlight, while the Chinese Zodiac assigns animals to each year. Both systems have unique origins and characteristics, resembling a map of personality and destiny.
What type of dragon is in the Western approach?
The Abyssal High Dragon is a level 14 fire dragon in the Western Approach, difficult to access due to numerous quests. These include Draconology, How to Lure a Dragon, Hunting Patterns, Sharper White Claws, and A Manuscript Of Some Authority. To see the dragon, journey to a large stone arch over a valley. The dragon uses melee swipes, so keep tanks alive. The best strategy is to have a tank like Iron Bull or Cassandra up front and three ranged fighters doing damage from the back. The dragon also creates a shield, similar to the Greater Mistral.
What does dragon represent in the Bible?
In the Bible, dragons symbolize rebellious spiritual beings and violent humans and empires. Jesus overcomes these dragons with a courageous act of generous love, inviting his followers to do the same.
A man named Lazarus of Bethany was sick, and Mary anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair. The sisters sent word to Jesus, who told them that Lazarus’ sickness was not meant for death but for the glory of God. Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.
Jesus stayed two days longer in his place before going to Judea again. The disciples asked Jesus about the Jews seeking to stone him, but Jesus explained that walking during the day does not cause stumbles, and Jesus would awaken Lazarus from sleep. The disciples thought Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but Jesus told them that Lazarus died, and they should go to him.
When Jesus arrived, he found that he had been in the tomb four days. Martha and Mary had come to console them about their brother’s death, and Martha believed that Jesus would have been there. Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise from the dead, and she believed that everyone who lived and believed in Him would never die.
Martha secretly called Mary her sister, saying that the Teacher was calling for her. She got up quickly and came to Jesus, believing that He was the Christ, the Son of God, and He who came into the world.
Is dragon positive or negative?
The upcoming year’s dragon sign, a wood dragon, is associated with positive qualities like nobility, wealth, and wisdom. Wood is seen in Daoist tradition as a return to the natural state of being, indicating a return to kindness. Confucian thought interprets wood as a symbol of unlimited potential. Jonathan H. X. Lee, a professor of Chinese folklore and religion at San Francisco State University, believes this year could be a year of unlimited potential for prosperity and conflict resolution if people focus on empathy.
What does the dragon mean spiritually?
The Dragon Spirit Animal is a symbol that represents the attainment of mastery, spiritual awakening, and self-realization. It encourages the development of personal power, courage, and a willingness to seek deeper spiritual truths, thus becoming a highly regarded guide on the path towards mastery and enlightenment.
What Western zodiac is dragon?
The Chinese zodiac combines the Dragon (Aries) and Snake (Taurus) signs, indicating strong-mindedness, independence, and a go-getter attitude. The Dragon aligns with Aries’ strong-mindedness, commanding respect and reluctance to be influenced. The Snake, on the other hand, represents wisdom and a cautious yet clever approach to life, enduring challenges fiercely and enjoying the material world’s benefits. Their sensuality enhances their resilience in the face of adversity.
What does the dragon mean in astrology?
Dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac, representing good luck, strength, health, and Yang. It is the only mythical creature in the zodiac and is born more than any other animal. In China, the dragon symbolizes imperial power and authority, while in Western cultures, it represents evil and darkness. People born in the dragon year are charismatic, intelligent, confident, powerful, and naturally lucky. They strive to do their best with high standards in all aspects of life.
Is Dragon the luckiest zodiac?
Dragon years in Chinese culture are considered auspicious, with research suggesting that beliefs about dragon-year children being destined for greatness and good fortune can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Parents of dragon children have higher expectations for their children and invest more in their time and money. A tomb discovered in 1987 in China’s Henan Province revealed a 2-meter dragon statue dated to Neolithic times between 5, 000 and 7, 000 years ago. Despite debates about the dragon’s first prominence in Chinese culture, the dragon remains a significant aspect of Chinese culture.
What does the dragon symbolize in the Bible?
In the Bible, dragons symbolize rebellious spiritual beings and violent humans and empires. Jesus overcomes these dragons with a courageous act of generous love, inviting his followers to do the same.
A man named Lazarus of Bethany was sick, and Mary anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair. The sisters sent word to Jesus, who told them that Lazarus’ sickness was not meant for death but for the glory of God. Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.
Jesus stayed two days longer in his place before going to Judea again. The disciples asked Jesus about the Jews seeking to stone him, but Jesus explained that walking during the day does not cause stumbles, and Jesus would awaken Lazarus from sleep. The disciples thought Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but Jesus told them that Lazarus died, and they should go to him.
When Jesus arrived, he found that he had been in the tomb four days. Martha and Mary had come to console them about their brother’s death, and Martha believed that Jesus would have been there. Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise from the dead, and she believed that everyone who lived and believed in Him would never die.
Martha secretly called Mary her sister, saying that the Teacher was calling for her. She got up quickly and came to Jesus, believing that He was the Christ, the Son of God, and He who came into the world.
What does dragon symbolize?
The dragon is a complex symbol that combines images of the serpent and bird, representing evil, supernatural power, wisdom, strength, and hidden knowledge. It is associated with the depths of the unknown sea, mountaintops, and clouds. Heroes often fight dragons to gain control over territory and guard treasures, either material or symbolic. Killing the dragon symbolizes the conflict between light and darkness, slaying the forces of evil. In psychology, it represents fear of incest or the chaos of the unconscious, while in Alchemy, it relates to prime matter.
In Blake, it represents sex and war, and in Yeats, it is a guardian of life. Dragon blood is a talisman that ensures good fortune, health, and luck, but can inflict incurable wounds if weapons are dipped in it.
What is the dragon in Western culture?
Dragons are magical creatures that have been depicted in folklore across multiple cultures worldwide. Western cultures have traditionally depicted dragons as winged, horned, and capable of breathing fire, while eastern cultures often depict them as wingless, four-legged, serpentine creatures with above-average intelligence. Commonalities between dragons’ traits often involve a hybridization of feline, reptilian, mammalian, and avian features.
The word dragon originated in the English language in the early 13th century from Old French dragon, which, in turn, comes from Latin draco, meaning “huge serpent, dragon”, and Ancient Greek δράκων, drákōn, meaning “serpent”. The Greek word δράκων is likely derived from the Greek verb δέρκομαι ( dérkomai), meaning “I see”, or because a snake’s eyes appear to be always open.
Draconic creatures appear in virtually all cultures around the globe, with the earliest attested reports resembling giant snakes. They are first described in the mythologies of the ancient Near East and appear in ancient Mesopotamian art and literature. Famous prototypical draconic creatures include the mušḫuššu of ancient Mesopotamia, Apep in Egyptian mythology, Vṛtra in the Rigveda, Leviathan in the Hebrew Bible, Grand Goule in France, Python, Ladon, Wyvern, and the Lernaean Hydra in Greek mythology, Kulshedra in Albanian Mythology, Unhcegila in Lakota mythology, Quetzalcoatl in Aztec culture, Jörmungandr, Níðhöggr, and Fafnir in Norse mythology, the dragon from Beowulf, and aži and az in ancient Persian mythology, closely related to another mythological figure, called Aži Dahaka or Zahhak.
📹 Why the Dragon is Central to Chinese Culture | Monstrum
The Chinese dragon is one of the world’s most globally recognized monsters. Playing a major role throughout Chinese history, …
My grandmother was born in Saigon in 1923 (when Vietnam, Laos and Cambodge were a french colony). We had to pass in front of her open door at night to go to the bathroom and were terrified of the dragon we heard growling at night in her room (you know the one she took with her from Vietnam). One day I was old enough to understand that she was just the loudest snorer.
My favourite tale of the dragon is a proverb 叶公好龙（Mr Ye loves the Dragon): Mr Ye was obsessed with dragons and his clothes and furnitures etc were full of dragons. The dragons heard about this man and were very interested in him. They decided to show up in front of Mr Ye to give him a surprise. But when the man saw the actual dragon he scared the sh*t out of him. The proverb means someone shows interested in something but not actually having a passion or real interest in it.
The depiction of dragons reflects the relationship between ancient Chinese and the environment a lot, especially water. Like ancient Egyptian and the Nile river, China have rivers affected by seasons, which would cause flooding. As a farming-based society, access to water and land is very important, so you can imagine how much impact those major rivers have.
It is so great to hear about Chinese dragon mythologies on this website. Dragon culture is so imbedded in Chinese people’s life that we rarely think much about it. It’s fascinating to hear the stories told in English, where familiar Chinese terms became a foreign and really got me look at the mythologies in a new way. Some stories are even new for me! I’m going to look those up and learn more about my own culture!
I am still very much invested in the association between Chinese dragon and crocodillians. Both the saltwater crocodile and the now extinct gharial Hanyusuchus were present in southern China, both growing more than 6m long. And one of the characters for dragon in the oracle bone script looks really similar to a crocodile swimming in water when viewed from above (another common one looks like a water monitor with its head held high). The Japanese character for dragon, 竜, is the descendent of this writing, and the resemblance is still very apparent. But as larger crocodilians became extinct in northern China, people forgot about what this animal actually looked like, and the imagery of the creature evolved and became more and more fantastic. Similar things can be seen in other exotic creatures too – look no further than the ancient Chinese depiction of lions. Even the modern character for crocodile is a relatively recent creation. Nonetheless, the much smaller Chinese alligators are called hog dragons till this day.
In ancient China, the dragon symbolized auspiciousness, jubilation, unity, progress and take-off. It is a synonym for imperial power, but also has the meaning of cultural symbol (nobility, honor, luck, success), and also has a lot to do with the incomparable supernatural power of the legendary dragon that can ride in the sky, go down to the sea to chase the waves, and shout the wind and rain in the world. Auspicious clouds and dragons can also be considered as a combination. You can learn about the beautiful auspicious clouds in ancient China. They have a variety of patterns. They also symbolize good luck, joy, and the yearning for a better life. They are very unique
7:03 Huangdi was not belong to the Han dynasty, actually from a long long ago, in mythological period. The story is that thousands of years ago, Huangdi defeated Yandi and became the first king of China in mythology. Because he was claimed to be the direct ancestor of Han ethnic, you might be confused with that.
Dragons. One of the worldwide shared monsters. Every culture, including indigenous, has them. Along with giants, shape shifters, undead, spirits, demons, and “witches” (aka evil sorcerers), they compose the core of our shared monster mythology. And may I add that waking up to Monstrum makes the day so much better? Always appreciative of the lore.
I remember reading somewhere that, at certain geological sites in China, the unique combinations of minerals in the area means that it’s sometimes possible to find crystals growing on fossils, which may be an explanation for why Chinese dragons are so often depicted with a pearl in their throat or chin.
I will never not find it funny that there was a race between all of the animals, and the top 12 would become the Zodiac. And in this race, the dragon didn’t come in second. It didn’t even come in third. Or fourth. And first place went to the rat/mouse. So if you have any relatives who brag about being born the year of the dragon and you’re a rat/mouse, you can hold that over them forever.
Awesome timing! I happen to be reading the Shan Hai Jing at the moment … plenty of dragons there! But on top of fossils, there is one particular animal I’d point to (namely because it looks … well, it pretty much looks like a dragon) is a dragon snakehead fish (AKA Gollum snakehead). Anyway, great article! Totally have a crush on you Dr.Zarka! 😂 Keep on making awesome articles!
YEEESSSS DRAGONS 👏 I love China’s deep connection to dragons. Its wonderful and I learned some new things I hadn’t known about Chinese dragons. I wish Africa had a deep connection to dragons like this 🙁 all it has is Ayida (rainbow serpent), sometimes Damballah who was paired with Ayida, and Bida. There’s also Thakane’s dragon but she killed it. Anyone know if there’s some hidden dragons in East, West, Central and South African mythology that haven’t been uncovered yet because African culture isn’t as mainstream as everything else?
I would like all these chapters to be in the future season of Monstrum. *Sea Serpents *Leviathan *The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow *Phantom Vehicles *The Boogeyman *Ghosts *Possessed Dolls *Shadow People *Undead *Goblins *Bigfoot *Man-Eating Plants *Killer Clowns *Evil Robots *Swamp Monsters *The Mummy *Scarecrows *The Invisible Man *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde *Gargoyles *Demons *Werewolves *Stingy Jack (Jack-o-Lantern) *Gnomes *Sea Monsters that attacked Submarines *Alien Abductions *Ogres *Ghouls
Very informative, as Chinese, I have personally studied Chinese dragon for over 20 years . for my understanding, the dragon warship was much older than the current Chinese metholgy about dragon . The dragon appears in the Chinese history over 8000 years, but the oldest record in book is about 3000 years . The dragon is North Light, where our ancientors used to live in Siberia . They witnessed the North light and made it as dragon metholgy 8000 years ago, the dragon in our metholgy for long time, even after Chinese people moved to South and never had a chance to see north light any more .
Came in time, since I’m writing a story including a dragon character inspired by these beauties! (Her character traits are somewhat similar to theirs: Being a powerful Guardian, Restoring balance, and her being a wise character who stands for peace. She also lives at a sea coast but occasionally returns to her home Realm, where other powerful creatures live too. Her personality is complex and foreign to others, she’s in between caring and playful, to serious and aggressive. She also spreads wisdom to her child, who’s not really a dragon, and she can turn invisible too)
i remember my mom telling me that the gold dragon was banned because it was a symbol of royalty. anyone of royalty can have gold dragon or gold coloured dyes on their clothes and if you wear them without being one, youre essentially impersonating royalty which is a capital offense and pretty much a death penalty back then.
The 8- headed “dragon” Susanoo killed was more like a snake. It was called Yamata no orochi. It’s name translates to something along the lines of “8 headed giant snake/serpent” and it was more or less the Japanese equivalent to the hydra. Unlike the hydra it couldn’t re- grow it’s heads once they were severed though.
The Chinese dragon is primarily a mix of totems from different tribes that were absorbed and assimilated during ancient times. The Yellow emperor, before fighting his enemy chi you 蚩尤, for control of the yellow river region, had previously defeated and absorbed the tribe of the fire emperor 炎帝. This is perhaps where the image of the dragon started to take shape and became the symbol for the Chinese. Also, there is speculation that the tribe defeated by the yellow emperor，chi you 蚩尤, were quite advanced and they made contact with Sumerians when they travelled East during their exile. The myth of Gilgamesh and enkidu may very well explain the relationship between chi you 蚩尤 and the Sumerian king at the time. But it’s all speculation and there isn’t real evidence from that time period to support this.
This really does make me wonder how/why we call these two separate things dragons in the first place. Other than being powerful, arcane elemental beasts (and even the word beast feels inappropriate for the eastern fashion of dragon) they have nearly nothing in common, they are only both called dragons because we’ve all agreed that they are despite them having nothing to say they’re at all linked. The presence of wings, their role in stories, their ability to control the weather, their ability to breathe a weapon of one element or another. One kind of dragon has these things and the other doesn’t. It makes me wonder whatever they might have in common.
One thing for not confusing with dragon, in asia there are more than one but different species like: -In my country Cambodia our dragon name naga or other one are superior dragon that shape like serpent and can shapeshifter into human but the historical according is unknown due to war and Thailand who come to steal and burn those away but our dragon doesn’t have leg and only two face for two animals. – in other countries like buthang China japan Korea Vietnam and other who relate to China most likely these type of dragon that monstrum talking about. Fun fact: Cambodia dragon very protective and still have aura today even though he/she no longer appear but believe that they hide under the sea, ocean, cave and mountain because of people no longer help each other only fight and devotion to other countries to get what they want.
Dragons (dinosaurs) are impressive creatures, and the proof of their existence from their bones (fossils) have had a significant influence on many societies, cultures, history, literature, mythology, legends, stories, and religions. It is not surprising that the bones were imagined to be from relatively recent living beings. Bones of giants/gods (?) have been found in some ancient Greek temples, and have been identified as dinosaur bones.
7:00 the first emperor of the Han Dynasty was not the Yellow Emperor. Emperor (皇帝）and the Yellow Emperor (黃帝, 黃=yellow) are pronounced the same in mandarin; however, the former is a general term coined for rulers since the Qin Dynasty (the dynasty before Han Dynasty), while the latter is a person from very, very, very ancient times. Btw, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty was 劉邦, who was said to be born after his mom had a dream about a dragon (or sth like that).
I had two dreams about dragons trough my life and the two of them were very vivid I still remember them. Both of the dragons were totally different and the meaning of the dreams represented separate stages in my life, but since the article is about the Chinese dragons I want to ask what a white, bony, ghost looking, long like snake, swimming in a river dragon may represent? It had a long mustaches, but no wings.
There were also Dragon-Hybrids in Chinese Mythology that later traveled to the Mythologies of Other Asian Countries as well, such as the ‘Longma’ – depicted as a Horse with Dragon-like attributes, or the China ‘Qilin'(Japan & Korea ‘Kirin’ or ‘Girin’, Thailand ‘Gilin’, Vietnam ‘Ky-Lan’), a Chimera-like creature often referred to as the ‘Chinese Unicorn’, though in some depictions it leans more towards being a Dragon-like Deer.
I was actually born in the year of the dragon it was the year 2000 and strangely enough i lived in the asain district and it is a bad neighborhood and one of the asain went to look at me after i got in a fight and he said your eyes are as of dragon so i got the nick name red dragon from them and any time i went to a Chinese restaurant in that neighborhood they wouldn’t let us pay and when i asked why they just said its a honor to have a dragon to dine in then when Chinese newyear came around i would find tons of red envelopes and firecracker in a basket on my front porch didn’t open the envelopes till a few years later and found out they were full of money ranging from 1-100 $ and i definitely enjoyed that and ov corse i went to wach the chinese newyear paraid it was kinda cool
Then, we have many Mahayana Buddhist texts that says about a sermon given by Buddha, which was attended by huge mass including Gods, Angels, Dragons and Dragon kings, Demons and Humans. One sutra speaks that Buddha went under the sea to give teachings to the Dragon King, and when we look in Theravada Buddhist texts, it might be that the Naga(The Indian Serpent or Water Spirit) and not the Dragon. As all, Buddhist story fits in whatever tradition and culture it was introduced to.
Similar to Chinese and Japanese dragons, those of India are usually pictured as giant, wingless serpents. The most famous Indian dragon is Critra, meaning “enclosure.” It has three heads, and its body is wrapped around the world. We from south India also call in a “Vyali”. “Dragons of enormous size and variety infest northern India,” concluded Apollonius of Tyana who traveled through the southern foothills of the Himalayas in the first century AD. “The countryside is full of them and no mountain ridge was without one.” Locals regaled visitors with fantastic tales of dragon hunting, using magic to lure them out of the earth in order to pry out the gems embedded in the dragons’ skulls. Trophies of these quests were displayed in Paraka at the foot of a great mountain, “where a great many skulls of dragons were enshrined.” Ancient Paraka has never been identified, but linguistic clues suggest it was the ancient name for Peshawar. In later times a famous Buddhist holy place near Peshawar was known as “the shrine of the thousand heads.” Apollonius traveled through the pass at Peshawar and southeast on a route that skirted the Siwalik Hills below the Himalayas. The barren foothills of the Siwalik range boast vast and rich fossil beds with rich remains of long-extinct bizarre creatures. On these eroding slopes and marshes from Kashmir to the banks of the Ganges, people in antiquity would have observed hosts of strange skeletons emerging from the earth: enormous crocodiles (20 feet long); tortoises the size of a Mini Cooper; shovel‑tusked gomphotheres, stegodons, and Elephas hysudricus with its bulging brow; chalicotheres and anthracotheres; the large giraffe Giraffokeryx; and the truly colossal Sivatherium (named after the Hindu god Siva), a moose‑like giraffe as big as an elephant and carrying massive antlers.
I would LOVE to see this website cover Japanese Shinto-based mythology and history! Divine beasts including dragons are also *a major part of that faith from my understanding. After playing Capcom’s game Okami, and seeing their version/adaptation of Shinto lore and mythology surrounding the sun god/goddess Amaterasu, I became absolutely captivated by these tales, and began to dig into it more.
Pretty good summary of Chinese “dragons.” In most Chinese languages, ‘long’ is pronounced like English “loan” but with an (ng) at the end, not English “long” LOL. The Chinese still say that we are the “descendants of dragons/ nagas,” very different from the West who vilified these magnificent water elementals.
Back in secondary school, my English teacher randomly picked us to do a 3 minute spontaneous presentation on any topic.. Luck would have it, he picked me.. Long story short, my mind went blank and only thing I could think of was dragons.. So I went on and on about dragons.. 😅 By the way, my name in Teochew dialect can be translated to “Cultured Dragon” .. 🐉
In China around middle 2000’s, a railway bridge is having problems on a particular spot, they can’t drill down the earth. They consulted a monk and said he can provide the solution to calm the dragon living underneath and will die soon if he does. Anyway, he commissioned the post to have a design of nine dragons on metal. Now, it is the only of its kind in China. The monk died. Local officials say it’s only a design and not to appease spirits.
The reason why I hated Raya by Disney was because they featured a dragon as a unifying beasts for the Southeast Asian people. Right now, we Southeast Asian have been increasingly wary of Chinese encroachment to our waters, and Disney’s portrayal of a dragon as a unifying symbol for ASEAN people in Raya is like a slap on the face. They could have used a Naga, which is a serpentine beast that all the 11 Southeast Asian countries share.
Dinosaurs dead and fossilized. Some random human civilization found them around thousands of years ago and made up stories about dragons. It not just the chinese. Pretty much every advanced civilization found the same bones and made up their version of dragons. That’s why dragons come in many different shapes and sizes around the world. It purely depends on what species of dinosaurs bones they found in their geological area.
We chinese around the world we call ourselves 龍的傳人 The descendants of Dragon, for example when my kids ask what is Chinese, I tell them we are 龍的傳人，like when I did something so bad which brought shame to my family when I was a kid, my dad or most dad will scold us disown some child saying 你为我们华人和家族带来羞耻，你要记得你是龍的傳人你知道嗎？ means ( You bring shame and dishonor to our people and family, you must remember you are the descendants of Dragon), I’m not BSing trust me, this is not something came out of Anime, Trust me, if my dad say this SH it to me, I know this time I really fu k up.
In fact, Chinese dragons should be called Loong, and Dragon is pronounced in Japanese. There are a large number of foreign languages in Japanese, among which words from Western languages generally directly refer to their original letters and are converted into Japanese pronunciation and written in Katakana. Therefore, the Western dragon was directly quoted and written as “ドラゴン” (doragon) in Katakana.
Caveat: Southern and Southeastern China were not Han Chinese until 2000 years ago. The dragon/serpent cults in those regions were Southeast Asian (whom the Han called the “Baiyue”); and the origins of the Chinese dragon may be the result of assimilation of the Baiyue serpent cults by the Chinese when they invaded them (along with the dragon boat technology). Notice that dragons only really begin to become prominent in Han Chinese mythology in the Han Dynasty – from the time period when China finally subjugated and invaded the Baiyue tribes of southern China. You can still see examples of the non-Han dragons in cultures all throughout Southeast Asia, from the Philippines (Bakunawa), Indonesia (Antaboga), Laos (Naga), Thailand (Phaya Nak), Malaysia (Gumum), Cambodia (neak); and even as far away as Polynesia (the mo’o and taniwha) and Madagascar (Tompondrano, “Lord of the Waters”) (Polynesians and Malagasy are descendants of Austronesian seafarers from Southeast Asia). As well as in the ancient dragon carvings on native Southeast Asian ships. They are more accurately sea serpents or water snakes, and are usually associated with bodies of water, earthquakes, eclipses, storms, rain, and shapeshifting. The Naga of South Asia (whom are curiously depicted as an actual people) may been derived from very early contacts with seafaring Southeast Asians.
0:53 Dragon represent a king who saved their lives in great flood and the One who introduced Agriculture as a food to mankind. He was the one who introduced idol and temple worship. He was the One being represented as Pineapple with Crown ( Ong Lai- Luck Come .King Come) Significance of Pomello on altar to indicate floating in water/ Sea
I remember perusal an animation of Japanese mytological tale as a kid. It would be broadcast by the end of the year every year. What intrigued me at the time was the dragon of seven or eight heads which would terrify the villagers every year, and finally defeated by the hero boy. It certainly has Chinese origin.
Lovely article! I like it so much, especially the part about the dragon king and Buddhism! There is just a little bug that the Yellow Emperor is not the first one of the Han Dynasty which began in 202 BC, but a legend with more than 4000 years of history, maybe a title of an early tribe. Some I Ching scholars believe that dragon come from the Dragon Constellation in ancient China. It then evolved to represent the sky and celestials (maybe as the pearl) to spin and indicate time change. Therefore it is thought to be flying and shape-shifting, raining and thundering. The deepwater dragon myth may be connected to the rainbow as a dragon hanging over the water surface.
Although there are numerous mythologies about dragons in China, and subsequent legends concerning their origin. They are in truth a symbol for the Kundlini Shakti, the power of inner evolution, the serpent power coiled within the spine. The pearl they alternately protect or pursue, is the pearl of wisdom. The Blue Pearl of enlightenment. A host of superstition, and the need for secrecy from the Sages of India and China, has mired the identity of the Dragon symbols real purpose for thousands of years. Thank you for sharing with us Dr. Zarka. Swasti.
The creature of the dragon was conjured up by the ancient Chinese impressed by the powerful visuals of touching down tornadoes with their accompanying clouds, winds, rain and electricity. The dragon therefore symbolizes one of the four primal forces of nature. It was designated as the eastern deity governing the ecosystem of water, winds, clouds, thunder and rain
Seeing these dragons of an Asian heritage made me think of the Naga. That then made me think of Thailand (yes they’re from South and South-East Asia, but I’ve only visited Thailand and learned of them from there), and the Thai New Year is coming soon! Perhaps a Thai Monstrum episode please?? Naga, Garuda, Nang Thai, Krause, Yaksha, etc? 😃🙏
There are celestial creatures in the Hindu myths called Nagas, which are said to large serpentine creatures that live in the great depths of the oceans and land. Nagas can take up any form,but preferably they take up human form to coexist with humans. Interestingly, Naga can also mean a person who is secretive in conduct/ manipulative or a serpent in Sanskrit. These nagas guard the riches and ancient civilizations buried under the ground, so the ancient Hindus always served a small bowl of milk to serpents if they found anthills near their field, thereby assuring some form of insurance of safety and a bountiful harvest in return. The Nagas are the ancestors of all serpentine creatures( not crocs or lizards) and they are believed to descend from Adishesh or the world serpent. Later, Buddhism borrowed these Hindu myths and they became more prominent in Buddhist art, apart from Hindu temples. I would urge the monstrum team to do a article on a mythical Character called Yali which has been carved historically in Ancient Hindu Temples over.
Dr. ZZ, can you tell me anything about Pi Jiu (Sorry, my translation of Chinese terms is horrendous.), The Ninth Son of the Dragon? I understand that he bestows wealth, but I have had no luck in finding references to him. What I do know, I have gathered from interactions with Chinese people. I have several carved figures of Pi Jiu and would like to know more about him. Thank you for your interesting and colorful article.
im mega super duper Asian dragon fan, I do collect porcelain, statues, scrolls, sculptures any representation of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Viet, and more Asian cultures Dragons and Naga’s, everywhere in my house you are surround by this creatures and I cant stop buying it, only condition is that this representations have to be at least vintage, better when antique. My motto is eat cheap food buy more dragons haha
Yeah I have never seen dragon anytime but I heard so much about it and I’m really impressed and interested in dragon legend. I don’t know but l trust the animal and l believe that it has ever survived in our life. I have read a topic about ‘ Have ever you seen dragon’, l read a lot of comments and then, there were many same features, same stories. lt makes me trust in more. I heard that seeing dragons is a lucky thing and not everyone can see them. But we shouldn’t seek them anytime or anywhere because they no longer belong to this age, just leave them alone.
Asian dragons have always terrified me. That look in their eyes. Imagine looking up at the sky and seeing that giant face looking down at you or your swimming and you see a face appear in the water. It’s unsettling how their depicted as almost smiling with their mouths gaping open looking you straight in the eyes.
Sounds almost the same as a Naga from Indian Buddhist cosmology: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nāga#Buddhism Nāgas have almost the same abilities as Chinese dragons, except that the Chinese dragon has a defined appearance, whereas Nāgas tend to change form more, yet are seen mostly as great serpents that live in water and caves. They are also able to travel to higher realms, speak, and some are obsessed with wealth and treasure. I suppose Chinese were quite happy that Buddha’s discourses included mention of them, as it fit with their existing so-called mythology.
I live in a village in the past, we got some tales about dragon become a stone. Once upon a time there was dragon or we called it naga live in the bottom of the river, his weakness is sun so he always go in night time to hunt a prey. One time some shaman or sorceress tricked him to go to the top of mountain and attend a big feast with him, the dragon eat so much and forgot the sun rises. He rushes to the river but too late, sunlight soaked his body and turn him into stone before reaching the river. We called the tales “Naga Kesiangan”.
I was touring the Hollywood Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, and the tour guide told a story of how the dude who built the theatre went to China in the early 20th century, got inspired and came back and built the theatre. Then he said there was a painting on the roof of the theatre of some hero killing the evil dragon who kidnapped the damsel or something (can’t remember the story), and I was like “that’s totally wrong, dragons are good in Chinese culture”.
……… I though there couldn’t be more, that I’m gonna be intrested… and then you throw subcultured at me… Especially as an animefan myself I have to watch that one… AAAAAAAAAND That is just sooooooooooooooo good! I didn’t actually know, that there are so many diffrent kinds of drangons… Nice to know~
The thing that amuses me most about Chinese dragons is that they specifically gave the dragon the eyes of a rabbit given that rabbits like most herbivorous animals have selected for peripheral vision, which in human terms means they qualify as legally blind, and as with most mammals have dichromatic vision meaning they can only see two colors which to humans counts as color blind. The implication thus is that dragons have abysmal eyesight putting a whole other meaning to the “eye of the dragon” lol. On a more general note it is interesting that despite our penchant to categorize everything to death when you zoom out more broadly to different cultures and through time you still get a lot of blurred boundaries between mythological creatures.
Want to see a real dragon? I know of 3 but we are told that they are mountains. What she says about their looks being composed of different animals is wrong because the one of these 3 dragons look exactly like these Chinese dragons. Look at the mountains of Nepal closely and you’ll actually see it’s head and spine. When you find the head, look at the mouth all the area around the mouth is red and is cleary dry blood.
I appreciate your detailed and wide ranging information on what you perceive to be the symbolic mythology of the Chinese dragon. But we as modern humans have dismissed all that is spiritual and daemonic. The Ancient Greeks and Romans, who did so much to advance science, mathematics, and civilization gave us historical accounts of many monstrere and spiritual beings such as Aristotle’s Unicorn; the Romans of slaying so many. But the Chinese Dragon cannot be slain; They are powerful spiritual beings that can take physical form or lose it as they need to. They connect either to a cloaked celestial realm or as I suspect a cosmically distant non-human civilization of great advancement and commerce of goods, services, and knowledge.
Children born in a “Dragon Year” are considered to have the most luck and chance of success in life. Many Chinese couples actively try to have children born in a Dragon Year… even to the point of either delaying or inducing childbirth. IIRC, out of every 12 year Chinese zodiac cycle, more children will be born in a Dragon Year than any other.
EVERY DRAGON / SESHA HAS A SERPENTINE JEWEL IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH, THAT GRANTS DIFFERENT POWERS, DEPENDING ON THE AREA OF THE MYTH: The jewel is called Nagamani. It may grant immortality or just a subject of immense greed like in Lord of the Rings, Smogg’s jewel that Bilbo picks up in the treasure room.
I would say if you really wanna understand traditional Chinese culture, pay more attention to the 9 sons of dragon, these 9 sons are everywhere in traditional Chinese stuff, like the two ends of roof ridges in Forbidden City in Beijing (capital of People’s Republic of China) or the National Concert Hall + Theatre in Taipei (capital of Republic of China) you would see this creature with dragon’s head and fish tail, this is 鴟吻 (chi-wen) one of the sons of dragon and this one is said to blow water and swallow things, so people put it on the roofs to avoid fire! See, meanings everywhere. Fun!
There are some inaccuracies in this article. When Buddhism came to China from India, it brought with it the idea of Indian nagas, which merged with the existing dragon myth of the Chinese, some would even argue the snake-like feature of the naga influenced the elongated appearance of the Chinese dragon. As for the dragon is a mix of various tribal animal totem hypothesis, to date, there is no evidence that ancient Chinese tribes had those animals as their tribal symbols, and the tribal animal symbols that we do know existed, such as the bear and the ox were not features found on the dragon appearance, thus this hypothesis is most likely wrong. In the oldest version of the Nuwa story, there was no mention of a black dragon or green dragon, it was about two elemental deities of fire and water who fought and broke the world pillar, with no dragons involved. On the other hand, this article failed to mention that Nuwa was described as half serpent half female, which is the only dragon-related element in that mythology, and also very likely to be the earliest connection between Chinese culture and dragon personifications. The Yellow Emperor is not a Han emperor by any stretch, assuming he existed and isn’t just a myth, he would predate both the Han dynasty and the classification of Han ethnicity by at least a thousand years. Furthermore, according to documents, his father is a tribal leader called 少典, not a dragon. The only dragon connection in the Yellow Emperor myth is how he summoned a dragon to fight in battles for him, and how he rode a dragon to heaven upon death.
I love how some “critics” here correctly point out that China is from the Yellow River Civilization BUT THEN say that “they are not water-centric”. Rivers have water, by the way. Also, what civilization is not water-centric? Water is a necessity and it’s literally a key factor in the creation of civilizations around the world. I wonder what these doubters think about the many carbon-dated artifacts that have been excavated in China, many of which having writings that the Chinese people can still read today.
There’s a famous story in South East Asia on its tallest mountain there. That are sacred and fear by the local people. A folklore that a 🐉 reside on the sacred mountain and protecting a sacred pearl. A Chinese emperors wanted it so badly and send the army to get it. I would not tell the whole story in this comment so look it up yourself. It’s kinda origin story for the local people and way the mountain in the land belows the wind are so sacred.
I would love it if you could, someday, do articles on how biologically possible some of the creatures are in reality. Some of the more exotic ones, or exotic properties of some of them, of course, can’t exist unless magic is actually real, but some of them, like the physical form of dragons, are the ones I wonder about now. I don’t know enough about biology to answer the question myself, even with Google.