Ancient China-Dragons
Dragons feature in the mythology of many ancient cultures, but nowhere else in the world has this creature been as revered as in China. There, unlike other prominent world mythologies, the dragon was almost always viewed in a positive light and was particularly associated with life-giving rains and springs. Considered the most auspicious sign of the year, worn on emperors' robes, depicted in the most precious materials from gold jewelry to jade figurines, with countless references in literature and the performing arts, the dragon was all over ancient China and seems just as big in the Chinese psyche today.
One of the oldest creatures seen in ancient Chinese tales and legends, the dragon is often depicted as a gigantic and lithe beast that lives in springs or clouds. The Chinese dragon is extraordinarily powerful, and when it flies it is often accompanied by lightning and thunder. It is not known when, by whom, or in what reality the dragon was first invented, but some historians suggest a connection with the 'sky serpent' and rainbows seen after rains or in waterfalls. At the site of the Hongshan culture, which can be dated to 4500-3000 BC, carved jade dragons were excavated long before any written record of the creature appeared.
Chinese scholar Wen Yiduo suggested that this fantastic collection of monstrous pieces was actually based on the political union of several different tribes, each with a different animal as its totem. Therefore, the dragon was a symbolic representation of the assimilation of these tribes into a single nation. An interesting hypothesis, however, that does not explain the appearance of dragons long before such political institutions existed in these early Chinese populations.
Despite the dragon's frightening aspect, he was not often seen as a malevolent beast living in the myths of other cultures around the world, where he was killed by a brave heroic figure. Indeed, in China the dragon was and is considered a just and benevolent creature. For this reason, they were associated with rulership, and especially with the Chinese emperors, who, as the holder of the Mandate of Heaven and God's representative on earth, must always rule their peoples justly and impartially for the good of all.
Another reason rulers imitate dragons is that the creature is considered one of the four most intelligent animals (along with the phoenix, unicorn, and turtle). In a famous legend, a dragon was active in controlling the flood waters that devastated the kingdom of a dragon (or indeed a dragon) and the tortoise to the great Yu (circa 2070 BC), the legendary founder of the Xia dynasty, and to control the floodwaters with a better irrigation system. explains their help.
The public generally regarded the dragon as a lucky symbol and bringer of wealth. Moreover, ancient farmers thought that dragons brought much needed rain and water to irrigate their crops. Dragons were also thought to be responsible for strong winds, hailstorms, thunder, lightning and hurricanes – the latter still known today as the 'dragon's hurricane' or long juan feng. It is also interesting to note that many early depictions of dragons in jade were circular.
In folk tales, there was a race of dragons led by the Dragon-king Lung-Wang. With their scaly bodies, four legs, and horns, they could take human form and fend off young girls. they are similar to the Nagas, snake-like creatures of Hindu folklore who guard water sources. In Chinese art, these dragons often have a magnificent pearl whose iridescent shine resembles a rainbow and may represent the idea of treasure associated with this phenomenon.
Another traditional belief was that the world's Four Seas (according to the ancient Chinese there were four seas, not seven) were each ruled by a dragon king. Their names are Ao Kuang (ruling the East), Ao K'in (South), Ao Jun (West) and Ao Shun (North). Ao Kuang is the leader, but all four must submit to the will of the Jade Emperor, to whom they pay their respects in the third month of the year, the month of the heaviest rains. Alongside these more lordly figures, locals generally believed that any nearby water source was the home of a dragon. The longstanding connection between dragons and rivers is evidenced by the fact that more than 40 Chinese rivers have the word dragon in their names.
