Dragon is one of the most commonly accepted imaginary creatures which has been an important part of the East Asian way of life. The invention of this beautiful creature comes originally from China. The body of dragon is scaly like any other serpent but it also has four legs with big foot and five claws on each claw.
In terms of its physical features the Chinese dragon is quite different from the traditional European dragon which also stands on four legs but is thought to have a negative connotation.
If you look through history you will find that Chinese dragon plays evil as well as positive role throughout the ancient history. The dragon symbol has perpetually represented positive power which is evident from all the folk tales and artistic expressions that we have seen from China.
Another interesting yet rarely known idea about the Chinese dragon is that it is often taken as the symbol of male which is yang in Chinese. There are a number of other beliefs that the Chinese dragon is meant to symbolize such as the bringer of rain and water in a country that is heavily dependant on agriculture. In general the Chinese had a tendency to ascribing various divine attributes to the dragon.
Did you know that Chinese dragon has a female counter part? Well it's right and it is called phoenix. But the western people seem to presume that the Chinese have formally adopted Chinese dragon as official symbol. In fact this is totally incorrect.
You will find that in ancient Chinese history the dragon symbol was restricted to be used solely by emperors. It is well known that the common people were not allowed to use the Chinese dragon symbol during the reign of Yuan dynasty. Only during the Qing dynasty rule that the Chinese dragon was brought to be used on the national flag.
China has deliberately and desperately tried to disassociate itself from the dragon symbol due to the negative political connotations associated with it. Because the image of the dragon had a threatening war like perception in the eyes of the west the Chinese wanted to replace that image with a softer symbol. The alternate was the giant panda which is now taken as the emblem of China.
Chinese Dragon plays an important role in giving ethnic identity to Chinese people even today when some of them feel that they are the descendants of the Dragon and they truly have devotion in the powerful symbol. The identification of a nation with an animal is a tendency which started in 1970s when the Mongols felt that they have characteristics of wolf and Tibetans felt that they are descendants of monkeys.
The Chinese dragon symbol still holds a special position in modern Chinese society. More than anything else however it is used solely for decorative purposes. From advertisement campaigns to T-shirts, posters and tattoos the symbol of the dragon can be seen throughout the streets of China. - 33385
In terms of its physical features the Chinese dragon is quite different from the traditional European dragon which also stands on four legs but is thought to have a negative connotation.
If you look through history you will find that Chinese dragon plays evil as well as positive role throughout the ancient history. The dragon symbol has perpetually represented positive power which is evident from all the folk tales and artistic expressions that we have seen from China.
Another interesting yet rarely known idea about the Chinese dragon is that it is often taken as the symbol of male which is yang in Chinese. There are a number of other beliefs that the Chinese dragon is meant to symbolize such as the bringer of rain and water in a country that is heavily dependant on agriculture. In general the Chinese had a tendency to ascribing various divine attributes to the dragon.
Did you know that Chinese dragon has a female counter part? Well it's right and it is called phoenix. But the western people seem to presume that the Chinese have formally adopted Chinese dragon as official symbol. In fact this is totally incorrect.
You will find that in ancient Chinese history the dragon symbol was restricted to be used solely by emperors. It is well known that the common people were not allowed to use the Chinese dragon symbol during the reign of Yuan dynasty. Only during the Qing dynasty rule that the Chinese dragon was brought to be used on the national flag.
China has deliberately and desperately tried to disassociate itself from the dragon symbol due to the negative political connotations associated with it. Because the image of the dragon had a threatening war like perception in the eyes of the west the Chinese wanted to replace that image with a softer symbol. The alternate was the giant panda which is now taken as the emblem of China.
Chinese Dragon plays an important role in giving ethnic identity to Chinese people even today when some of them feel that they are the descendants of the Dragon and they truly have devotion in the powerful symbol. The identification of a nation with an animal is a tendency which started in 1970s when the Mongols felt that they have characteristics of wolf and Tibetans felt that they are descendants of monkeys.
The Chinese dragon symbol still holds a special position in modern Chinese society. More than anything else however it is used solely for decorative purposes. From advertisement campaigns to T-shirts, posters and tattoos the symbol of the dragon can be seen throughout the streets of China. - 33385
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Chinese red dragon symbols are becoming increasingly popular in the US and Europe as a tattoo choice. If you have an interest in ancient Chinese characters follow the links herein for more info.
