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75-638: The Chinese dragon or loong is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology , Chinese folklore , and Chinese culture generally. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms, such as turtles and fish , but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Academicians have identified four reliable theories on the origin of the Chinese dragon: snakes , Chinese alligators , thunder worship and nature worship . They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water. Historically,

150-464: A creature that likes to drink water, and is typically used on bridge structures. The oldest known attestation of the "children of the dragon" list is found in the Shuyuan zaji ( 菽園雜記 , Miscellaneous records from the bean garden ) by Lu Rong (1436–1494); however, he noted that the list enumerates mere synonyms of various antiques, not children of a dragon. The nine sons of the dragon were commemorated by

225-401: A deer. The head of a crocodile. 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". He notes that, "Others state it has a rabbit's eyes, a frog's belly, a carp's scales". Chinese dragons were considered to be physically concise. Of the 117 scales, 81 are of

300-477: A dragon. Many pictures of Chinese dragons show a flaming pearl under their chin or in their claws. The pearl is associated with spiritual energy, wisdom, prosperity, power, immortality, thunder, or the moon. Chinese art often depicts a pair of dragons chasing or fighting over a flaming pearl. 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.)

375-487: A fantastical approach. It seems the religious and moral implications of animals were far more significant than matching a physical likeness in these renderings. Nona C. Flores explains, "By the tenth century, artists were increasingly bound by allegorical interpretation, and abandoned naturalistic depictions." Hongshan culture The culture is named after Hongshanhou ( simplified Chinese : 红山后 ; traditional Chinese : 紅山後 ; pinyin : Hóngshān hòu ),

450-586: A head resembling a boar . The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang dynasty . A snake-like dragon body painted on red pottery wares was discovered at Taosi (Shanxi) from the second phase of the Longshan Culture, and a dragon-like object coated with approximately 2000 pieces of turquoise and jade was discovered at Erlitou. Chinese literature and myths refer to many dragons besides

525-578: A little later. The Yangshao culture of the Yellow River existed contemporaneously with the Hongshan culture (see map). These two cultures interacted with each other. Hongshan culture was succeeded by the Lower Xiajiadian culture (2200–1600 BC), which was replaced by a different Upper Xiajiadian culture (1000-600 BC) with a shift from farming to pastoral nomadism , likely due to climate change . In

600-451: 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 Chinese phoenix . Worship of the Dragon god is celebrated throughout China with sacrifices and processions during

675-503: A similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang period. Ancient Chinese referred to unearthed fossil bones as " dragon bones " and documented them as such. For example, Chang Qu in 300 BC documents the discovery of "dragon bones" in Sichuan . While these "dragon bones" have often been asserted in modern times to be dinosaur bones, according to palaeontologist Mark Witton there

750-509: A site in Hongshan District , Chifeng . The Hongshanhou site was discovered by the Japanese archaeologist Torii Ryūzō in 1908 and extensively excavated in 1935 by Kōsaku Hamada and Mizuno Seiichi. In northeast China, Hongshan culture was preceded by Xinglongwa culture (6200–5400 BC), Xinle culture (5300–4800 BC), and Zhaobaogou culture , which may be contemporary with Xinle and

825-511: 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. Further sources give variant lists of the nine animal resemblances. Sinologist Henri Doré  [ fr ] lists these characteristics of an authentic dragon: "The antlers of

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900-484: Is a unique ritual complex associated with the Hongshan culture. Excavators have discovered an underground temple complex—which included an altar —and also cairns in Niuheliang. The temple was constructed of stone platforms, with painted walls. Archaeologists have given it the name " Goddess Temple " ( Chinese : 女神庙 ; pinyin : nüshenmiao ) due to the discovery of a clay female head with jade inlaid eyes. It

975-473: Is associated with the Yangshao culture shows a large dragon mosaic made out of clam shells. The Liangzhu culture also produced dragon-like patterns. The Hongshan culture sites in present-day Inner Mongolia produced jade dragon objects in the form of pig dragons which are the first 3-dimensional representations of Chinese dragons. One such early form was the pig dragon. It is a coiled, elongated creature with

1050-542: Is little evidence of this (aside a recent report of villagers collecting dinosaur bones as "dragon bones" from 2007), with historical accounts of "dragon bones" from the 19th century suggest that they were predominantly those of mammals, such as the extinct horse Hipparion . 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 people paint

1125-400: Is mystical 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

1200-564: Is not commonly seen in the People's Republic of China or Taiwan . Instead, it is generally used as the symbol of culture. In Hong Kong , the dragon was a component of the coat of arms under British rule. It was later to become a feature of the design of Brand Hong Kong , a government promotional symbol. The Chinese dragon has very different connotations from the European dragon – in European cultures,

1275-511: Is thought that each animal is associated with certain personality traits. Dragon years are usually the most popular to have children. There are more people born in Dragon years than in any other animal years of the zodiac . The Azure Dragon is considered to be the primary of the four celestial guardians , the other three being the Vermilion Bird , White Tiger , Black Tortoise . In this context,

1350-790: The Azure Dragon was featured on the first Chinese national flag. It was featured again on the Twelve Symbols national emblem , which was used during the Republic of China , from 1913 to 1928. The dragon has been used as a state symbol in Vietnam. During the Nguyễn dynasty , the dragon was featured on the imperial standards. It was also featured on the coats of arms of the State of Vietnam , and later South Vietnam . The ancient Chinese self-identified as "the gods of

1425-615: The Goddess Temple ) point to the existence of a " chiefdom " in these prehistoric communities. Painted pottery was also discovered within the temple. Over 60 nearby tombs have been unearthed, all constructed of stone and covered by stone mounds, frequently including jade artifacts. Cairns were discovered atop two nearby hills, with either round or square stepped tombs, made of piled limestone. Entombed inside were sculptures of dragons and tortoises . It has been suggested that religious sacrifice might have been performed within

1500-548: The Guanzi ). It can form clouds, turn into water, change color as an ability to blend in with their surroundings, and be an effective form of camouflage or glow in the dark (according to the Shuowen Jiezi ). In 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

1575-526: The Holy Spirit , and the classical griffin represented a guardian of the dead. Medieval bestiaries included animals regardless of biological reality; the basilisk represented the devil , while the manticore symbolised temptation. One function of mythical animals in the Middle Ages was allegory . Unicorns, for example, were described as extraordinarily swift and uncatchable by traditional methods. It

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1650-547: The Hydra to be killed by Heracles , while Aeneas battles with the harpies . These monsters thus have the basic function of emphasizing the greatness of the heroes involved. Some classical era creatures, such as the (horse/human) centaur , chimaera , Triton and the flying horse Pegasus , are found also in Indian art . Similarly, sphinxes appear as winged lions in Indian art and

1725-465: The Kētos as Chinese dragon appeared more reptilian and shifted head-shape afterwards. Chinese dragons are strongly associated with water and weather in popular religion. They are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas. The Dragon god is the dispenser of rain as well as the zoomorphic representation of yang, the masculine power of generation. In this capacity as

1800-567: The Manchus initially considered three-clawed dragons the most sacred and used that until 1712 when it was replaced by five-clawed dragons, and portraits of the Qing emperors were usually depicted with five-clawed dragons. In works of art that left the imperial collection, either as gifts or through pilfering by court eunuchs (a long-standing problem), where practicable, one claw was removed from each set, as in several pieces of carved lacquerware , for example

1875-894: The Ox , the claws and teeth of the Tiger , the belly of the Rabbit , the body of the Snake , the legs of the Horse , the goatee of the Goat , the wit of the Monkey , the crest of the Rooster , the ears of the Dog , and the snout of the Pig . In some circles, it is considered bad luck to depict a dragon facing downward, as it is seen as disrespectful to place a dragon in such a manner that it cannot ascend to

1950-452: The Piasa Bird of North America. In medieval art , animals, both real and mythical, played important roles. These included decorative forms as in medieval jewellery, sometimes with their limbs intricately interlaced. Animal forms were used to add humor or majesty to objects. In Christian art , animals carried symbolic meanings, where for example the lamb symbolized Christ, a dove indicated

2025-528: The Qinghai Lake and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as Lake Baikal ). Because of this association, they are seen as "in charge" of water-related weather phenomena. 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

2100-710: The Sino-Tibetan languages ), while a partial switch to pastoralism in the Bronze Age Upper Xiajiadian culture is associated with a decrease in this genetic affinity. After the Late Neolithic, there was a sharp transition from Yellow River to Amur River -related genetic profiles (associated with speakers of Tungusic languages ) around the West Liao River. This increase in Amur River affinity corresponds with

2175-594: The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary , a sheeplike animal which supposedly grew tethered to the earth. A variety of mythical animals appear in the art and stories of the classical era . For example, in the Odyssey , monstrous creatures include the Cyclops , Scylla and Charybdis for the hero Odysseus to confront. Other tales include Medusa to be defeated by Perseus , the (human/bull) Minotaur to be destroyed by Theseus , and

2250-580: The Yellow River valley approximately 4,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence discovered at the Miaozigou site in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, a northern branch of the Yangshao culture from the Yellow River (the Yangshao culture is speculated to be the origin of the Sino-Tibetan languages ) demonstrates similarities in the material cultures between the Yellow River and Liao River cultures. Three individuals from

2325-551: The classical era , monstrous creatures such as the Cyclops and the Minotaur appear in heroic tales for the protagonist to destroy. Other creatures, such as the unicorn , were claimed in accounts of natural history by various scholars of antiquity. Some legendary creatures originated in traditional mythology and were believed to be real creatures--for example, dragons , griffins and unicorns. Others are based on real encounters or garbled accounts of travellers' tales, such as

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2400-505: The Azure Dragon is associated with the East and the element of Wood. Legendary creature A legendary creature (also called a mythical creature or mythological creature ) is a type of fantasy entity, typically a hybrid , that has not been proven and that is described in folklore (including myths and legends ), but may be featured in historical accounts before modernity . In

2475-671: The Chinese dragon have different preferences; in Mongolia and Korea, four-clawed dragons are used, while in Japan , three-clawed dragons are common. In China, three-clawed dragons were popularly used on robes during the Tang dynasty. The usage of the dragon motif was codified during the Yuan dynasty, and the five-clawed dragons became reserved for use by the emperor while the princes used four-clawed dragons. Phoenixes and five-clawed two-horned dragons may not be used on

2550-569: The Chinese dragon was associated with the emperor of China and used as a symbol to represent imperial power. Liu Bang , the founder of the Han dynasty , claimed that he was conceived after his mother dreamt of a dragon. During the Tang dynasty , emperors wore robes with dragon motif as an imperial symbol, and high officials might also be presented with dragon robes. In the Yuan dynasty , the two-horned, five-clawed dragon

2625-555: The Hongshan culture to a "Transeurasian" ( Altaic ) linguistic context. According to a study on genetic distance measurements from a large scale genetic study from 2021 titled 'Genomic insights into the formation of human populations in East Asia', hunter-gatherers of Mongolia and the Amur River Basin have ancestry shared by Mongolic and Tungusic language speakers, but they did not carry West Liao River farmer ancestry, contradicting

2700-424: The Hongshan culture. Just as suggested by evidence found at early Yangshao culture sites, Hongshan culture sites also provide the earliest evidence for feng shui . The presence of both round and square shapes at Hongshan culture ceremonial centres suggests an early presence of the gaitian cosmography ("round heaven, square earth"). Early feng shui relied on astronomy to find correlations between humans and

2775-400: The Miaozigou site belonged to haplogroup N1(xN1a, N1c), while the main lineage of Yellow River valley cultures is O3-M122. The existence of N1(xN1a, N1c) among the Miaozigou individuals could serve as evidence for the migration of some of the Hongshan people. Some Chinese archaeologists such as Guo Da-shun see the Hongshan culture as an important stage of early Chinese civilization. Whatever

2850-467: The Ming dynasty emulated the Yuan dynasty rules on the use of the dragon motif and decreed that the dragon would be his emblem and that it should have five claws. The four-clawed dragon would be used typically for imperial nobility and certain high-ranking officials. The three-clawed dragon was used by lower ranks and the general public (widely seen on various Chinese goods in the Ming dynasty). The dragon, however,

2925-512: The Nine Offspring of the Dragon ( 龍生九子 ), and subsequently these feature prominently in popular Chinese stories and writings. The scholar Xie Zhaozhe  [ zh ] (1567–1624) in his work Wu Za Zu Wuzazu  [ zh ] (c. 1592) gives the following listing, as rendered by M. W. de Visser: A well-known work of the end of the sixteenth century, the Wuzazu 五雜俎 , informs us about

3000-538: The Shanghai Mint in 2012's year of the dragon with two sets of coins, one in silver, and one in brass. Each coin in the sets depicts one of the 9 sons, including an additional coin for the father dragon, which depicts the nine sons on the reverse. It's also a Chinese idiom, which means among brothers each one has his good points. Originally, early Chinese dragons are mostly depicted with three claws, but they can range from two to five claws. Different countries that adopted

3075-556: The Transeurasian hypothesis proposed by Martine Robbeets et al. that the expansion of West Liao River farmers spread these proto-languages. A 2020 study discovered substantial genetic changes in the West Liao River region over time. An increase in the reliance on millet farming between the Middle-to-Late Neolithic is associated with higher genetic affinity to the Yellow River basin (generally associated with speakers of

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3150-468: The Yan Emperor, was born by his mother's telepathy with a mythical dragon. This legend also contributed towards the use of the Chinese dragon as a symbol of imperial power. Dragons (usually with five claws on each foot) were a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties . During the Qing dynasty, the imperial dragon was colored yellow or gold, and during the Ming dynasty it was red. The imperial throne

3225-866: The addition of the Yellow Dragon of the center to Azure Dragon of the East, these Vermilion, 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. Dragons were varyingly thought to be able to control and embody various natural elements in their "mythic form" such as " water , air, earth, fire , light, wind, storm, [and] electricity". Some dragons who were able to breathe fire were thought to be exiled from tiān and banished to Earth. Several Ming dynasty texts list what were claimed as

3300-505: 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 Wuyue 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 sea. In coastal regions of China, Korea, Vietnam, traditional legends and worshipping of whale gods as

3375-510: The dragon and nine sons of the dragon (see Classical depictions above). The Nine-Dragon Wall is a spirit wall with images of nine different dragons, and is found in imperial Chinese palaces and gardens. Because 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 . Lower-ranking officials had eight or five dragons on their robes, again covered with surcoats; even

3450-488: The dragon is a fire-breathing creature with aggressive connotations, whereas the Chinese dragon is a spiritual and cultural symbol that represents prosperity and good luck, as well as a rain deity that fosters harmony. It was reported that the Chinese government decided against using the dragon as its official 2008 Summer Olympics mascot because of the aggressive connotations that dragons have outside of China and chose more "friendly" symbols instead. Sometimes Chinese people use

3525-525: The dragon" because the Chinese dragon is an imagined reptile that represents evolution from the ancestors and qi energy. Dragon-like motifs of a zoomorphic composition in reddish-brown stone have been found at the Chahai site (Liaoning) in the Xinglongwa culture (6200–5400 BC). The presence of dragons within Chinese culture dates back several thousands of years with the discovery of a dragon statue dating back to

3600-417: The dragon's shape with a horse's head and a snake's tail. Further, there are expressions such as 'three joints' and 'nine resemblances' (of the dragon), to wit: from head to shoulder, from shoulder to breast, and from breast to tail. These are the joints; as to the nine resemblances, they are the following: his antlers resemble those of a stag, his head that of a camel, his eyes those of a demon, his neck that of

3675-554: 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 Hong Kong. The part of the Mekong in Vietnam is known as Cửu Long , with the same meaning. The dragon is one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac which is used to designate years in the Chinese calendar . It

3750-406: The famous long . The linguist Michael Carr analyzed over 100 ancient dragon names attested in Chinese classic texts . Fewer Chinese dragon names derive from the word long 龍 : Some additional Chinese dragons are not named long , for instance, Chinese scholars have classified dragons in diverse systems. For instance, Emperor Huizong of Song canonized five colored dragons as "kings". With

3825-816: The fifth and sixth moons, and especially on the date of his birthday the thirteenth day of the sixth moon. A folk religious movement of associations of good-doing in modern Hebei is primarily devoted to a generic Dragon god whose icon is a tablet with his name inscribed, for which it has been named the "movement of the Dragon Tablet". Dragons or dragon-like depictions have been found extensively in neolithic-period archaeological sites throughout China. Some of earliest depictions of dragons were found at Xinglongwa culture sites. Yangshao culture sites in Xi'an have produced clay pots with dragon motifs. A burial site Xishuipo in Puyang which

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3900-578: The fifth millennium BC from the Yangshao culture in Henan in 1987, and jade badges of rank in coiled form have been excavated from the Hongshan culture c.  4700 –2900 BC. Some of the earliest Dragon artifacts are the pig dragon carvings from the Hongshan culture. The coiled dragon or snake form played an important role in early Chinese culture. The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has

3975-553: The guardians of people on the sea have been referred to Dragon Kings after the arrival of Buddhism. According to Chinese legend, both Chinese primogenitors, the earliest Door and the Yellow Emperor , were closely related to the dragon. At the end of his reign, the first legendary ruler, the Yellow Emperor, was said to have been immortalized into a dragon that resembled his emblem, and ascended to Heaven. The other legendary ruler,

4050-427: The historical period, the West Liao basin was mainly populated by nomads. A genetic study by Yinqiu Cui et al. from 2013 analyzed the Y-chromosome DNA haplogroup based N subclade ; it found that DNA samples from 63% of the combined samples from various Hongshan archaeological sites belonged to the subclade N1 (xN1a, N1c) of the paternal haplogroup N-M231 and calculated N to have been the predominant haplogroup in

4125-449: The horn of a unicorn." This is because the translators of the King James erroneously translated the Hebrew word re'em as unicorn. Later versions translate this as wild ox. The unicorn's small size signifies the humility of Christ. Another common legendary creature that served allegorical functions within the Middle Ages was the dragon . Dragons were identified with serpents, though their attributes were greatly intensified. The dragon

4200-475: The human diet in the Early Hongshan and up to 80% in the Late Hongshan. The Hongshan culture is known for its carved jade . Hongshan burial artifacts include some of the earliest known examples of jade working. The Hongshan culture is known for its jade pig dragons and embryo dragons. Clay figurines, including figurines of pregnant women, are also found throughout Hongshan sites. Small copper rings were also excavated. The archaeological site at Niuheliang

4275-401: The linguistic affinity of the ancient denizens, Hongshan culture is believed to have exerted an influence on the development of early Chinese civilization. The culture may have also contributed to the development of settlements in ancient Korea. However, the Hongshan culture is also commonly employed in Korean pseudohistory by some Korean scholars, who seek to contest any connections between

4350-521: The nine different young of the dragon, whose shapes are used as ornaments according to their nature. Further, the same author enumerates nine other kinds of dragons, 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. The Sheng'an waiji ( 升庵外集 ) collection by

4425-556: The poet Yang Shen (1488–1559) gives different 5th and 9th names for the dragon's nine children: the taotie , form of beasts, which loves to eat and is found on food-related wares, and the jiāo tú ( 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. Yang's list is bì xì , chī wěn or cháo fēng , pú láo , bì àn , tāo tiè , qiú niú , yá zì , suān ní , and jiāo tú . In addition, there are some sayings including bā xià 𧈢𧏡 , Hybrid of reptilia animal and dragon,

4500-404: The region in the Neolithic period at 89%, with its share gradually declining over time. Today, this haplogroup is found in northern Han , Mongols , Manchu , Oroqen , Xibe and Hezhe at low frequencies. Other paternal haplogroups identified in the study were C and O3a (O3a3) , both of which predominate among the present-day inhabitants of the region. Nelson et al. 2020 attempts to link

4575-417: The robes of officials and other objects such as plates and vessels in the Yuan dynasty. It was further stipulated that for commoners, "it is forbidden to wear any cloth with patterns of Qilin , Male Fenghuang (Chinese phoenix), White rabbit , Lingzhi , Five-Toe Two-Horn Dragon, Eight Dragons, Nine Dragons, ' Ten thousand years ', Fortune-longevity character and Golden Yellow etc." The Hongwu Emperor of

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4650-407: 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. 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

4725-557: The sky. Also, depictions of dragons in tattoos are prevalent as they are symbols of strength and power, especially criminal organisations where dragons hold a meaning all on their own. As such, it is believed that one must be fierce and strong enough, hence earning the right to wear the dragon on his skin, lest his luck be consumed by the dragons. According to an art historian John Boardman , depictions of Chinese Dragon and Indian Makara might have been influenced by Cetus in Greek mythology possibly after contact with silk-road images of

4800-407: The term "Descendants of the Dragon" ( 龙的传人 ; 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 as representations. For example, the wolf may be used by the Mongols as it is considered to be their legendary ancestor. The dragon was the symbol of the Chinese emperor for many dynasties. During the Qing dynasty,

4875-454: The transition to a pastoral economy during the Bronze Age. A 2021 study found that Yellow River millet farmers from the modern-day provinces of Henan and Shandong had played an important role in the formation of Hongshan people or their descendants via both inland and coastal northward migration routes. Similarly to the Yangshao culture, the Hongshan culture cultivated millet. Isotope analyses revealed that millet contributed up to 70% of

4950-444: The universe. The Hongshan culture region was thought to have been desert for the past 1 million years. However, a 2015 study found that the region once featured rich aquatic resources and deep lakes and forests that existed from 12,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago. It was changed into desert by climate change which began approximately 4,200 years ago. Therefore, some of the people of the Hongshan culture may have emigrated south to

5025-409: The well known Chinese lacquerware table in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The number nine is special in China as it is seen as the number of heaven, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 (9×13) scales—81 (9×9) Yang and 36 (9×4) Yin. This is also why there are nine forms of

5100-415: The yang essence (positive) while 36 are of the yin essence (negative). Initially, the dragon was benevolent, wise, and just, but the Buddhists introduced the concept of malevolent influence among some dragons. Just as water destroys, they said, so can some dragons destroy via floods, tidal waves, and storms. They suggested that some of the worst floods were believed to have been the result of a mortal upsetting

5175-440: Was always heat present in these locations. Physical detail was not the central focus of the artists depicting such animals, and medieval bestiaries were not conceived as biological categorizations. Creatures like the unicorn and griffin were not categorized in a separate "mythological" section in medieval bestiaries, as the symbolic implications were of primary importance. Animals we know to have existed were still presented with

5250-416: Was an underground structure, 1m deep. Included on its walls are mural paintings. Housed inside the Goddess Temple are clay figurines as large as three times the size of real-life humans. The exceedingly large figurines are possibly deities , but for a religion not reflective in any other Chinese culture. The existence of complex trading networks and monumental architecture (such as pyramids and

5325-414: Was believed that the only way for one to catch this beast was to lead a virgin to its dwelling. Then, the unicorn was supposed to leap into her lap and go to sleep, at which point a hunter could finally capture it. In terms of symbolism, the unicorn was a metaphor for Christ. Unicorns represented the idea of innocence and purity. In the King James Bible , Psalm 92 :10 states, "My horn shalt thou exalt like

5400-460: Was designated for use by the Son of Heaven or emperor only, while the four-clawed dragon was used by the princes and nobles. Similarly, during the Ming and Qing dynasty , the five-clawed dragon was strictly reserved for use by the emperor only. The dragon in the Qing dynasty appeared on the flag of the Qing dynasty . The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China, though such use

5475-399: 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 . Improper use of claw number or colors was considered treason, punishable by execution of the offender's entire clan. During the Qing dynasty,

5550-564: Was referred to as the Dragon Throne . During the late Qing dynasty, the dragon was even adopted as the national flag. Dragons are featured in carvings on the stairs and walkways of imperial palaces and imperial tombs, such as at the Forbidden City in Beijing. In some Chinese legends, an emperor might be born with a birthmark in the shape of a dragon. For example, one legend tells the tale of

5625-417: Was supposed to have been larger than all other animals. It was believed that the dragon had no harmful poison but was able to slay anything it embraced without any need for venom. Biblical scriptures speak of the dragon in reference to the devil, and they were used to denote sin in general during the Middle Ages. Dragons were said to have dwelled in places like Ethiopia and India, based on the idea that there

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