66-553: The dragon ( simplified Chinese : 龙 ; traditional Chinese : 龍 ; pinyin : lóng ; Jyutping : lung ; Cantonese Yale : lùhng ) is the fifth of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar . The Year of the Dragon is associated with the Earthly Branch symbol 辰 (pinyin: chén ). It has been proposed that
132-427: 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.)
198-661: 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 the fifth millennium BC from the Yangshao culture in Henan in 1987, and jade badges of rank in coiled form have been excavated from
264-466: 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
330-426: 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 the yang essence (positive) while 36 are of
396-601: 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 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
462-588: 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
528-403: 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
594-544: A square flag bore too close a resemblance to the Plain Yellow Banner of the Eight Banners with the potential to be viewed as an endorsement of the Eight Banners hierarchy, he instead removed one corner to create a triangular flag. The triangular version of the yellow dragon flag was restricted to naval and governmental use only, no civilian ships were permitted to fly the yellow pennant, and it never formally became
660-550: 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 the dragon" because the Chinese dragon is an imagined reptile that represents evolution from the ancestors and qi energy. Dragon-like motifs of
726-404: 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 a deer. The head of
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#1733092954138792-450: A triangular ensign was unique among naval flags of other countries. As a result, he petitioned the imperial court for permission and subsequently altered the triangular naval flag into a rectangular one. Seeing Western countries flying national flags on official occasions, Li Hongzhang also asked Empress Dowager Cixi to select a national flag for the Qing dynasty. Among the proposals for use of
858-475: 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
924-401: 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
990-515: Is shown on top of the dragon's head. The pearl is associated with wealth, good luck, and prosperity. The design of the flag was largely based on the Plain Yellow Banner , one of three "upper" banner armies among the Eight Banners under the direct command of the Emperor of China himself, and one of the four "right wing" banners. The Eight Banners were administrative/military divisions under
1056-513: 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,
1122-717: The Ba gua flag, the Yellow dragon flag and the Qilin flag, Cixi selected the Yellow dragon design. In 1888, the imperial court promulgated the naval flag as the Qing national flag. The notion of yellow as representative of Manchu ethnicity was used in the flags of the Five Races Under One Union flag of the Republic of China , and on the flag of the Empire of China , respectively, although in 1912
1188-549: 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
1254-671: 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 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
1320-467: 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
1386-522: 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
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#17330929541381452-895: 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
1518-528: 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
1584-689: The Azure Dragon is associated with the East and the element of Wood. Flag of the Qing dynasty The flag of the Qing dynasty was an emblem adopted in the late 19th century (1889) featuring the Azure Dragon on a plain yellow field with the red flaming pearl in the upper left corner. It became the first national flag of China and is usually referred to as the " Yellow Dragon Flag" ( traditional Chinese : 黃龍旗 ; simplified Chinese : 黄龙旗 ; pinyin : huánglóngqí ). Ruling China from 1644 until
1650-526: The Beiyang Fleet in 1888. However, rank flags were not updated until 1890, when William Metcalfe Lang and Liu Buchan disputed about their rank flags in an incident . Therefore, the British Royal Navy advisers proposed five new rank flags to replace the simple two rank flags system. However these proposals were not adopted by the Qing dynasty. New rank flags were introduced later in 1890. After
1716-673: 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
1782-672: The Earthly Branch character may have been associated with scorpions ; it may have symbolized the star Antares . In the Buddhist calendar used in Thailand , Cambodia , Laos , Myanmar , and Sri Lanka , the dragon is replaced by the nāga . In the Gurung zodiac, the dragon is replaced by the eagle. In the Old Turkic calendar it is replaced by a fish or crocodile . Early Persian translations of
1848-420: 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,
1914-512: 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
1980-493: The Qing dynasty into which all Manchu households were placed. In war, the Eight Banners functioned as armies, but the banner system was also the basic organizational framework of all of Manchu society. The Arrow Incident of 1856 occurred as a result of Chinese civilian vessels flying foreign flags as the Qing dynasty had no official flag at the time. In 1862, sailors from the Chinese and British navies clashed at Wuhan on
2046-540: 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
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2112-464: The United Kingdom in 1862, Horatio Nelson Lay designed several naval flags based on the custom flag he designed. These proposals were not recognized by the Qing dynasty government. The Beiyang Fleet was created in 1874, and several rank flags were introduced based on the traditional five color officials' flags of the old Chinese navy. The Beiyang Fleet became the national navy by Regulations of
2178-470: 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
2244-607: The Yangtze River. In response to protests from the British government that their ships were unable to properly distinguish between Chinese navy ships and civilian vessels, Yixin (Prince Gong) urged Zeng Guofan to create a governmental flag for the Qing, and suggested use of a yellow dragon flag, which was also used as one of the Eight Banners of the Manchu as well as in the Chinese army . After due consideration, Zeng Guofan concluded that
2310-867: 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
2376-487: The birth rates of countries that use the Chinese zodiac or places with substantial Chinese populations during the Year of the Dragon, because these births are considered to be lucky and have desirable characteristics that supposedly lead to better life outcomes. The relatively recent phenomenon of planning a child's birth in a Year of the Dragon has led to hospital capacity issues and even an uptick in infant mortality rates toward
2442-505: 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
2508-479: 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 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
2574-510: 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
2640-404: 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 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
2706-554: 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
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2772-577: The end of these years due to strained neonatal resources. Cycle (trine group): Dragon needs Monkey, Monkey needs Rat, Rat needs Dragon; It is opposed to or rivals the Dog. Chinese dragon 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
2838-437: 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 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
2904-407: 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
2970-818: 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
3036-492: The former was challenged by Sun Yat-sen , who thought it inappropriate to use the traditional imperial color to represent Manchu ethnicity. Also, mustard yellow was used in the flag of Manchukuo in deference to the Qing dynasty, on whose flag it was based. The blue dragon was featured in the Twelve Symbols national emblem , which was the state emblem of China from 1913 to 1928. When the Qing dynasty purchased warships from
3102-554: 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,
3168-498: The medieval period change the dragon to a sea serpent , although in current times it is generally referred to as whale . During China's Cultural Revolution , there was an attempt to replace the dragon with the giant panda ; however, the movement was short lived. People born within these date ranges can be said to have been born in the Year of the Dragon , while bearing the following elemental sign: There are typically marked spikes in
3234-552: The national flag. An exception was on 23 February 1873, when the regency of the Tongzhi Emperor ended and he assumed direct rule of the Qing empire. On that day all ships flew the triangular flag for the first time in celebration. Also on some diplomatic occasions and at international exhibitions, this flag was used to represent China. In September 1881, when the two cruisers Chaoyong and Yangwei ordered from Birkenhead , England were sent to China, Li Hongzhang realized
3300-522: 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
3366-475: 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, 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
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#17330929541383432-691: The overthrow of the monarchy during the Xinhai Revolution , the Qing dynasty was the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history . Between 1862 and 1912, the dynasty represented itself with the dragon flag. On January 10, 1912, the Yellow Dragon Flag was replaced by the Five-Colored Flag, and on February 12 Emperor Pu Yi abdicated, ending the rule of the Qing Dynasty. Since the Ming dynasty, yellow
3498-556: 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,
3564-420: 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
3630-407: 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
3696-558: 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
3762-457: The total defeat of the Beiyang Navy in First Sino-Japanese War in 1894, the new imperial navy was reorganized following the establishment of the department of the navy in 1909. The Imperial Chinese Navy adopted the national flag in the canton of naval flags in 1909. The flag of the Chinese Eastern Railway adopted a combination of Qing dynasty and Russian flags. The flag was not updated until 1912. [REDACTED] Media related to Flags of
3828-410: 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
3894-415: 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, 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
3960-421: 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 a dragon. Many pictures of Chinese dragons show
4026-399: Was considered the royal color of successive Chinese emperors. Members of the imperial family of China at that time were the only ones allowed to display the color yellow in buildings and on garments. The Emperor of China usually used a Chinese dragon as a symbol of the imperial power and strength. Generally, a five-clawed dragon was used by emperors only. In Chinese culture , a flaming pearl
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#17330929541384092-426: 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, 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
4158-399: 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,
4224-404: 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
4290-490: 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 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,
4356-430: 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 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
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