Harbin, 4 April (ZXS) -- Question: Why did the "copper dragon" of the Jin Dynasty embody China's "dragon culture"?
——Interview with Na Haizhou, invited researcher of Harbin Academy of Social Sciences
China News Agency reporter Liu Xiju
"Dragon" is the totem and unique spiritual symbol of the Chinese nation, as well as the symbol of Chinese civilization and the diversity and unity of the Chinese nation, and the Chinese nation calls itself the descendant of the dragon. The dragon is the fifth zodiac in the traditional Chinese zodiac, and is called the "Four Divine Beasts" together with the White Tiger, Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu, and the "Four Rui Beasts" together with the phoenix, unicorn and turtle. The change of its image is closely related to the development of the times.
In the autumn of 1956, on the west side of the ancient wall of Baicheng, Acheng, Heilongjiang Province, a bronze sitting dragon was unearthed, which is the earliest dragon-shaped cultural relic of the Jin Dynasty found in China so far, and was later designated as a national first-class cultural relics. What is the story behind the unearthing of this bronze sitting dragon? What is the important value? How does the "dragon culture" contained in it witness the integration of the Chinese nation? Recently, Na Haizhou, specially invited researcher of the Harbin Academy of Social Sciences, vice president and secretary general of the Jin Shangjing Cultural and Historical Research Association, was interviewed by the China News Agency's "East-West Question".
Video: [East-West Question] How does the "copper sitting dragon" of the Jin Dynasty reflect the Chinese "dragon culture"? Source: China News Network
The following is a summary of the interview:
China News Agency: As the earliest dragon-shaped cultural relics of the Jin Dynasty found in China so far, what is the story behind the discovery of the copper sitting dragon?
Nahaizhou: Located between the west wall of Baicheng in Acheng, Harbin City, and the first burial mausoleum of Jin Taizu Wanyan A Bone Beata, there is a village called "Pei Jiatun", less than 50 meters away from the ancient city wall of Jinshangjing in the east, and about 30 meters away from the first burial mausoleum of Wanyan A Bone Beat in the west. There are more than a dozen families living in the village.
Jintaizu Mausoleum. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Acheng District Party Committee
In the autumn of 1956, villager Pei Shan came to the southwest of the city (outside the southwest corner wall of the north city) in the ancient city of Jinshangjing to dig a vegetable cellar. Digging and digging, Pei Shan suddenly found a copper artifact in the remnants of the collapsed city wall and rubble, an object with a bronze dragon-shaped silhouette. Pei Shan took it home for simple cleaning, feeling like an old object, and put it in the cabinet.
Schematic diagram of the site of Jinshangjing. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Acheng District Party Committee
In the blink of an eye, seven or eight years later, inadvertently, Pei Shan put the copper sitting dragon on his window sill, at this time, something incredible happened: it was spring, there were more windy weather, the wind level was different, because the copper sitting dragon was casting, the mouth was whistling, and the belly was hollow, so with the size of the wind, the length of the wind was not the same, the copper sitting dragon would make a burst of different and strange sounds. If you occasionally hear it, you are not afraid, but the wind does not stop, and the sound of the copper sitting dragon is not enough. So, after thinking about it, he decided to hand over the copper dragon to the government. Subsequently, Pei Shan found the then Acheng County Cultural Department and donated the copper sitting dragon to the country free of charge.
In 1965, the copper sitting dragon finally settled in the Jinshangjing History Museum in the city of A. In 1990, after the bronze sitting dragon was identified as a national first-class cultural relic and transferred to the Heilongjiang Provincial Museum for collection.
China News Agency: What is special about the shape of the bronze sitting dragon in the Jin Dynasty?
Nahaizhou: The copper sitting dragon is cast in brass, 19.6 cm high, weighing 2.1 kg, set dragon, unicorn, lion, dog image and characteristics in one, compared with the traditional Chinese four dragon shapes, the most prominent feature is its shape is squat seated, the trunk part of the sitting dragon body is the shape of a scaleless snake body, head, open mouth, head and tail link, snake body phoenix eyes, shoulders slightly bowed forward, front left leg cocked, its claws fly Ruiyun, Ruiyun is connected to the hind leg, the front right leg is slightly upright in front, and the claw is connected to the ground, The upper wings of the tail are curled outwards and the head, shoulders and limbs are decorated with curls. The dragon nose in the head of the copper sitting dragon has a special shape, with the nostrils facing upwards and full of momentum.
A bronze sitting dragon (replica) displayed in the Jinshangjing History Museum. Photo by Sun Hanlun
The sitting dragon not only appeared in the Jin Dynasty, but also moved the capital to Beijing after Yan Liang, under the influence of national integration and the inheritance of Chinese civilization, the Manchus, as descendants of the Jurchens, after inheriting the dragon culture of the Jurchen nation, the eaves of the Qing Dynasty court buildings created by them, as well as the dragon-shaped sacred beasts that appeared on the Chinese watch, also appeared in the shape of sitting dragons. It can be seen that the sitting dragon shape created by the craftsmen of the Jin Dynasty not only inherits Chinese civilization, but also has a great influence on future generations.
China News Agency: What is the function and use of the copper dragon?
Nahaizhou: The bronze sitting dragon embodies the high level of casting craftsmanship and the absolute authority of the royal family at that time. In recent years, another bronze sitting dragon has been unearthed, and looking back at this golden bronze sitting dragon, there are traces of flat ingots separated in both directions on its front right leg, tail and Ruiyun, and it is speculated that it is likely to be cast by connecting and fixing it with other objects.
After Kim Sejong finished Yan Yong, he re-examined the car in which the crown prince was riding. According to the "Jin Shi Public Opinion": In December of the sixth year of Jin Shizong's reign (1166 AD), the crown prince Jin Yuan was "changed from a sitting dragon to a phoenix", according to which it can be seen that Jin Chenshang once played a sitting dragon; According to "Dajian... The crown wheel Shi Yao leaf, there are anemone flowers, sitting dragons" record, it can be seen that the big crown wheel is also decorated with sitting dragons. It can be seen that the bronze dragon function is mainly a royal ornament on the royal rim and dragon pick, which should be used during the period of Emperor Taizong of Jin and Emperor Xizong of Jin and King Hailing. In the Jin Sejong period, the bronze dragon ornament on the chariot was removed and replaced with a phoenix. That is, in the history of the Jin Dynasty, the imperial time of the copper sitting dragon in Jin Shangjing only existed for more than 30 years.
Visitors visit the bronze sitting dragon (replica) inside the Jinshangjing History Museum. Photo by Sun Hanlun
Some scholars believe that this dragon ride is related to the decoration on the "Patrol of Xingxing (present-day Beijing), such as Riding the Golden Gate" in the third year of Emperor Xizong's reign (1140), and the decoration on the Emperor Sejong's 1184th year (<>) Touring Shangjing.
According to books such as "History of Jin" and "Dajin Guoji", Emperor Xizong once expanded the imperial city and added palaces.
In 1149, King Hailing killed Emperor Jin Xizong and usurped the throne. In 1153, Yan Liang moved the capital to Beijing (later changed to Zhongdu, present-day Beijing). In the second year of Zhenglong (1157), King Hailing sent Xiao Yanliang to burn the palace of the imperial city of Beijing. The appearance of the copper sitting dragon can prove that the Jin Dynasty moved the capital and destroyed Jin Shangjing.
2016 Jinshangjing site excavation area panoramic view (upper north down south). Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Acheng District Party Committee
China News Agency: At present, are there other gold dynasty copper dragons unearthed in China? Why did this bronze sitting dragon unearthed in Acheng become a national first-class cultural relic?
Nahaizhou: The dragon is a symbol of Chinese dragon culture, and the true dragon Tianzi is another name for the emperor. Jin Shangjing has been "lost" in Chinese history for more than 500 years, and the unearthing of this bronze sitting dragon confirms that the White City of Acheng is Shangjing, the capital of the early Jin Dynasty.
National key cultural relics protection unit - Jinshangjing Huining Mansion (Imperial City) site. Photo courtesy of the Propaganda Department of the Acheng District Party Committee
For half a century after the copper sitting dragon was unearthed, it has been a unique product. Later, several bronze sitting dragons of different shapes were found, including the shape of a dragon and beast and elephant unearthed in Jinling, Beijing. The unearthing of the bronze sitting dragon proves that the emperor of the Great Golden Kingdom recognized Chinese history and culture, and inherited and passed on Chinese history and dragon culture. Therefore, the bronze sitting dragon has become a national first-class cultural relic and is known as the "treasure of the town hall", which is well deserved.
Nahai Chau explains to tourists. Photo by Sun Hanlun
China News Agency: How does the copper sitting dragon embody the Chinese "dragon culture"? Why is it said that it has witnessed the close connection between Jinyuan culture and Central Plains culture?
Na Haizhou: Jinyuan culture and Central Plains culture are the crystallization of Chinese civilization, and in different historical stages of Chinese civilization, they show the historical picture of national spirit and national integration.
Interior view of the Kim Shangkyo History Museum. Photo by Sun Hanlun
Chinese dragon culture dates back to prehistory. From archaeological findings, more than 8000,<> years ago in the Neolithic period, the primitive dragon totem was worshipped by ancestors. "Original Dragon", "Dragon", "Flying Dragon", "Xinglong", "Yellow Dragon", "Xianglong", etc. all symbolize the Son of Heaven, imperial power and gods in different eras, and the dragon is the heavenly god that influences mankind. Dragon culture is everywhere in China, such as "True Dragon Tianzi", "Ye Gong Hao Dragon", "Dragon Horse Spirit", "Dragon Flying Phoenix Dance", etc., and the emperor's royal objects are called "dragons": "dragon robe", "dragon crown", "dragon chair", "dragon bed", "dragon pick", "dragon boots" and so on.
Interior view of the Kim Shangkyo History Museum. Photo by Sun Hanlun
From the perspective of historical artifacts, dragons of various shapes are everywhere in China. The image of the bronze sitting dragon of the Jin Dynasty is to use the civilization of the Chinese dragon to create a dragon with the characteristics of the Jin Dynasty. It is not difficult to see that Jinyuan culture has inherited the culture of the Chinese nation and integrated the culture of ethnic minorities into the long history of the Chinese nation. Moreover, the Jin Dynasty has always placed its own power in the orthodox culture of the Chinese nation. (End)
Respondent Profile:
Na Haizhou, male, born in 1950, Manchu. He has served as a director of the China Liaojin and Khitan Jurchen History Society, was appointed as a specially invited researcher of the Harbin Academy of Social Sciences, the vice president and secretary general of the Acheng District Jinshangjing Cultural History Research Association, the vice president of the Acheng District Manchu Friendship Association, and a member of the Heilongjiang Collectors Association. His works include "Huanglongfu to Jinshangjing Ancient Yilu New Examination", "Tahucheng for the Zhaozhou Site of the Jin Dynasty", "Distribution of Jurchen Tribes in the Liao Dynasty" and so on. He co-authored books such as "The First Capital of the Great Golden Kingdom", "Jinyuan Cultural Dictionary", "Jinyuan Culture Series" and so on.