Editor's note:
The Jade Rabbit bids farewell to the old year, and the Golden Dragon welcomes the New Year. Among the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, the dragon is the only fictitious mythical animal; in traditional Chinese culture, the dragon is a symbol with unique meanings.
The Year of the Dragon is approaching. China News Service's "East-West Question" has launched a series of "Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon" planning series since February 6. From the origin of the dragon in Hongshan culture to the evolution of the dragon in the Dunhuang Grottoes, from more than a hundred years Explore the cultural flavor behind the Spring Festival in the Year of the Dragon from how foreigners celebrated the Spring Festival in the past to why Chinese people at home and abroad are called "descendants of the dragon." Please stay tuned.
China News Service, Beijing, February 12th: Question: What are the similarities and differences in the image of dragons in Eastern and Western cultures?
——Exclusive interview with Shi Aidong, Secretary General of the Chinese Folklore Society
China News Service reporter Xu Wenxin Jin Xu
2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese lunar calendar. Chinese people have a long history of worshiping dragons. Idioms or allusions related to "dragon" such as the dragon-horse spirit, the dragon soaring and the tiger leaping, and the finishing touch are summaries of the unique culture and spiritual outlook of the Chinese nation. As the "descendants of the dragon", Chinese people at home and abroad regard the "dragon" as their emotional sustenance and identity.
What changes have the identity and meaning of the Chinese dragon undergone? What are the similarities and differences between dragon images in Eastern and Western cultures? Why can the dragon become a symbol that symbolizes the spiritual temperament of Chinese people at home and abroad? Recently, Shi Aidong, secretary-general of the Chinese Folklore Society and researcher at the Institute of Literature of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" on this issue.
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Service reporter: Among the twelve zodiac signs, the dragon is the only imaginary animal. When can the history of Chinese dragons be traced back to the earliest times? How was it formed?
Shi Aidong:
As early as the era of oracle bone inscriptions and bronze inscriptions, the use of the word "dragon" has been very diverse. From this, it can be determined that dragon culture has flourished more than 3,000 years ago. However, in ancient narratives and images about dragons, only two relatively stable characteristics can be seen: one is a very powerful divine animal, and the other is a sinuous strip-shaped animal. It can be seen from the "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" that "their divine shapes all have the body of a bird and the head of a dragon" and "their divine shapes all have the body of a dragon and the head of a bird". The ancients liked to use the "shape of a dragon" to explain the shape of monsters. Because of this, snakes, pythons, fish, salamanders, insects, lizards, crocodiles, and even tigers and pigs in nature, as well as inanimate constellations, lightning, rainbows, mountains, etc., have all been interpreted by scholars as the prototype of dragons. .
Citizens visit the Neolithic painted dragon plate at the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan City. Photo by Wei Liang
In 1975, the bamboo slips "Rishu" of the Qin Dynasty unearthed from Suihudi, Yunmeng, Hubei Province contained the chapter "The Thief", which already showed twelve kinds of animal combinations: rat, ugly ox, Yin tiger, Mao rabbit, Chen ( The names of the animals are not written), Si Chong, Wu Deer, Wei Ma, Shen Huan, You Shui, Xu Lao Yang, Hai Bo. During this period, dragons had not yet entered the list of twelve animals.
In addition, similar documents have been unearthed in Gansu and other places, and no dragon appears among the twelve animals. It can be seen that the dragon entered the zodiac animal series, probably after the Qin Dynasty.
Tracing the origin and original meaning of the dragon is as difficult as catching one. The concept of dragon has been in a state of instability since its inception. Because no one knows how to define a dragon, any striped animal may be regarded as a dragon. We can even see this phenomenon: all crafts or daily necessities in the shape of animal heads in the history of Chinese culture may be interpreted as dragons as long as the name is not clearly marked on the original.
Jade dragons on display at the special exhibition "Jade Runs China - A Thousand-Year Epic Picture of Chinese Jade Civilization" at the Nanjing Museum. Photo by Yang Bo
China News Service reporter: What changes have occurred in the image of dragons in the East and West? Why did "dragon fashion" set off in Europe in the 16th century?
Shi Aidong:
Whether in the East or the West, the image of the dragon has been changing and developing.
Before the 16th century, there was no special translation for "dragon" in Europe. People used "a kind of coiled snake" (serpiente) to describe this image. As a snake-like animal, dragons appear more often in negative images. For example, the image of dragons in the Bible is evil and the incarnation of Satan; themes such as "St. George Slaying the Dragon" appear more frequently in artistic works. s story.
In East Asia, the dragon is a magical animal that can communicate with heaven and earth, stir up clouds and rain, transform all things into being, and bring good fortune. It is also the "emblem of the emperor" in China.
With the continuous cross-fertilization of different cultural backgrounds, dragon culture has also changed.
Around the 16th century, Chinese dragon patterns were introduced to Europe and were often offered to churches as auspicious gifts from the Holy East for decoration.
In the consumer goods exhibition area of the 6th China International Import Expo held in Shanghai, the Vacheron Constantin watch displayed in the Richemont Group exhibition hall was decorated with a blue background dragon image enamel pattern on the inside of the dial bottom. Photo by Sheng Jiapeng
Italian missionary Matteo Ricci was the first to introduce China's "Dragon Culture" system to Europe. In Matteo Ricci's manuscript, dragon is written as Dragoni and has phonetic notation. These introductions are concentrated in "History of the Christian Expedition to China" (1615) compiled and published by Nicolas Trigault. When Riquebourg-Trigault's nephew DF de Riquebourg-Trigault translated this book into French, he always translated dragon as Dragon. This was the first complete translation of Chinese "dragon" and Western dragon.
In the writings of early European missionaries who entered China, dragon patterns were always accompanied by royal style. Such an introduction fascinates those romantic aristocrats who are obsessed with the mysterious Eastern culture.
From the 17th to the 18th century, in central cities such as London and Paris, clothing embroidered with dragon, phoenix, and unicorn patterns were popular among the aristocracy and were considered to have "indescribable beauty." At that time, the whole of Europe was full of wonderful and romantic imaginations about the exotic China. Many museums in London and Paris still preserve porcelain with dragon pictures customized by European nobles in China at that time. The dragon images in these porcelains are very delicate and mature, without any "" "evil" meaning.
On February 4, 2024, the New Year dragon dance event was held on the Champs Elysées in Paris, France, to send New Year blessings to the local people. Photo by Li Yang
In modern and contemporary Western film and television works, although dragons still often appear as demons such as sea monsters, some kind and cute images have also begun to appear. Take "How to Train Your Dragon" as an example. The producers designed dragons as magical animals that have no language ability but can communicate with people spiritually through movements and eyes. In the 1998 Disney animated film "Mulan", the Hua family is To protect Mulan, he sent a Mushu dragon to accompany her in the army and fight. This cute and naughty Mushu dragon brought a lot of laughter to Mulan and was very popular among the audience.
Reporter from China News Service: How has the impression of dragons in Chinese civil society changed? What kind of psychology does this reflect on the Chinese people?
Shi Aidong:
The Chinese dragon has gone through four stages: "magical animal - exclusive to emperors - national symbol - symbol of the Chinese people". Under the rule of the emperor, power and divine power were interdependent and complementary to each other. The emperor's occupation of the dragon pattern further strengthened the mysterious power of the dragon pattern.
On February 4, 2024, as the Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon approaches, children in Changchun, Jilin, are cutting "dragon heads". Photo by Zhang Yao
Chinese civil society has always worshiped power, but its attitude towards dragons is full of ambivalence. There are many legends about heroes fighting dragons spread throughout the country, the most famous of which is the story about Heilongjiang. Legend has it that there is a large river in the northeast called "Bailongjiang". There is a white dragon living in the river, which does many evil things all day long. The little black dragon "Bald Tail Old Li" broke out in a fierce battle with the white dragon in order to punish evil and promote good. When the white dragon came out of the water, the people threw lime blocks and stones into its mouth; when the little black dragon came out of the water, everyone threw steamed buns into its mouth. After several rounds, the little black dragon became more and more courageous as he fought, and the white dragon was split in half. Without the intrusion of the evil dragon, people lived and worked in peace and contentment. From then on, Bailongjiang was renamed Heilongjiang.
In fact, in civil society, dragons can be used to represent many things. For example, dragon veins refer to the trend of mountains and rivers; tornadoes refer to violent weather phenomena; "dragon raises its head" refers to an astronomical solar term, etc. People use "dragon" to represent various natural forces that are difficult to control by humans, and the various legends circulated are people's desire to conquer natural forces.
Children display dragon-shaped sugar paintings at the Baziqiao Square in Zhaoyang Street, Xinghua City, Jiangsu Province. Photo by Zhou Shegen
China News Service reporter: Why are Chinese people at home and abroad called "descendants of the dragon"? Why can the dragon become the cultural identity of the Chinese nation?
Shi Aidong:
The image of “Chinese dragon” needs to be placed in the context of cultural collision and exchange between China and foreign countries in order to highlight its symbolic significance. The Chinese people are called "Descendants of the Dragon", which is particularly evident in the song "Descendants of the Dragon". The national feelings and spirit presented in this song have greatly inspired the enthusiasm of Chinese people at home and abroad.
The song incorporates the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, as well as Chinese images such as black eyes, black hair, and yellow skin into the name of "dragon", defining every Chinese as a "descendant of the dragon", and also unites the Chinese people, including overseas Chinese. The consensus between sons and daughters echoes the requirements of the times when China rises and the dragon takes off. At that time, China was at a great turning point of reform and opening up, and needed some inspirational stories and songs to inspire people. This song sang people's resonance and pride for the "dragon".
The mecha art installation "Great Wall Dragon" was unveiled in Beijing's Old Summer Palace. The device combines "the Great Wall and the dragon" into one. Photo by Zhao Wenyu
The dragon is revered as a sacred animal in Chinese culture and is endowed with beautiful meanings such as good luck, might, fearlessness, harmony, wisdom, and harmony between man and nature, reflecting the Chinese people's spiritual beliefs and cultural values. pursuit. With the evolution of history, the connotation of Chinese dragon culture is constantly enriched and developed.
Reporter from China News Service: Why can "dragon" become a symbol that symbolizes the spiritual temperament of overseas Chinese?
Shi Aidong:
In traditional Chinese culture, dragons are endowed with many beautiful meanings, and this cultural identity has also been taken overseas by the Chinese.
In the early days, the Chinese were mostly at the bottom of Western society and needed to stick together for warmth, so they relied more on a community. As the main symbol of this community, the dragon will naturally gain more recognition.
At the China Yuanling 2023 Traditional Dragon Boat Competition held in Yuanling County, Hunan Province, the performing team ran holding the "dragon flag". Photo by Yang Huafeng
The triangular yellow dragon flag (in 1862, the Qing Dynasty adopted the triangular yellow dragon flag as the official flag of official ships. The flag is yellow in color and triangular in shape). It is brightly colored, unique in shape, and easy to identify. It is an early identity symbol for overseas Chinese. Since then, the Chinese have used it as an identity symbol and it has been used to this day, mostly in festivals, god-seeking and other activities.
Overseas Chinese businessmen were the first to realize that Longqi was an "intangible asset." As early as the 19th century, before Qing officials were aware of the symbolic significance of the dragon flag, some businessmen selling Chinese products overseas had begun to borrow the triangular yellow dragon flag to promote their products. In order to mark the origin of their goods, many Chinese businessmen often fly dragon flags to attract customers. The dragon flag later gradually became a symbol for Chinese businessmen to engage in business activities and festivals.
The Huanglong flag was first used as an official identity mark by the navy of the Qing Dynasty. Later it became a trademark symbol for overseas Chinese businessmen to identify the origin of goods and to distinguish countries. It was further expanded into an identity mark for the Chinese. This transformation of symbolic meaning is the result of the continuous deepening of political, cultural and economic exchanges between China and foreign countries. At present, Chinese culture such as Chinatown, dragon dance, and dragon boats are all related to dragons, and dragons have become part of the Chinese identity and spiritual sustenance.
Interviewee profile:
Shi Aidong is director and researcher of the Folk Literature Research Office of the Institute of Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, professor of the School of Liberal Arts of the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and secretary-general of the Chinese Folklore Society. The main research directions are story science, rumor science, and scientific philosophy. He is the author of "The Invention of the Chinese Dragon", "The Rules of Stories", "Story Changes", "The Rules of the Nonsense of Stories", "Cultural Criticism from the Folklore Standpoint", etc.