Dragon Mystic

Author: Fran Black

While Europe’s shining knights spent their lives slaying dragons, the Chinese sought after and worshiped Eastern dragons as the most benevolent, wise, and generous of all creatures. Indeed, to be called “dragon face” was a great honor, and it was believed that emperors received counsel and aid from dragons in times of need.

A few emperors even proudly claimed to be direct descendants of dragons. Pairings between humans and dragons were thought possible, since dragons were capable of changing their shape and size to assume whatever form they desired.

Unlike the fierce western dragons who hoarded treasure and demanded virtuous young women as sacrifices, the dragons of Chinese legend showed tenderness toward humans, and even acted in their behalf many times, sometimes at great cost.

This is seen in one of the oldest legends about the Four Dragons. According to this legend, China once had no rivers. The people were dependent on the gods to send rain for their crops. (more…)

Image by ramon82 via Flickr

Author: Suzanne

The influence of symbolism in Vietnamese art has been in vogue since prehistoric times. One of the most supernatural of all creatures, dragons and fairies, symbolized various instances of Vietnamese art.

From the Dong Son civilization to the modern Nyugen Dynasty, the dragon motif has been used in various forms and shapes in sculptures, paintings, palaces, and different religious or architectural structures. The evolution of the dragon symbol portrayed the changing beliefs and culture of the people from time to time.

The Dong Son civilization (400BC to 200AD) saw the reptile version of the dragon, also known as the “Giao Long” dragon. This symbol was found etched on a number of bronze urns and weapon hatches.

The following period (Dai La) witnessed Vietnam under Chinese colonization from the first to the tenth century. This period had a profound impact on Vietnamese art. This is clearly evident from the decorative tiles found at Co Loa, where the Dai La dragon shows remarkable resemblance with its Chinese counterpart.

Vietnam breathed the air of independence with the dawn of the Ly Dynasty. This period can also be termed the ‘golden period’ for Vietnamese art as it reached the peak of excellence. Water dragons symbolizing the God of Rain found way into Vietnamese art during this period.

Some of the distinguishing features of this dragon in contrast to the Chinese creature were: thin and long body; undulated body contours of a serpent; small head with long whisker and mane and fine legs with small claws. The Chuong Son tower now showcases an extraordinary example of the Ly dragon carved on stone. (more…)

Cover of Reign of Fire

Author: John Hill

They fill the air with fire,
They soar above the tallest tower,
They glisten with emerald-scaled attire
They inspire awe and terror whenever they glower…Dragons!!

Dragons are more than just creatures of myth; they are beings of legend. They are even considered gods in some cultures. Dragons of ancient times garner fear and respect but dragons of modern times entertain and inspire the imagination.

Take a look at some of the more popular dragons of modern times:

Dragons in Movies

Dragonheart: Based on the concept that dragons were being hunted to extinction, this movie has heart. Literally. During this time, one lonely dragon was sought out to save the life of the king’s son. This noble dragon gave this young prince a piece of his dragon heart.

The problem was, with a dragon’s heart beating in his chest, he couldn’t die. This prince turns into one of the worst villains the world had ever known. He is eventually brought down when the dragon sacrifices himself to allow his dragon heart to die.

Dragons, in this film, are seen as noble, valiant creatures with true compassion.

Reign of Fire: This is one of those movies that does a splendid job of picturing dragons as vicious and hungry creatures. Twenty years after his mother inadvertently awakens a fire-breathing dragon, Fire Chief Quinn must do all he can to save the remaining human population from total eradication by the dragons. (more…)

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Naveen Marasinghe

The Feast of the Drunken Dragon has an interesting history. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, villagers of mainland China were attacked with a plague. They called upon the Buddha to protect them, by parading a large statue of the Buddha through village streets. During the procession, a python (believed to have been sent from heaven) blocked their way. A drunken monk is then said to have cut the python into three pieces, and dancing in glee, threw the pieces into the river.

The river water turned red from the python’s blood and then the python is said to have re-emerged from the river and flown in to the skies. This was assumed as a sacred omen, since the python was believed to be a sacred dragon sent from heaven. After this the villagers discovered that the weeds growing in the river had accrued certain medicinal values that could cure plague.

Since then, the Feast of the Drunken Dragon is celebrated in the Chinese cities of Macau, Zhuhai and Zongshan where people dance the ‘drunken dragon dance’, in processions, while drinking and spitting out Chinese rice wine. (more…)

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Jenny Lin

The mighty and magnificent Dragon of mythical folklore never ceases to enchant or stir the imagination. The Dragon is one of the four celestial animals and is important and powerful symbols in Feng Shui.

The Dragon represents the ultimate ‘Yang’ symbol, male vigor, courage and bravery. It is magnanimous and full of vitality and strength. Affiliated with the cardinal direction “East” based on Landscape Feng Shui, the Dragon becomes a very powerful and potent symbol when placed in this sector, although it can be placed in any other directions.

In Chinese culture and in Feng Shui, the dragon is the most auspicious and magnificent, mightiest and most sacred of all creatures and to be treated with great respect. Through generations, the dragon has been the ultimate symbol of power, abundance, good luck and honor. In ancient times, the Emperors of China regarded themselves as the Dragons and the symbol of Dragons can only be used by the them and no one else. (more…)

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Author: Fran Black

The Dragon has played an important part in myths and religions since pre-historic times. The history of dragons goes back at least six thousand years, and there are dragon tales and legends from every continent except Antarctica.

In almost every culture, and all throughout history, there are stories of these mythical and magical creatures called dragons. Different people have various theories of why so many cultures developed such a long lasting belief in dragons; however, none can actually be proven.

Many believe that dragons were what we now call dinausaurs. It may be that dragon stories partly grew out of people finding dinosaur bones. The thought is that when dragon bones were dug up later, they were given the new classification of dinosaur.

Many evolutionists believe that dinosaurs became extinct millions of years before man walked the planet, while others claims dispute this. It is said that dinosaur fossils, which have been discovered along with human footprints and remains, add proof to the ancient people’s history of dragons. Others feel that people forgot that dragons were ever real, and quickly faded into mythology.

In almost every culture and all throughout history there are stories of these magical creatures called dragons. Later, in Europe these dragons in art forms were thought to be real life animals rather than symbols of evil. (more…)

Image by chiaralily via Flickr

When we think of dragons, most of us imagine them as huge creatures that breathe fire. That is the image and concept that most people have of dragons.

There is a great deal of symbolism in the fire dragon, especially in Chinese culture. Calling someone a fire dragon means they move quickly from being calm and easy-going to furious and outraged. It means people tend to walk on egg shells around them because their moods are so unpredictable.

In Chinese history, the fire dragon is a very serious force to be reckoned with. That is represented by the people that fall into the behaviors of fire dragons. It is said in traditional Chinese culture that they are their own worst enemy.

Of all the dragons in Chinese literature, the fire dragon is the most dangerous. Fire dragons are dangerous not only to other people and the surroundings but to themselves as well. They tend toward self destruction.

In history and myths, it is the ability of a dragon to breath fire that makes it so mysterious and also so powerful. Breathing fire allows the dragon to ward off enemies and to protect itself.

Many people dream of being powerful enough to be able to cause their enemies to run for cover. That is why they may find they look up to the dragon and closely identify with it.

There is no evidence to suggest that fire dragons, or any dragons for that matter, actually existed. They are believed to be an image that developed from beliefs about or memories of snakes, dinosaurs, and even other smaller reptiles.

Yet this concept of the fire dragon has been passed down for centuries in cultures around the world. It is more prevalent in some cultures, of course, than  in others.

There is no shortage of books, artwork, and stories about fire dragons. Some of them portray fire dragons as mythical creatures that were very wise. Yet the dragons succumbed to the fears of the villagers. They also fell victim to various hunters who wanted to be recognized for destroying them.

In other stories, though, the fire dragon is portrayed as something evil and to be feared. There is definitely a mystery that still surrounds dragons, even today.

Image via Wikipedia

The Chinese dragon is a very common symbol in Chinese culture. It is often shown as a very long animal that is very similar to the form of a snake. Yet it has four legs, and feet with claws. It may be depicted with a very small flame be shooting from the mouth.

In the Chinese culture, the dragon is a very powerful symbol of strength. It is a common part of their celebrations, and the dragon is also one of the animals that their years are named after.

The Chinese do not believe that dragons once roamed the Earth, though. Instead dragons are a symbol of the mystical part of life that often cannot be explained.

In many of the early writings the Chinese dragon is believed to be the bearer of the water and the rain. This is why many of the traditional celebrations honor the dragon for what it has offered to the land.

There is material to suggest that the Chinese dragon was the official symbol of early Emperors. It is believed that this was done to remind people of the power that this person held. It also resulted in many of the people making art of dragons in order to honor their respect for the Emperor.

If you take a close look at many forms of early art work and architecture in China, you will see many detailed works of dragons. Many of them have been well preserved over the years as well. They want to be able to continue showing their respect to this type of creature.

For those Chinese people that get tattoo work done, the dragon is the most common. Males often want the dragon on their body as a symbol of strength and honor.

It is common for families of the same origin to have a particular dragon tattoo on them. This is a way to continue showing their pride in their heritage.

The dragon is still an important part of the Chinese culture. It is disrespectful to destroy anything with a dragon image on it.

They also have plenty of advertisements that include dragons. Of course, they only show them in the very best views. They do not allow disrespect of dragons to be shown in movies or films either.

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