Above images: Dragon throne in Taihe Hall of the Forbidden City and detail showing coiled golden dragon.
Among the most famous of Chinese symbols is the dragon. Countless myths, art and architecture all feature this respected creature.Associated with abundance and blessing, dragons are considered helpful, wise, generous with their gifts and life giving (their breath is called “sheng chi” or “divine energy”). Dragons are symbols of both royalty and the natural world as some possess the power to make rain and control floods.
The anatomy of a Chinese dragon has nine characteristics as recorded by scholar Wang Fu of the Han dynasty (206 BC- AD 220). They have a camel’s head, a demon’s eyes, a cow’s ears, a deer’s horns, a clam’s belly, a snake’s neck, an eagle’s claws, a tiger’s paws and 117 carp scales.
Above: Ceiling in Taihe Hall of the Forbidden City above the throne showing a large coiled dragon with silvery pearl suspended from its mouth.
One dragon folktale originating from Borneo is the Kinabalu Dragon. The Chinese Emperor greatly desired a pearl guarded by the dragon and sent many men to retrieve it. Most of these men died, so the Emperor sent out his sons Wee Ping and Wee San instead. Wee San tricked the dragon by flying into the cave on a kite while it was out hunting. The dragon then chased the brothers’ ships and died swallowing a cannon ball, thinking it was the pearl. This was, again, Wee San’s idea.
Wee Ping felt left out and decided to take credit for everything since he wanted the pearl for himself. Wee San decided this lie wasn’t worth losing his family over so he left China. He became a prosperous ruler with a happy life. His brother, however, never knew true happiness.
Below: the Flaming Pearl sought by the Dragon Palace Museum Peking, by Weng and Boda (Abrams 1982)
No comments:
Post a Comment