Chinese/Japanese Dragons
Chinese dragon folklore is hugely different than European influenced dragons. The Chinese dragons are often associated as wise, beautiful, and friendly mythical beings, and many of the Chinese people believe that their ancestry actually directly relates back to dragons. Many temples and shrines have been built to honor them, and they usually are thought to control rain, seas, lakes, rivers, etc.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON
While there are people born in the year of the dragon, people often don't realize that each year has a different element that also influences the person's personality. Below are a list of the years associated with the different types of dragons.
1904 - Wood Dragon
1916 - Fire Dragon
1928 - Earth Dragon
1940 - Metal dragon
1952 - Water dragon
1964 - Wood Dragon
1976 - Fire Dragon
1988 - Earth Dragon
2000 - Metal Dragon
2012 - Water Dragon
Wood Dragon:
This type of dragon is creative and inquisitive. They are both a thinker and a doer, capable of imagining and making great new things. Their every move is guided by logic and their drive and ambition allow them to put many of their ideas into practice. However, they are very good at concealing their domination, and do their best not to offend. They are very outspoken and fearless when they feel threatened.
Fire Dragon:
Out of all the different kinds of dragons, the fire dragon is the most competitive and extroverted. They tend to expect a lot from everyone and push hard. However, their criticisms are usually objective, and they have the possibility to gain a massive support of followers. They also can be described and intolerant and short-tempered, and this is because of their insatiable ambition.
Earth Dragon:
A reflective and much more quiet dragon, who's appreciative of everyone's opinions even if they don't agree with them. They have a reasonable approach to theirs as well as others problems, causing their leadership skills much less dictatorial than the Fire Dragons'. They demand respect, and are ambitious but definitely more careful and cautious with their steps in getting to their goal.
Metal Dragon:
The most strong-willed dragon out of them all, who is inflexible and combative. There is little regard for other's in their thoughts or actions, and often destroy relationships with whomever they're with. They often succeed however, because they refuse to give up and be defeated, and often rise to very high authoritative figures.
Water Dragon:
Less opinionated and selfish than the other dragons, the Water Dragon is less-power hungry and far more inhibited. They can accept defeat without recriminations, and they're a great negotiator because they know how to and when to apply pressure on a person or situation. They tend to be over-optimistic.
While there are people born in the year of the dragon, people often don't realize that each year has a different element that also influences the person's personality. Below are a list of the years associated with the different types of dragons.
1904 - Wood Dragon
1916 - Fire Dragon
1928 - Earth Dragon
1940 - Metal dragon
1952 - Water dragon
1964 - Wood Dragon
1976 - Fire Dragon
1988 - Earth Dragon
2000 - Metal Dragon
2012 - Water Dragon
Wood Dragon:
This type of dragon is creative and inquisitive. They are both a thinker and a doer, capable of imagining and making great new things. Their every move is guided by logic and their drive and ambition allow them to put many of their ideas into practice. However, they are very good at concealing their domination, and do their best not to offend. They are very outspoken and fearless when they feel threatened.
Fire Dragon:
Out of all the different kinds of dragons, the fire dragon is the most competitive and extroverted. They tend to expect a lot from everyone and push hard. However, their criticisms are usually objective, and they have the possibility to gain a massive support of followers. They also can be described and intolerant and short-tempered, and this is because of their insatiable ambition.
Earth Dragon:
A reflective and much more quiet dragon, who's appreciative of everyone's opinions even if they don't agree with them. They have a reasonable approach to theirs as well as others problems, causing their leadership skills much less dictatorial than the Fire Dragons'. They demand respect, and are ambitious but definitely more careful and cautious with their steps in getting to their goal.
Metal Dragon:
The most strong-willed dragon out of them all, who is inflexible and combative. There is little regard for other's in their thoughts or actions, and often destroy relationships with whomever they're with. They often succeed however, because they refuse to give up and be defeated, and often rise to very high authoritative figures.
Water Dragon:
Less opinionated and selfish than the other dragons, the Water Dragon is less-power hungry and far more inhibited. They can accept defeat without recriminations, and they're a great negotiator because they know how to and when to apply pressure on a person or situation. They tend to be over-optimistic.
Stories, legends, myths
The most famous legend in China is the "Legend of the Four Dragons," and is told as a fairy tale. It goes like this:
Once there were no rivers, only a single sea, and that is where the dragons lived. There were four dragons: Yellow, Long, Eastern, and Pearl, served the Jade Emperor who lived in the heavens up high. The emperor was fond of the people on Earth as they worshiped and sang songs to honor the him when they received rain to water their crops. It was the job of the four dragons to watch over the people as they sailed and gathered fish from the sea, and they enjoyed doing so because they, too, loved the people. All was good until the Jade Emperor married the Fairy Queen. She quickly grew jealous of the time the Jade Emperor spent caring for the people of Earth and so she put him in a trance with her beautiful song so he could only pay attention to her. Many days passed, and the Emperor forgot to send rain to the people, and the land became withered and dry. The people feared that they had angered the Jade Emperor in some way, so they sang more songs and worshiped him, however he heard none because of the beautiful song his wife played. A young boy came to the sea and called out, "Oh Dragons! Can you not save us? Our crops are failing and we will soon all starve." The great four dragons listened to the boy and wondered why the Emperor no longer sent down rain. "Let us go ask for rain for the people," spoke Long, leaping towards the heavens, with the other three dragons not far behind. When the dragons entered the Emperor's court, they saw him listening to the song of the Queen. The Emperor was not pleased with the disruption in his beautiful song. "What is the meaning of this?! Should you not be in the sea taking care of the waters?" "Your Majesty, the crops are dying. We beg you to send rain before it is too late," pleaded Long. "Very well, I will send rain tomorrow. Now go back to the sea," the Emperor replied, with a wave of his hands, settling back into his throne to listen to the song. The four dragons bowed as they left, returning to the sea. Ten days passed, and still no rain was sent. The people had eaten all the grass and roots as well as their crops and were painfully skinny. The dragons felt sad, for no more did they hear the people sing out in joy. Only suffering reached their ears. The dragons decided they must do something to cover the Emperor's forgetfulness. “I see you have an idea. Out with it!” Yellow Dragon urged Long Dragon, “Quickly, time is scarce.” “Do we not have lots of water here in the sea?” Long Dragon questioned. “We can scoop it up and spray it towards the sky and let it fall upon the land.” The other dragons danced with joy at the idea of saving the people. "We will be punished if the Emperor finds out what we will do," the Long Dragon continued, his wise eyes staring out over the sea. "I will do anything to bring back joy and song to the people and silence the cries of sorrow," Yellow Dragon replied. Both Black and Pearl Dragon jumped into the sea, and gathered as much water as they could in their giant jaws, and sprayed it into the clouds. Long and Yellow Dragon quickly followed suit, and once the sea water filled the clouds, rain started falling. The people immediately started rejoicing, singing and laughing. High above the Earth, however, the Jade Emperor was angry. He sent for the dragons, and would not hear their pleas and apologies. He sent for four mountains, and placed each dragon on each of them, imprisoning them. The dragons decided that, wanting to only to do good for the people, they must uphold their new duty. They transformed themselves into four rivers that flowed from each of the mountains they were imprisoned. The rivers not only helped the clouds seed with water, but also each had a special purpose. In the far north, Black Dragon became the Heilongjian (Black River), which served as a border between China and Russia, keeping the people safe from invaders. Yellow Dragon’s water flowed across the middle of the country and became the Huanghe (Yellow River). The river brought many minerals down from the mountain enriching the soil for the growing of rice and many spice. In the lands to the South, Long Dragon became the Changjiang (Yangtze or Long River). The river was used as a quick way to travel, allowing the people to share crops and goods with those once too far away. In the South, Pearl Dragon flowed to the sea as the Zhujiang (Pearl River.) The River supplied water to the people in the south of the country. |