Chinese Culture
The Significance of The Chinese Dragons
Chinese dragons are usually drawn as very snake-like with four legs and a very long body. Most dragons are associated with evil put Chinese dragons depict power that is not necessarily evil. The Chinese dragon is regularly found in Chinese art and folklore. The male Chinese dragon is a symbol of the male or yang and is thought to control the weather and rain.
Historically emperors were the only ones allowed to use the symbol of the dragon. Though as the world has progressed and governments changed the dragon as dropped out of sight. Dragons are frequently with war and aggression and China has been changed to using a Panda as a more peaceful symbol to present to the world.
Chinese dragons are associated with the lucky number nine as dragons are described using nine attributes. They have 117 scales with 81 Yin scales (9 x 9), positive essence, and 36 Yang scales (4 x 9), negative essence. As with dragons the number nine also belongs to emperor and the highest government officials would wear robes decorated with nine dragons.
As emperors could only use dragons, both emperors and dragons are also associated with the lucky number nine. Nine can be seen in the make up of dragons, as dragons can be described using nine attributes. The break down of their scales, 81 that are positive and 36 that are negative are factors of nine. The most important officials would wear robes decorated with nine dragons.
Besides controlling the weather the Chinese dragon is also part of the Chinese zodiac. It is thought that children born in the year of the dragon will posses many positive personality traits and therefore more births are recorded in dragon years then any other year. Beside the zodiac, the dragon is one of four celestial guardians and its figure is used in many Chinese New Year celebrations.
Dragons have many powers and can disguise itself as a silk worm or be as large as the universe. It can fly or hide in water and can be invisible or glow. It can also change water into fire and form clouds. It is unknown where the Chinese dragon originated from but it is thought that the dragon may be a stylized form of a crocodile. The ancient crocodile could sense air pressure and new when it was going to rain. As the dragon controls the weather and rain it is thought that this beginning of the dragon is true over other theories.