Dragon, the most famous mythological creatures in the world. The whole world has the legend of each. But it is undeniable that the Dragon of Chinese legend is most interesting. Could it be the snake-bodied flying creatures, horns and have claws that really exist?
In Europe, dragons are always represented as an evil creature. However, for the people of China, the dragon represents strength and power. Once the amount of respect for the Chinese to these creatures so that emperors who proudly wear gallant dragon image as their symbol.
For the Chinese, the dragon is one of four spiritual beings who have the highest respect. Three other creatures is the Phoenix, Qilin (Kirin) and Tortoise. But among all, the dragon is the most powerful.
1. He has a head like a camel2. Scales like a fish
Four types of dragons are probably smelling spiritual, but as I said above, there are about 100 other dragon's name.
In Europe, dragons are always represented as an evil creature. However, for the people of China, the dragon represents strength and power. Once the amount of respect for the Chinese to these creatures so that emperors who proudly wear gallant dragon image as their symbol.
For the Chinese, the dragon is one of four spiritual beings who have the highest respect. Three other creatures is the Phoenix, Qilin (Kirin) and Tortoise. But among all, the dragon is the most powerful.
Characteristics of the Dragon and the number 9
In Chinese mythology, the dragon has a very close relationship with the number "9". For example, the Chinese dragon actually has 9 characteristics that are a combination of other creatures.1. He has a head like a camel3. Horns like a deer
4. His eyes were like a stealth5. Ears like an ox
6. Her neck like a snake7. His stomach like oysters
8. Soles of his feet like a tiger9. And paws like a hawk.
In addition to nine characteristics, the dragon in Chinese mythology is called has 9 children who also have different characteristics.He also has 117 scales. 81 of them have the character of Yang (Positive) and 36 others have the character of Yin (Negative).
In general, the Chinese dragon has three or four claws on each foot. But China uses the symbol of royal dragon with five claws to show that the Emperor was not a normal dragon. This symbol became the exclusive symbol may only be used by the emperor. Anyone who dared to use the symbol of a dragon with five claws will soon be put to death.Four Types of Dragons
In Chinese literature, most are not found more than 100 names of different dragons. However, for convenience, Chinese Dragon usually classified into four types, namely:- Tien Lung or Sky Dragon who guarded the palace of the gods.
- Shen Lung or Spiritual Dragon who has power over the wind and rain
- Ti Lung or Earth Dragon who has power over water on the surface of the earth
- Fucang Lung or Earth Dragon underworld who guarded treasures in it.
Of the approximately 100 names, it is seen that the Chinese Dragon is actually not always associated with spiritual beings. Could be, the dragon is an animal that has a real physical.
Therefore, we must separate between the Spiritual Dragon by Dragon as a real animal.
Chinese Dragons and Cryptozoology
For example, Jiao Lung or Dragon Crocodiles. This species is not horned dragon and is called the leader of the animals water. Based on its name, it is possible that the dragon is a type of crocodile. The mention of this parallel as the Komodo Dragon is the name of the dragon to a giant reptilian creatures called dragons. This name clearly shows that the Chinese dragon does not always mean being fly-bodied snakes, horned, grouse and clawed.Another example is the Pan-Lung or Dragon Spiral. Dragon dwells in the lakes of this type and can not go up into the sky to become spiritual beings. Dragon of this type could be referring to the water creatures like snakes or eels. Examples are Oarfish (who live in the sea) that has enough unique characteristics that people often compare it with the Chinese dragon
There is a possibility that a similar creature sightings in the lakes Oarfish China has been regarded as the appearance of a dragon.
Then, there is Fei Lung aka Dragon Fly. This dragon has wings and ride the clouds and fog. Interestingly, this name is also used for the pterosaurs in the mandarin language. Lung Fei is probably the same type of dragon European dragon.
Dragon sightings in Chinese history
If some Chinese Dragon can be categorized into cryptid creatures, have no testimony about his appearance?The answer: There!
History of China was started thousands of years BC. During this period, its scholars to document any event within a neat records, including the events of dragon sightings in different places in China.
However, events that poured into it may have been interpreted based on the understanding of the Chinese nation and culture of the past so that some of the story sounds quite mystical. However, another story has similarities with the case of encounters with creatures cryptid.
One example of dragon sightings events recorded in the book Jiaxing Recording for the Regional Government which tells that in September 1588, a white dragon seen flying over the lake surface in the region Ping Pinghu, Zhejiang province. The light coming out of the white dragon is so light that illuminates some of the sky with a bright red color.
In another book, Recording for the Songjiang Regional Government, noted that 20 years after the appearance of a white dragon in the lake Ping, the white dragon is also seen similar flying over the Huangpu river in Songjiang, Shanghai. The dragon was seen in the month of July 1608. An eyewitness said she saw a god was standing at the head of the dragon.
Testimony about the existence of god who rides the dragon is an example of the testimony of an encounter with the dragon as spiritual beings. In addition, there are other witnesses who did not mention the existence of god or the flying dragon. These testimonies sounded very similar to the stories of cryptid sightings creatures in general. Below are some examples:
In the 24 th of the reign of Emperor Jian'an Dong Han dynasty (219 AD), a yellow dragon appeared in the river in the city of Chishui Wuyang and dwell there until nine days before he left. After that, the villagers built a temple there and a plaque was made as a tribute to the dragon.
In April of the year 345 AD, the emperor's first year of Yonghe, two dragons, one white and the other is black, appeared on the mountain Long. This makes the emergence of the dragon emperor Yan Murong of empire led some officials to the mountain to see these dragons. When I got there, they held a religious ceremony at a distance of 200 yards from both the dragon.
Hundreds of years later, in the same mountain, a dragon re-emerged. This event is recorded in the book History of the Yuan dynasty
"In July, the 27-year reign of the emperor Zhiyuan (1290 AD), a dragon appeared near the mountain Long Linxong area, Shandong province. The dragon was able to make a big rock floating in the air.
No further explanation of how the dragon makes a big rock that float.
Year 1162, a dragon was found dead in lake called Taibai. This dragon has a long tentacle with a large scale. His back is black while the belly is white. On the back there is a fin, whereas in the head there are two big horns. Because the creature out a bad odor, the resident and then cover it with a mat. Local authorities immediately ordered the procurement of Prayer ceremony at the site. One day after that discovery, the dragon carcass lost some where.
Other testimony noted by the book Lin'an Recording for the Regional Government which tells that in 1631, 4th year of the reign of Emperor Chongzhen, a dragon looks great on a lake in Yunnan province. Because of this occurrence, the lake was later given the name Yilong which means dragon mysterious lake. The name is still used today.
Other books, Amanded Recording of the Tang dynasty, noted the discovery of a dragon die of events in black on its territory Tongcheng. This incident occurred in the last year reign Xiantong emperor. Interestingly, this book provides a fairly detailed description of the dragon. Mentioned that the length of the dragon is about 30 meters where half of its tail. Dragon tail end of the flat, like fish scales and two horns on his head grow. Tentacle on the side of his mouth has a length of 6 meters. His legs were growing in his stomach has a layer of red. This description is very similar to the classic Chinese dragon picture.
Book Seven Books and Scriptures writing Ying Long dragon invention also recorded events that occurred in the last year reign Chenghua emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The dragon is found on the coast of Xinhui, Guangdong province. Fishermen who saw him beat the creature to death. The length of the dragon is about 10 meters and looks similar to the dragon in classical paintings. This story is quite strange because a fisherman who saw the dragon is generally not going to beat him to death, given the Chinese people have great respect for these creatures. Perhaps the creature was disturbing the fishermen, but we can not tell.
Books History for the Yongping Regional Government noted that in the spring of the 19th-reign of the emperor Daoguang (1839), a dragon is found on the riverbank in the area Laoting Luanhe. Dragon carcass was seen surrounded by flies and maggots. Local people then built a shelter to protect it from direct sunlight. They also poured cold water on his body. Legend says that three days later, the dragon back to life and walked away.
The incident involving the discovery of modern dragon is occurring in August 1944. A black dragon fell to the ground was reported in the village Weizi Chen family in the yard, about 9.4 miles northwest of Zhaoyuan area, easy way to the south of the river in Heilongjiang province. Black dragon was discovered in the lifeless condition. Eyewitnesses say this creature has horns on his head and scales that cover his entire body. The creature has a smell like fish that attract flies to surrounded him.
Of all the testimony, appeared one interesting question. If Dragon is mentioned in some of the testimony is a real animal, the animal does have a body like a snake, horned, footed and have a tentacle on the side of his mouth?
That's the mystery.
