![]() In colonial Hong Kong, a semblance of this cultural relevance was represented in the use of a dragon as part of the city’s coat of arms while under British rule.Ĭhinese dragons also differ from European dragons in that they are depicted as long and snake-like, with no wings. ![]() When China created its first national flag during the Qing dynasty, it was only natural that its main feature was a dragon. While imperial family members like princes were also allowed to bear this symbol on their robes and accessories, they would use a four-clawed dragon, while the mightier five-clawed dragon was reserved solely for the emperor. In imperial China, the only person allowed to use and wear motifs of this creature was the emperor, and thus, the dragon has always been used as a symbol of the royal family. You won’t find St George being praised or canonised in Asia for slaying a dragon! While typically stylised as powerful but also aggressive and rather malicious in European culture, Chinese and East Asian dragons are seen as highly auspicious, bringing about luck, windfall, and harmony. Possibly the most ubiquitous of all Chinese mythological creatures, the dragon has long been a revered symbol of power and luck. “Dragon Amid Clouds and Waves.” Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art (via Wikimedia Commons) ⇨ Dragon (龍) Here are a non-definitive round-up of Chinese mythical creatures and supernatural beings that are interesting to know about. While some such characters have become famous enough to have transcended cultural boundaries-many in the western world have heard of Sun Wukong the Monkey King (孫悟空), and the goddess of the moon Chang’e (嫦娥), for example-there are plenty of other less humanoid creatures just as important to Chinese culture, but whose stories are lesser-known to those outside East Asian cultural circles. ![]() Much of mythology revolves around exciting tales of heroic archetypes, villains, deities, and supernatural beings, designed to promulgate religious ideas or cultural values. Chinese folklore, legends, and stories are an amalgamation of ideas from Han Chinese culture, the Han predecessors known as Huaxia, Manchurian culture, Tibetan faith and mythology, Korean mythology, and many others besides. Last updated by Charlotte Ip.Īs can be expected from a civilisation with a long-standing history, Chinese mythology is far from monolithic and is the result of the integration and absorption of nearby cultures from different historical periods. Originally published by Catharina Cheung. ![]() Header images courtesy of Ryan Moulton and Danielle Barnes (via Unsplash) ![]()
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