The Chinese dragon (loong) differs utterly from the Western one: not a fire-breathing monster but an auspicious deity that summons clouds and rain, masters waters, and symbolises power and fortune.
Form: deer antlers, camel head, rabbit eyes, snake neck, fish scales, eagle claws, ox ears - a "nine-likeness" blend fixed in the Han dynasty and unchanged since.
Standing: emperors called themselves "sons of the true dragon" - dragon robes, thrones and seals marked imperial power; folk customs include the second-month-second-day haircut festival, dragon boat races and dragon lantern dances.
Idioms: wangzi-chenglong (hoping one child becomes a dragon, i.e. succeeds), longfei-fengwu (full of vigour), Ye Gong loving dragons (pretending to like what you fear).
Modern echoes: Olympic mascots, animation (Ao Bing of Nezha), brands all use the dragon; it is an international emblem of Chinese culture.
See it: the Nine-Dragon Walls of the Forbidden City and Beihai, dragon temples, and dragon dances at Spring Festival and Dragon Boat Festival.
Chinese call themselves descendants of the dragon. In Chinese culture the dragon is sacred and noble, completely different from the fire-breathing evil dragon of Western legend.
The Chinese dragon is nine-partite: horns of a deer, head of a camel, eyes of a rabbit, neck of a snake, belly of a clam, scales of a fish, claws of an eagle, paws of a tiger, ears of an ox. It combines many animals, an imagined divine beast.
Legend says dragons control clouds and rain, governing rivers, lakes and seas. Ancient farmers, fearing drought, worshipped the Dragon King for rain. Emperors called themselves true dragon sons of heaven, wearing dragon robes and sitting on dragon thrones.
Chinese feeling for the dragon shows in idioms: wang zi cheng long, hoping a child becomes a dragon, i.e. successful; long teng hu yue, full of vitality; hua long dian jing, the key finishing stroke; long ma jing shen, wishing good health and spirits.
Dragons appear in architecture, dress and art: dragon ridges on the Forbidden City roofs, dragon lantern dances at Spring Festival, dragon boat races at Dragon Boat Festival.
The zodiac also has the dragon. Dragon-born people are said to be imposing and talented. Of course, just tradition.
Many foreigners notice the difference when seeing the Chinese dragon for the first time. Western dragons are often evil, while Chinese dragons are auspicious, which is the wonder of culture. The same word carries different stories in different cultures.
Today the dragon also symbolises striving: tall buildings called dragon coil, grand bridges dragon soar, high-speed rail lines great dragons. Chinese hope to soar like the dragon.
When in China, watch a dragon dance, ride a dragon boat, or buy a dragon ornament. Remember: long, dragon, the most auspicious animal in Chinese hearts.
The dragon also enters place names: Heilongjiang, Longyan, Longmen... many Chinese places carry the dragon character. If your name holds a long, or you choose a Chinese name with dragon, Chinese friends will be impressed. Dragon years come every twelve years; when the next one arrives, buy yourself a little red ornament - the warmest blessing Chinese give to descendants of the dragon.
Whether you believe the zodiac or not, remember: in Chinese hearts the dragon stands for courage, strength and good fortune. May you also have dragon-horse spirit and full energy every day.
