Chinese dragon legends

 

Chinese dragon legends

 

A year whose AD year number is divided by 12 and the remainder is 8 is the Year of the Dragon. People born in the Year of the Dragon are born under the Dragon zodiac sign. Although the dragon is the only fictitious animal among the twelve zodiac signs, the Chinese people respect and fear it and have a special feeling. The status of the dragon is so high that no other animal can compare with it. In the hearts of the Chinese people, it is a A magical creature that can call for wind, rain, and soar into the clouds and mist.

The dragon is a miraculous animal in Chinese mythology that is good at change, can cause clouds and rain, and benefit all things. Legend has it that it can hide and appear, ascending to the sky in the spring breeze, and diving into the abyss in the autumn breeze. It can also stir up clouds and cause rain. It is the leader of all scale insects and the head of the four spirits (dragon, phoenix, unicorn, and turtle). It later became a symbol of imperial power. Emperors of all dynasties claimed to be dragons, and the utensils they used were also decorated with dragons. "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" records that Xia Houqi, Lingshou, Jumang, etc. all "ride the rain dragon". There are also secretaries such as "Zhuan Xu rides a dragon to the four seas" and "Emperor Ku rides a dragon in spring and summer". Ancient people divided dragons into four types: those with scales are called Jiaolong; those with wings are called Yinglong; those with horns are called horned dragons; and those without horns are called Chilong.

The emperor claimed to be the real dragon emperor, and the people themselves were the descendants of the dragon. People used their unlimited imagination to describe dragons as magical and great. They combined the images of various animals into one body, with the wildness of beasts, the understanding of humans, and the spirituality of gods. They also created many legends about dragons. These legends After folk processing and literati polishing, it becomes even more fascinating. People's psychology of respecting and loving dragons has been sublimated into a kind of worship. Perhaps, this is also the cultural factor why dragon became the zodiac sign.

For modern Chinese people, the image of the dragon is a symbol, a mood, and a flesh-and-blood emotion. Titles such as "descendants of the dragon" and "descendants of the dragon" often make people excited, energetic, and pride. In addition to being spread and inherited in the land of China, dragon culture has also been brought to all parts of the world by Chinese people who have traveled overseas. In Chinese residential areas or Chinese cities around the world, the most common and eye-catching ornament is still the dragon. Therefore, "Descendants of the Dragon" and "Kingdom of the Dragon" have also gained world recognition. Dragon is a unique cultural creation, concept creation and symbol creation of the Chinese people. "The spirit of the dragon" is a symbol of the Chinese nation, a symbol of China's five thousand years of great history, and the spirit of the rising great Chinese people who are diligent, brave, unyielding, boldly creative, honest and harmonious and stand among the nations of the world.

What are the legends about dragons?

The birth story of the dragon

 

It is said that in ancient times, there were many animals in the forest, and they were very ferocious. They often came out in groups to attack and devour humans, making it impossible for humans to live peacefully. When they couldn't bear it any longer, they had no choice but to send frequent calls for help to heaven, praying to God to punish those extremely cruel animals.

The Emperor of Heaven sympathized with the sufferings of mortals and immediately appointed God Liu Lang to inspect the mortal world to understand the real situation. God Rokuro went down to the mortal world and witnessed the scene of animals biting mortals, and felt that the problem was serious. If no rescue measures were found in time, humans would not be able to survive. He carefully drew a line to temporarily separate humans and animals, and then visited the people to collect opinions from all sides.

Everyone agreed that a "king" must be established among animals as soon as possible to control those animals that do whatever they want. Rokuro God accepted everyone's opinions and thought hard and came up with a clever plan: combine nine animals to form a new animal and name it "Dragon". He did as he was told, and he immediately started drawing endlessly on the cave wall.

First sketch out the snake body, then draw the camel's head, antlers, cow's mouth, fish scales, phoenix tail, and eagle claws. When I finish drawing the "lion's beard", I suddenly stop. He thought that the ninth "tiger eyes" could only be painted aside first, and on the 81st day of the month, he would recite a mantra and put the two "tiger eyes" on it, so that this thing would be more obedient in the future. When the eightieth day was approaching, a carpenter took an ax and an ink fountain to the deep mountains and forests to cut wood, and then went into a cave to rest.

I accidentally saw an animal pattern painted on the cave wall. I thought it was a very strange thing. Looking left and right, I saw that it was missing two eyes. He casually picked up the ink pen, imitated the "tiger eye" drawn by Rokuro God, and added it to the dragon's head. This time it was broken. The dragon on the cave wall twisted with its teeth and claws, spraying thick mist from its mouth, and the dragon's body was blazing with fire. Suddenly, a strong wind blew up, sand and rocks flew in the cave, and the dragon flew out like a bolt of lightning.

The carpenter lay on the ground, scared to death. As soon as they heard that the "king" dragon came out of the cave, those ferocious animals were already frightened and no longer dared to come out to eat people. From then on, people had safety guarantee and could work in the mountains and fields casually. However, after the dragon became the king of beasts, he became increasingly arrogant and did not listen to the orders of the God of Rokuro. He often flew into the sky to cause mischief and caused mischief. Sometimes it rained continuously, and there were often floods on the ground, and the people complained endlessly.

Later, it changed and there was an extra dragon. In anger, Rokuro God hid one in the clouds and continued to watch over the animals; the other was thrown into the East China Sea, preventing it from entering or exiting at will. People think that although the dragon has made a small mistake, its merits outweigh its faults after all, and they still regard it as a mascot. Therefore, they wear a dragon every year and festival, and travel from village to house, hoping for good weather and peace in the coming year. Good health.

 

Legend of Qinglong

 

China's four major mythical beasts include the green dragon, white tiger, red bird and Xuanwu. They represent different directions, seasons and elements, as well as different symbols and meanings. The green dragon represents the east and spring, the white tiger represents the west and autumn, the red bird represents the south and summer, and the basalt represents the north and winter. These four mythical beasts have a very important status and significance in traditional Chinese culture. They are widely used in architecture, culture, art and other fields, and have become one of the treasures of Chinese culture.

The green dragon is a mythical beast in traditional Chinese culture. It is considered the head of all things and represents power, nobility, heroes and other symbols. In the sixty-four hexagrams, Qinglong represents heaven, heaven, Yang, Qian, gentleman, father, eldest son, ancestors and power. The six lines of green dragon represent success, authority, victory, leadership, power, etc.

The Qinglong is thousands of miles long, green in color, with five claws and five horns on its head. It can fly and symbolizes the power and luck of the East. It also represents spring and the attribute of wood, and can control the moisture of rain. Legend has it that the green dragon was given spiritual power by Fuxi's daughter Chang'e. The green dragon is very smart. Its cry can change the atmosphere of nature and make the earth more prosperous.

The green dragon is considered to be the mount of the Emperor of Heaven. It is transformed from a mythical beast in the mythical "Yuqing Cave in Kunlun Mountain". In the hearts of ancient people, the green dragon is a mysterious, sacred, noble and magical animal. Not only that, it is also a mythical beast that symbolizes strength, power and wealth, and is a symbol of the great power of the emperor.

Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor's daughter married Dayu and met Qinglong on the road. Qinglong provided his daughter with a lot of advice and guidance about Dayu, and ultimately helped her achieve righteousness with Dayu.

Legend has it that Qinglong and Xuanwu once had a fierce battle. At that time, their power was equal, and every change and attack shocked the whole world. In the end, Qinglong won the victory in a tenacious battle and obtained the first position among the Five Elements. Xing Tian is an arrogant man who wants to seize Qinglong's power. However, Qinglong showed great strength and finally defeated Xingtian.

Among the four major mythical beasts in China, the Qinglong is the most numerous and is usually divided into four: East Qinglong, South Qinglong, West Qinglong, and North Qinglong. Each blue dragon has its own specific mission. For example, the east green dragon is the god of guardianship, the south green dragon is the god of wealth, the west green dragon is the god of war, and the northern green dragon is the god of disaster.

Qinglong and Baihu are good friends. One day, Bai Hu lost his vitality because of his love and enthusiasm. In order to save the white tiger, Qinglong decided to go to the divine world in the sky to save it. He got help from the gods in the divine world and finally succeeded in rescuing White Tiger.

In ancient China, many emperors claimed that they were descendants of the Azure Dragon, and they often chose to ride the Azure Dragon to show their authority. The most famous among them is Liu Bang during the Han Dynasty, and his closest general "Liu Bei" also once rode a blue dragon.

 

The Yellow Emperor ascended to heaven on a dragon

 

In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor was a very wise king. He once defeated the invader Chi You for the survival of the nation. The era of the Yellow Emperor was also a period of great inventions in ancient history. Boats and carriages, calendars, arithmetic, music, etc. were all invented in this era. In his later years, Huangdi invented the tripod. When the first tripod was cast, a dragon suddenly flew down from the sky. The dragon had majestic eyes and long, shining silver whiskers. The whole dragon body was gleaming with golden light. When it came, it seemed to bring all kinds of things. Horses of gold forged covered the entire sky.

The Yellow Emperor and his ministers were all shocked. The dragon slowly approached the Yellow Emperor, its eyes became very gentle, and suddenly said to the Yellow Emperor: "The Emperor of Heaven is very happy to see that you have made Chinese civilization take another step forward, so he specially sent me to guide you." You ascend to heaven to meet the Emperor of Heaven."

When the Yellow Emperor heard this, he nodded, stepped on the dragon's back, and said to the ministers: "The Emperor of Heaven is going to summon me. Please take care of yourself. Goodbye."

"Please let us follow you!" After the ministers said this, they rushed up, hoping to climb on the dragon's back and follow the Yellow Emperor. But the dragon twisted its body and threw those people down.

The golden dragon quickly flew into the sky with Huangdi on his back and disappeared into the clouds. The ministers had no choice but to watch Huang Di ascend into the sky.

A minister looked at the sky and said thoughtfully: "Not everyone can go up there! Only great people like the Yellow Emperor are qualified!"

In order to commemorate this emperor, later people called the place where the Yellow Emperor ascended to heaven "Ding Lake".

 

Carp leaping over the dragon gate

 

The floods of the Yellow River are dredged to the northwest of Hejin in Shanxi Province and the northeast of Hancheng in Shaanxi Province. They are divided across both banks of the Yellow River. The shape of the cliff is like a gate. The flood will eventually be channeled. This gully is called Yumen. The carps living in the Yellow River were washed out of Yumen and suddenly fell out of a waterfall more than ten feet deep. The carps could not go upstream and return to their hometown, so the carps asked Dayu and his wife for help.

Tu Shannu smiled and said: "I will ask the Jade Emperor to tell me. Those who can leap up the gap will immediately turn into flying dragons and soar into the sky. Those who fall and break their foreheads and gills can only blame themselves for being born ordinary, so don't make trouble." "

From then on, every late spring, countless golden carp followed the Yellow River upstream, gathered at the foot of Yumen, and jumped with all their strength. Occasionally, those who jumped past turned into blue dragons and soared into the sky. The Yumen that transformed into a dragon and ascended to heaven is called "Dragon Gate", which means "one leap from the Dragon Gate, one's worth will be a hundred times greater".

As a result, the carps all want to jump over the dragon gate. Because as long as they jump over the dragon gate, they will transform from ordinary fish into otherworldly dragons. However, the gantry was too high. They were all exhausted and bruised from the fall, but few carp could jump over. Together they asked the Dragon King: "Your Highness, please lower the Dragon Gate a little! If the carp can't jump over it, isn't this Dragon Gate just in vain?"

When the Dragon King refused, the carps knelt in front of the Dragon King and refused to get up. They knelt for ninety-nine and eighty-one days, and the Dragon King was finally moved and agreed to their request.

The carps jumped over the dragon gate easily one by one and turned into dragons happily. Soon, the carps who became dragons discovered that everyone had become dragons, which was no different from when everyone was not a dragon. So, they went to the Dragon King together and expressed their doubts.

The Dragon King smiled and said: "The real dragon gate cannot be lowered. If you want to find the feeling of a real dragon, you should jump to the dragon gate that does not lower its height."

 

Ye Gong loves dragons

 

In the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a man named Ye Gong who liked dragons very much. Dragon patterns are carved on the roof beams, pillars, doors and windows of his house, and dragons are also painted on the walls. Legend has it that the real dragon in the sky was very moved after knowing this. He made a special trip to Ye Gong's house, put his head into the house through the window, and laid his tail across the living room. When Ye Gong saw it, he was so frightened that his face turned pale, and he ran away with his head in his hands. Turns out he doesn't really like dragons. What he loves is the fake dragon, but what he fears is the real dragon.

 

Eight Immortals fighting against flowers and dragons

 

Legend has it that one day the Eight Immortals were going to visit Penglai Island in the East China Sea. Originally, it could be reached in the blink of an eye through the clouds and mist, but Lu Chunyang was ingenious and proposed to cross the sea by boat to enjoy the sea view.

He took Tieguai Li's crutch and threw it into the sea. He shouted "change" and it suddenly turned into a spacious and beautiful dragon boat. Eight immortals sat on the boat to watch the scenery, drink and sing, and it was very lively. Unexpectedly, this caused trouble.

It turns out that there is an evil dragon with flower scales in the Dragon Palace, who is the seventh son of the Dragon King and is called the "Flower Dragon Prince". On this day, he had nothing to do and was wandering outside the Crystal Palace. Suddenly he heard the sound of fairy music on the sea, so he followed the sound and saw a carved dragon boat with eight strange-shaped immortals in it. Among them was a young girl, Tao. The face is apricot and the cheeks are so charming. When Prince Hua Long saw this celestial figure, his soul disappeared.

Prince Hualong has long forgotten the advice of his master, the Antarctic Immortal, and the teachings of the Dragon Queen Mother. He has had wild imaginations and is obsessed with He Xiangu. The Eight Immortals were having fun on the sea, but how could they expect that the Flower Dragon Prince was blocking their way? A wave suddenly arose in the calm sea and overturned the carved dragon boat.

Zhang Guolao had sharp eyes and climbed onto the donkey's back; Cao Guojiu was careful and skilful on his feet; Han Xiangzi put down his fairy flute and used it as a mount; Han Zhongli opened the cattail leaf fan and stung the soles of his feet; Lan Caihe clung to the edge of the flower basket; Iron Guaili lost his crutch, but luckily he was holding a gourd; only Lu Chunyang was unprepared and got soaked all over.

At this time, Han Zhongli hurriedly checked the number of people. Click here, click here, there are only seven immortals. All the men are there, but He Xiangu is missing. Strange, where did He Xiangu go?

Han Zhongli counted with his fingers and was shocked. It turned out that Prince Hualong blocked the road and snatched He Xiangu to the Dragon Palace. This time, the immortals were very angry. Everyone gnashed their teeth and rushed straight to the Dragon Palace with murderous intent.

Prince Hualong knew that the Seven Immortals would not give up, so he was already waiting for him halfway. Seeing the ferocious coming of the immortals, he hurriedly waved the pearl fish flag, mobilized the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, and set off a huge tide that flooded the sea and flooded the seven immortals.

Han Zhongli, with his big belly bulging out, floated down the tide and gently fanned the cattail leaf fan. Just hearing the sound of "Woo...suddenly...", a gust of wind blew all the soldiers and crab generals thousands of feet high into the sky.

The four heavenly kings were so frightened that they quickly closed the Nantian Gate. When Prince Hualong saw that Han Zhongli had broken his formation, he hurriedly wiped his face and shouted "Change". Suddenly a huge whale emerged from the sea and opened its mouth like a floodgate to swallow Han Zhongli.

Han Zhongli hurriedly fanned the cattail fan, but unexpectedly, the giant whale showed no fear and opened its mouth wider and wider. At this time, Han Zhongli was panicked. In the midst of the crisis, the sound of Han Xiangzi's fairy flute suddenly came.

The sound of the flute was melodious and sweet. After hearing this, the whale lost all fighting spirit and started singing and dancing to pay homage to Han Xiangzi. Gradually, his whole body went limp and he collapsed into a ball. Lu Chunyang swung his sword to kill the whale. Unexpectedly, sparks flew out and the sharp sword made a gap.

If you look carefully, you can see that there is no whale in front of you. It is clearly a big rock. Lu Chunyang was so angry that he was furious, but Tieguai Li smiled and said: "Don't be angry! Don't be angry! I'll take care of it!"

I saw Tieguai Li waving to the sea, and its crutch rushed out of the sea with a "swish". Tieguai Li took it in his hand and struck it with his stick, but unexpectedly it hit him in a pile of soft flesh. It turned out that the reef had turned into a big octopus, and the crutches were entangled in the octopus's hands and feet.

If Lan Caihe's flower basket hadn't covered him, Tieguai Li would have been sucked into the octopus's belly. It turns out that the giant whale and octopus were both transformed by the Flower Dragon Prince. At this time, he saw a flower basket coming over his head, and hurriedly turned into a sea snake and fled eastward. Zhang Guolao clapped his hands to call the donkey, and then chased him with his hooves.

Just as he was about to catch up, the donkey was bitten by the crab spirit, and he screamed wildly, throwing Zhang Guolao off the donkey's back. Fortunately, Uncle Cao Guo was quick-sighted and rescued Zhang Guolao and killed the crab spirit.

The Hualong Prince's eyes turned red in defeat, and he showed his true form, shining with colorful dragon scales, swinging his seven-branched dragon horns, spreading his sharp dragon claws, and pounced towards the immortals. The seven great immortals each showed their magic weapons and besieged Prince Hualong together. Hualong couldn't defeat the Seven Immortals, so he had to ask the Dragon King for help.

After hearing this, the Dragon King scolded Prince Hualong, and quickly sent He Xiangu away. After a hundred and five good words, the Eight Immortals still refused to give up. The Dragon King had no choice but to invite Master Guanyin of the South China Sea to make peace, and the turmoil finally subsided.

The Eight Immortals are no longer interested in visiting Penglai Island. Everyone blamed Lu Chunyang for causing trouble. Lu Chunyang said with a smile: "It's the fault of He Xiangu, why is she a woman and so beautiful!"

 

The finishing touch

 

Legend has it that there was a painter named Zhang Sengyao in ancient China. He painted four dragons on the wall of a temple. None of the four dragons had eyes. Someone asked him why he didn't draw eyes on the dragon. He said that if he drew eyes, the dragon would fly away.

The listener didn't believe it, but insisted on letting him draw it. Zhang Sengyao had no choice but to use a brush to put eyes on the dragon's head. Who knows, just after lighting the eyes of the two dragons, there was lightning and thunder in the sky, strong winds blew, heavy rain started, and the wall was shattered. The two dragons took off into the sky and flew into the sky, and the wall was shattered. There were only two dragons left without eyes.

 

Throw a stick and become a dragon

 

Legend has it that Fei Changfang in the Eastern Han Dynasty saw an old man selling medicine with a pot hanging up, and then he jumped into the pot. The next day, Fei went to visit him and joined him in the pot. He saw that the house was gorgeous and the food and wine were also very good. Fei then learned the Tao from the old man. Later, he rode the bamboo stick given by the old man home, threw the stick at Gepi, and turned into a dragon.

 

Dragon gives birth to nine sons

 

Legend has it that Ming Xiaozong ordered the central official to ask the cabinet because he couldn't figure out the names of Long's nine sons. Li Dongyang, the cabinet scholar at that time, received the emperor's "Royal Letter" and asked "the names of the nine sons of Longsheng". He seemed to remember seeing it in "miscellaneous books" when he was young, but he couldn't answer it in a hurry. He asked the editor Luo Qi. Luo Qi said that he had heard it from a teacher and could only remember five or six of them. So he asked the official Liu Ji. Liu Ji said that there was an old book at home, and "this statement was recorded on the book." When he took it out, it turned out that the names of "Nine Sons" were written on it, but it was not recorded in what book it came from, so there was no way to check it.

The emperor's inquiry could not be delayed for too long, so Li Dongyang had no choice but to "resume his life accordingly" and replied:

A dragon gives birth to nine sons, but they all have their own interests.

The imprisoned ox, a kind of dragon, was fond of music all his life. The beast carved on the head of the Huqin today is his portrait.

Yaizhen was fond of killing all his life, and the dragon swallowing his mouth on the handle of the sword is his portrait.

Chao Feng, a man who took risks all his life, and the beast in the corner of the palace is his portrait.

Pulao was fond of singing throughout his life, and the animal button on the bell today is his portrait.

Suanni was fond of sitting all his life, and the lion on the Buddha's seat today is his portrait.

Ba Xia was a heavy bearer throughout his life, and the animal foot on which the monument stands today is his portrait.

Bian was a litigious person in his life, and the lion's head on the prison door is his portrait.

Bixi was a good writer throughout his life, and the dragons on both sides of the monument are his portraits.

Chi Qi was fond of swallowing all his life, and the animal head on the spine of the present palace is his portrait.

 

Dragon is trapped in the shallows and is tricked by shrimps

 

An injured dragon was trapped on the shoal. At first, the shrimps were frightened by the giant creature and hid. However, after testing, they thought the dragon was nothing more than that, so the shrimps started teasing the dragon. An old turtle couldn't stand it and warned the shrimps about the future. There will be retribution, and sure enough, the dragon body recovered after three days. Before flying into the sky, he turned back and breathed fire, and a group of shrimps turned into pepper grilled shrimps.

 

The playful white dragon

 

Once upon a time, there was a white dragon who was very playful. Because the dragon's body was too long, playing in the water was not enjoyable, so it often turned into a fish, dived into the water, and swam leisurely in the water.

On this day, Bailong turned into a fish again and jumped into the river, swimming and playing in the water. A fisherman happened to come by. Seeing this unique fish, he quickly picked up an arrow and shot at it. But the arrow's edge was slightly deflected, and it only hit the fish (white dragon)'s eye.

"Oh! What a pity! If I had shot this fish, I would have sold it for a good price." The fisherman regretted and went elsewhere.

After the white dragon was shot in the eye, it couldn't help but became furious. It endured the arrow wound and jumped up to the sky to complain to the Jade Emperor.

"To the Jade Emperor, today I turned into a fish and went to play in the mortal river. Unexpectedly, I was shot in the left eye by a reckless fisherman. From now on, I will become a one-eyed dragon, which is detrimental to the dragon's appearance. Please The Jade Emperor punished the nasty fisherman."

After the Jade Emperor calmly listened to Bai Long's story, he instead blamed Bai Long and said: "Shooting fish is what a fisherman should do. What is there to punish? You have to debase yourself and turn a dragon into a fish." How can you blame others for causing such an unreasonable disaster?"

After hearing this, Bailong was still very angry in his heart, but since the Jade Emperor ruled like this, he did not dare to disobey the Jade Emperor's order and take revenge privately, so he had to admit that he was unlucky.