Middle Yandang Mountains or Zhong Yandang Shan ( Chinese : 中雁荡山 ; pinyin : Zhōng Yàndàng Shān ; lit. 'Middle Wild Goose Pond Mountain(s)') refers, in the broad sense, to a coastal mountain range in southeastern Zhejiang Province in eastern China, which is close to Yandang Mountains , and both of them are parts of Yandang Ridge. It is said that people found that there was a lake in the top of the mountain, which was covered with reeds. And many wild geese lived there. Therefore, it is called "Yandang". It is historically called "the Best Mountain in Southeastern China". Comparing to Yandang Mountains, it seems like a religious interest rather than a geographic interest, which does not mean that Yandang Mountains are much better than Middle Yandang Mountains when it comes to natural landscape, but the latter is unique because of the religion. With cool climate and convenient traffic, as well as palatable sea food, it has been affirmed as one of the best ten summer resort in Zhejiang Province . It is said a Taoist priest, who believed in Taoism, came here and built a temple.
83-445: The history of Yandang Mountains is quite long. The time when human first went here and built their house could be traced back to Southern and Northern Dynasties. However, when it comes to Middle Yandang Mountain, it was Song dynasty when the chin-shih Li Shao-he (Chinese: 李少和) first came here and built a Taoism Temple. Then more and more people came here because of the fame of Li Shao-he and religious ethos. In modern China, to facilitate
166-427: A flaming pearl under their chin or in their claws. The pearl is associated with spiritual energy, wisdom, prosperity, power, immortality, thunder, or the moon. Chinese art often depicts a pair of dragons chasing or fighting over a flaming pearl. Chinese dragons are occasionally depicted with bat-like wings growing out of the front limbs, but most do not have wings, as their ability to fly (and control rain/water, etc.)
249-685: A zoomorphic composition in reddish-brown stone have been found at the Chahai site (Liaoning) in the Xinglongwa culture (6200–5400 BC). The presence of dragons within Chinese culture dates back several thousands of years with the discovery of a dragon statue dating back to the fifth millennium BC from the Yangshao culture in Henan in 1987, and jade badges of rank in coiled form have been excavated from
332-448: A beautiful landscape. They depicts the landscape and express their aspirations and feelings by it. In Middle Yandang Mountains, many poets left their opus, like Xie Lingyun and Wang Shi-peng . In 422 A.C, Xie was sent to Yongjia County as prefecture chief. One day, he came to the root of Middle Yandang Mountains and inspected the farms. At that time, he was attracted by the landscape and wrote, "The far embankment lies thousands of miles,
415-471: A creature that likes to drink water, and is typically used on bridge structures. The oldest known attestation of the "children of the dragon" list is found in the Shuyuan zaji ( 菽園雜記 , Miscellaneous records from the bean garden ) by Lu Rong (1436–1494); however, he noted that the list enumerates mere synonyms of various antiques, not children of a dragon. The nine sons of the dragon were commemorated by
498-426: A crocodile. A demon's eyes. The neck of a snake. A tortoise's viscera. A hawk's claws. The palms of a tiger. A cow's ears. And it hears through its horns, its ears being deprived of all power of hearing". He notes that, "Others state it has a rabbit's eyes, a frog's belly, a carp's scales". Chinese dragons were considered to be physically concise. Of the 117 scales, 81 are of the yang essence (positive) while 36 are of
581-616: A dragon. During the Tang dynasty , emperors wore robes with dragon motif as an imperial symbol, and high officials might also be presented with dragon robes. In the Yuan dynasty , the two-horned, five-clawed dragon was designated for use by the Son of Heaven or emperor only, while the four-clawed dragon was used by the princes and nobles. Similarly, during the Ming and Qing dynasty , the five-clawed dragon
664-562: A few people planting indigo. Indigo also can be used as an ingredient of medicine, especially its root. In 2003, when SARS was spreading widely in China, the root of indigo has been made as a medicine called Isatis (Chinese: 板蓝根) There are seven scenery spots in Middle Yandang Mountains, including Yu-zhen Peak, Three Lakes, West Waterside, East Waterside, Phoenix Mountain, Yang-ba Hole and Liu-Gong Valley. Yu-zhen Peak
747-600: A head resembling a boar . The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang dynasty . A snake-like dragon body painted on red pottery wares was discovered at Taosi (Shanxi) from the second phase of the Longshan Culture, and a dragon-like object coated with approximately 2000 pieces of turquoise and jade was discovered at Erlitou. Chinese literature and myths refer to many dragons besides
830-498: A lifelong Buddhist practice. Furthermore, the family estate itself was a scenic wonder. Located in Shining ( 始寧 ) (modern Shangyu township, Shaoxing prefecture, Zhejiang province—but administered and named differently then), the estate had been carefully chosen by his grandfather, the successful general, both for esthetics of beauty and its seclusion, who then planned and laid it out according to his wishes. The estate included
913-510: A peasant born with a dragon birthmark who eventually overthrows the existing dynasty and founds a new one; another legend might tell of the prince in hiding from his enemies who is identified by his dragon birthmark. In contrast, the empress of China was often identified with the Chinese phoenix . Worship of the Dragon god is celebrated throughout China with sacrifices and processions during
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#1732786619342996-462: A plant used to dye clothing, which could make the cloth blue. It has been regarded as an ingredient of dye for a long time. In Encourage Learning , an article of Xunzi , indigo was mentioned as a metaphor that students will be better than teachers. (Chinese: 青出于蓝而胜于蓝) In 1940–1956, the output of indigo continued to increase. However, after that time, with the importation of foreign dye, the production of indigo has been decreased. Nowadays, there are only
1079-424: A significant hill to the north, upon which was the family homestead, and there was a matching hill to the south, each hill replete with its craggy cliffs and cascading streams: and, in between the two hills stood a lake. The family home on the northern hill had been terraced and developed with well-planned and situated orchards, gardens, walking paths, and ornate pavilions, all done with a mind to preserve and increase
1162-559: A state symbol in Vietnam. During the Nguyễn dynasty , the dragon was featured on the imperial standards. It was also featured on the coats of arms of the State of Vietnam , and later South Vietnam . The ancient Chinese self-identified as "the gods of the dragon" because the Chinese dragon is an imagined reptile that represents evolution from the ancestors and qi energy. Dragon-like motifs of
1245-674: A step in general Liu's career, later on he would overthrow the Eastern Jin dynasty and establish the Liu Song dynasty, as Emperor Wu. The Xie family backed an alternative general, and the factional intrigues went on for years, before and after the eventual triumph of the Liu as the Liu Song dynasty. Liu Yu gained more and more power, at the expense of the Xie and the other old families, but at first
1328-404: A tiger, his ears those of a cow. Upon his head, he has a thing like a broad eminence (a big lump), called [ chimu ] ( 尺木 ). If a dragon has no [ chimu ], he cannot ascend to the sky. Further sources give variant lists of the nine animal resemblances. Sinologist Henri Doré [ fr ] lists these characteristics of an authentic dragon: "The antlers of a deer. The head of
1411-422: A way through the more densely vegetated areas: Xie Lingyun is also famed for having invented and used a type of wooden boots with spikes which he could remove or adjust depending on whether he was on level ground or on an up or down slope. His poems from this period made it to the capital city where they were popularly read, and the poems from his Shining period remain among his long lasting accomplishments. Some of
1494-524: Is a peak like a post which highs about 200 meters, and next to it is Jade Screen Peak (Chinese: 玉屏峰), which is similar to the Chinese folding screen. East Waterside is also a valley which lasts 3.5 kilometers long. According to County Annals of Yue Qing , it is said that at the southeast of Yu-zhen Peak, there is a place called East Waterside, including a river called East Dragon Street (Chinese: 东龙街 ), six ponds where Mei-yu Pond (Chinese: 梅雨潭 ), Hong-jing Pond (Chinese: 渹井潭) and Zhong Pond (Chinese: 钟潭) are
1577-404: Is a symbol of Buddhism while others are all important images of Taoist culture. Liu-gong Valley also lies on the periphery of Middle Yandang Mountains. In 1132, the county magistrate of Yue Qing County organized workers to dig a canal and build the dykes and dams, which solved the flood and protect the benefits of citizens. To memorize him, people call the valley Liu-gong Valley. It is said that in
1660-401: Is a valley with an approximately 200 meters' river and the bottom of river is flat and yellow, which is similar to the appearance of Chinese dragon . Thus, it is called Dragon Street (Chinese: 龙街). In this area, Bai-zhang Peak (Chinese: 百丈峰), Jade Screen Peak (Chinese: 玉屏峰), Rock Door (Chinese: 石门) and Rock Door Waterfall (Chinese: 石门瀑) become the main elements of the scenery spot. Bai-zhang Peak
1743-469: Is allusive and complex, with possible Buddhist influence. Xie was influenced by a tradition of fu -style poetry, or literature. The Fu tradition often included eloquent descriptions of the beauties of nature; indeed, Xie himself wrote his renowned " Fu on returning to the Mountains" in this style: however, Xie's breakthrough was to distill the essence of this type of Fu and adapt and compress it into
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#17327866193421826-480: Is associated with the Yangshao culture shows a large dragon mosaic made out of clam shells. The Liangzhu culture also produced dragon-like patterns. The Hongshan culture sites in present-day Inner Mongolia produced jade dragon objects in the form of pig dragons which are the first 3-dimensional representations of Chinese dragons. One such early form was the pig dragon. It is a coiled, elongated creature with
1909-401: Is mystical and not seen as a result of their physical attributes. This description accords with the artistic depictions of the dragon down to the present day. The dragon has also acquired an almost unlimited range of supernatural powers. It is said to be able to disguise itself as a silkworm , or become as large as our entire universe. It can fly among the clouds or hide in water (according to
1992-599: Is the main peak of the scenery spots and regarded as the totem of Middle Yandang Mountains. It seems that Yu-zhen Peak is quite high although the absolute elevation is just approximately 568 m. At the top of the mountain, there is a Taoism Temple there, which is built by chin-shih Li Shao-he. The main part of the mountain is rock and the Taoism Temple lies here, local people also call it Taoist Priest Rock . Thanks to wide rock walls, artists and litterateurs created their work here so that there are many lithographs . Except
2075-524: Is thought that each animal is associated with certain personality traits. Dragon years are usually the most popular to have children. There are more people born in Dragon years than in any other animal years of the zodiac . The Azure Dragon is considered to be the primary of the four celestial guardians , the other three being the Vermilion Bird , White Tiger , Black Tortoise . In this context,
2158-410: The shi more purely poetic form. Hailed as the progenitor of the Chinese landscape poetry genre ( shanshui poetry ), the reputation of Xie Lingyun as a great poet remains secure, as it has for over a thousand years. The Wangchuan ji by Wang Wei and Pei Di which describes the landscape features of Wang's estate near Chang'an particularly shows the influence of Xie Lingyun's poetry describing
2241-650: The Duke of Kangle (康樂公) was one of the foremost Chinese poets towards the end of the Southern and Northern Dynasties and continued in poetic fame through the beginning of the Six Dynasties , so Xie is also considered to be part of the Six Dynasties poetry era. Xie Lingyun was a descendant of two of the most important families of the later Eastern Jin times, the Xie and the Wang families. His paternal grandfather
2324-563: The Guanzi ). It can form clouds, turn into water, change color as an ability to blend in with their surroundings, and be an effective form of camouflage or glow in the dark (according to the Shuowen Jiezi ). In many other countries, folktales speak of the dragon having all the attributes of the other 11 creatures of the zodiac, this includes the whiskers of the Rat , the face and horns of
2407-685: The Hongshan culture c. 4700 –2900 BC. Some of the earliest Dragon artifacts are the pig dragon carvings from the Hongshan culture. The coiled dragon or snake form played an important role in early Chinese culture. The character for "dragon" in the earliest Chinese writing has a similar coiled form, as do later jade dragon amulets from the Shang period. Ancient Chinese referred to unearthed fossil bones as " dragon bones " and documented them as such. For example, Chang Qu in 300 BC documents
2490-467: The Kētos as Chinese dragon appeared more reptilian and shifted head-shape afterwards. Chinese dragons are strongly associated with water and weather in popular religion. They are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas. The Dragon god is the dispenser of rain as well as the zoomorphic representation of yang, the masculine power of generation. In this capacity as
2573-578: The Manchus initially considered three-clawed dragons the most sacred and used that until 1712 when it was replaced by five-clawed dragons, and portraits of the Qing emperors were usually depicted with five-clawed dragons. In works of art that left the imperial collection, either as gifts or through pilfering by court eunuchs (a long-standing problem), where practicable, one claw was removed from each set, as in several pieces of carved lacquerware , for example
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2656-933: The Ox , the claws and teeth of the Tiger , the belly of the Rabbit , the body of the Snake , the legs of the Horse , the goatee of the Goat , the wit of the Monkey , the crest of the Rooster , the ears of the Dog , and the snout of the Pig . In some circles, it is considered bad luck to depict a dragon facing downward, as it is seen as disrespectful to place a dragon in such a manner that it cannot ascend to
2739-539: The Qinghai Lake and beyond), and the North Sea (sometimes seen as Lake Baikal ). Because of this association, they are seen as "in charge" of water-related weather phenomena. In premodern times, many Chinese villages (especially those close to rivers and seas) had temples dedicated to their local "dragon king". In times of drought or flooding, it was customary for the local gentry and government officials to lead
2822-772: The Bai-shi town and faces to Yu-zhen Peak. People regard it as the reflection of Yu-zhen Peak. There are tens of peaks here, including Hawk-mouth Peak (Chinese: 鹰嘴岩), Chuan-bi Peak (Chinese: 穿鼻岩), Ban-zhang (Chinese: 板障岩) and so on. Yang-ba Hole (Chinese: 杨八洞) is a place built with Taoist style and was seen as the Nineteenth Cave of the country according to Taoism Book named Yun Ji Qi Qian (Chinese: 云笈七签). There are eight caves here, including Bao-guang (Chinese: 宝光), Guan-yin (Chinese: 观音), Tou-tian (Chinese: 透天), Tou-hai (Chinese: 透海), Long-gun (Chinese: 龙滚), Ba-xian (Chinese: 八仙), Hun-yuan (Chinese: 混元), Yu-chan (Chinese: 玉蟾). Guan-yin
2905-690: The Chinese dragon have different preferences; in Mongolia and Korea, four-clawed dragons are used, while in Japan , three-clawed dragons are common. In China, three-clawed dragons were popularly used on robes during the Tang dynasty. The usage of the dragon motif was codified during the Yuan dynasty, and the five-clawed dragons became reserved for use by the emperor while the princes used four-clawed dragons. Phoenixes and five-clawed two-horned dragons may not be used on
2988-475: The Jin dynasty (266–420), a literary celebrity named Ruan-fang (Chinese: 阮放) has lived in seclusion and Wang Xizhi (Chinese: 王羲之 ) came here to visited him. Therefore, many poets and calligraphers visited here and left their work. Here are more photos about Middle Yandang Mountains. Xie Lingyun Xie Lingyun ( Chinese : 謝靈運 ; Wade–Giles : Hsieh Ling-yün ; 385–433) and also known as
3071-420: The Ming dynasty emulated the Yuan dynasty rules on the use of the dragon motif and decreed that the dragon would be his emblem and that it should have five claws. The four-clawed dragon would be used typically for imperial nobility and certain high-ranking officials. The three-clawed dragon was used by lower ranks and the general public (widely seen on various Chinese goods in the Ming dynasty). The dragon, however,
3154-523: The Nine Offspring of the Dragon ( 龍生九子 ), and subsequently these feature prominently in popular Chinese stories and writings. The scholar Xie Zhaozhe [ zh ] (1567–1624) in his work Wu Za Zu Wuzazu [ zh ] (c. 1592) gives the following listing, as rendered by M. W. de Visser: A well-known work of the end of the sixteenth century, the Wuzazu 五雜俎 , informs us about
3237-547: The Shanghai Mint in 2012's year of the dragon with two sets of coins, one in silver, and one in brass. Each coin in the sets depicts one of the 9 sons, including an additional coin for the father dragon, which depicts the nine sons on the reverse. It's also a Chinese idiom, which means among brothers each one has his good points. Originally, early Chinese dragons are mostly depicted with three claws, but they can range from two to five claws. Different countries that adopted
3320-476: The Yan Emperor, was born by his mother's telepathy with a mythical dragon. This legend also contributed towards the use of the Chinese dragon as a symbol of imperial power. Dragons (usually with five claws on each foot) were a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties . During the Qing dynasty, the imperial dragon was colored yellow or gold, and during the Ming dynasty it was red. The imperial throne
3403-943: The addition of the Yellow Dragon of the center to Azure Dragon of the East, these Vermilion, White, and Black Dragons coordinate with the Four Symbols, including the Vermilion Bird of the South, White Tiger of the West, and Black Tortoise of the North. Dragons were varyingly thought to be able to control and embody various natural elements in their "mythic form" such as " water , air, earth, fire , light, wind, storm, [and] electricity". Some dragons who were able to breathe fire were thought to be exiled from tiān and banished to Earth. Several Ming dynasty texts list what were claimed as
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3486-512: The community in offering sacrifices and conducting other religious rites to appease the dragon, either to ask for rain or a cessation thereof. The King of Wuyue in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period was often known as the "Dragon King" or the "Sea Dragon King" because of his extensive hydro-engineering schemes which "tamed" the sea. In coastal regions of China, Korea, Vietnam, traditional legends and worshipping of whale gods as
3569-472: The completion of Bai-shi Lake, Zhong-Dian Lake began to be built and its storage capacity is 23.5 million cubic meters. Lakes here provide visitors with services like fishing, sightseeing, as well as going boating. Therefore, it becomes a part of Middle yandang Mountains Scenery Spots. It is said that the Chinese television drama Nirvana in Fire (Chinese: 琅琊榜) found views here at the first episode. West Waterside
3652-583: The descriptions of and names for the locations of poetic occasions on his estate can be seen to be directly influential on the forty poems of the Wangchuan ji (also known as the Wang or Wheel River Collection ) written by Wang Wei and Pei Di , in regards to Wang Wei's Tang Dynasty retirement estate at Lantian , south of the contemporary capital Chang'an (modern Xi'an in Shaanxi province). Meanwhile,
3735-484: The discovery of "dragon bones" in Sichuan . While these "dragon bones" have often been asserted in modern times to be dinosaur bones, according to palaeontologist Mark Witton there is little evidence of this (aside a recent report of villagers collecting dinosaur bones as "dragon bones" from 2007), with historical accounts of "dragon bones" from the 19th century suggest that they were predominantly those of mammals, such as
3818-510: The dragon and nine sons of the dragon (see Classical depictions above). The Nine-Dragon Wall is a spirit wall with images of nine different dragons, and is found in imperial Chinese palaces and gardens. Because nine was considered the number of the emperor, only the most senior officials were allowed to wear nine dragons on their robes—and then only with the robe completely covered with surcoats . Lower-ranking officials had eight or five dragons on their robes, again covered with surcoats; even
3901-404: The dragon), to wit: from head to shoulder, from shoulder to breast, and from breast to tail. These are the joints; as to the nine resemblances, they are the following: his antlers resemble those of a stag, his head that of a camel, his eyes those of a demon, his neck that of a snake, his belly that of a clam ( shen , 蜃 ), his scales those of a carp, his claws those of an eagle, his soles those of
3984-509: The ducal title) and was also skilled in the expected literary abilities; which, altogether, went towards placing him in the highlight of the capital's social scene, and (with the family connections) also thus appearing to be at the very beginning of a very successful official career. Xie Lingyun served as an official in the Eastern Jin , during which time the rebellion was quashed by general Liu Yu ; however, this would turn out to be just
4067-515: The emperor himself wore his dragon robe with one of its nine dragons hidden from view. There are a number of places in China called "Nine Dragons", the most famous being Kowloon in Hong Kong. The part of the Mekong in Vietnam is known as Cửu Long , with the same meaning. The dragon is one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac which is used to designate years in the Chinese calendar . It
4150-437: The extinct horse Hipparion . From its origins as totems or the stylized depiction of natural creatures, the Chinese dragon evolved to become a mythical animal. The Han dynasty scholar Wang Fu recorded Chinese myths that long dragons had nine anatomical resemblances. The people paint the dragon's shape with a horse's head and a snake's tail. Further, there are expressions such as 'three joints' and 'nine resemblances' (of
4233-407: The famous long . The linguist Michael Carr analyzed over 100 ancient dragon names attested in Chinese classic texts . Fewer Chinese dragon names derive from the word long 龍 : Some additional Chinese dragons are not named long , for instance, Chinese scholars have classified dragons in diverse systems. For instance, Emperor Huizong of Song canonized five colored dragons as "kings". With
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#17327866193424316-832: The fifth and sixth moons, and especially on the date of his birthday the thirteenth day of the sixth moon. A folk religious movement of associations of good-doing in modern Hebei is primarily devoted to a generic Dragon god whose icon is a tablet with his name inscribed, for which it has been named the "movement of the Dragon Tablet". Dragons or dragon-like depictions have been found extensively in neolithic-period archaeological sites throughout China. Some of earliest depictions of dragons were found at Xinglongwa culture sites. Yangshao culture sites in Xi'an have produced clay pots with dragon motifs. A burial site Xishuipo in Puyang which
4399-523: The ground just like a post, the length of it seems to break through the sky" (Chinese: 拔地一峰真似柱，巉岩百丈欲撑天), which depicted the appearance of Bai-zhang Peak. At the East Waterside, there is a rock similar to a woman who is waiting for her husband called Mrs. Rock. A poet in Ming dynasty(1368–1644) named Gao You-ji (Chinese: 高友玑) wrote, "Standing alone and gazing into the border of sky, there are only rocks near myself." (Chinese: 亭亭独立望天津，四畔无家石相邻) Indigo ,
4482-605: The growth of local economy, both local government and indigenous people want to build a scenic spot base on Middle Yandang Mountains. However, the condition of government finance was not good, which means if people want to construct the scenic spot, they need pay the fare of project. Finally, villagers raised money by themselves and built the scenic spot. The entrance tickets of scenery spot are free for local people. Many local schools organize an annual spring excursion here. 千里带长堤， 万里泻长汀。 ——谢灵运/Xie Ling-yun In ancient China, many poets habitually wrote or sang poetry upon encountering
4565-568: The guardians of people on the sea have been referred to Dragon Kings after the arrival of Buddhism. According to Chinese legend, both Chinese primogenitors, the earliest Door and the Yellow Emperor , were closely related to the dragon. At the end of his reign, the first legendary ruler, the Yellow Emperor, was said to have been immortalized into a dragon that resembled his emblem, and ascended to Heaven. The other legendary ruler,
4648-408: The landscape features of his estate near West Lake. Chinese dragon The Chinese dragon or loong is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology , Chinese folklore , and Chinese culture generally. Chinese dragons have many animal-like forms, such as turtles and fish , but are most commonly depicted as snake-like with four legs. Academicians have identified four reliable theories on
4731-535: The long spit of land like river flows millions of miles." (Chinese: 千里带长堤，万里泻长汀。)Because of the fame of Xie, Middle Yandang Mountains became more and more well-known. Wang was one of the Zhuangyuan in Southern Song dynasty(1127–1279), whose homeland was Yueqing , a city now lies at the root of Middle Yandang Mountains. He wrote, "The lakes and mountains like green lies here, and the two streams flows like
4814-628: The main temple, there is also a cave called Yu-hong Cave, which lies the middle of the peak, including a group of Taoism constructions. According to the book Treasure Trove of Heaven in Song dynasty , it was regarded as the Twenty-first cave of the country. In Ming dynasty, a Buddhist monk came here and modified the Taoism Temple to a Buddhist Temple, which called Yu Ping Zen Temple. Therefore, both Taoism and Buddhism had been here. However, in March, 2014,
4897-409: The most famous, three peaks called Stele Peak (Chinese: 石碑峰), Rosy Clouds Peak (Chinese: 彩霞峰) and Mrs Rock Peak (Chinese: 石夫人峰), and a waterfall called Mei-yu Waterfall (Chinese: 梅雨瀑 ). A Chinese writer called Zhu Ziqing (Chinese: 朱自清) has traveled here and left an article named Green about Mei-yu Pond. Phoenix Mountain is a mountain with approximately 500 meters, which lies on the periphery of
4980-414: The next year further exiled to Guangzhou : Xie Lingyun was then sentenced to death on a pretext, in 433, at which point he wrote his final poem, lamenting that his death was not to be on one of his beloved hilltops; and, then was executed. Xie Lingyun has been considered a nature or landscape poet focusing on the " mountain and streams ", in contrast to the " field and garden " landscape poetry. His poetry
5063-522: The nine different young of the dragon, whose shapes are used as ornaments according to their nature. Further, the same author enumerates nine other kinds of dragons, which are represented as ornaments of different objects or buildings according to their liking prisons, water, the rank smell of newly caught fish or newly killed meat, wind and rain, ornaments, smoke, shutting the mouth (used for adorning key-holes), standing on steep places (placed on roofs), and fire. The Sheng'an waiji ( 升庵外集 ) collection by
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#17327866193425146-478: The origin of the Chinese dragon: snakes , Chinese alligators , thunder worship and nature worship . They traditionally symbolize potent and auspicious powers, particularly control over water. Historically, the Chinese dragon was associated with the emperor of China and used as a symbol to represent imperial power. Liu Bang , the founder of the Han dynasty , claimed that he was conceived after his mother dreamt of
5229-566: The poet Yang Shen (1488–1559) gives different 5th and 9th names for the dragon's nine children: the taotie , form of beasts, which loves to eat and is found on food-related wares, and the jiāo tú ( 椒圖 ), which looks like a conch or clam, does not like to be disturbed, and is used on the front door or the doorstep. Yang's list is bì xì , chī wěn or cháo fēng , pú láo , bì àn , tāo tiè , qiú niú , yá zì , suān ní , and jiāo tú . In addition, there are some sayings including [ bā xià 𧈢𧏡 ], Hybrid of reptilia animal and dragon,
5312-462: The political changes went on unabated, and Xie once again became enmeshed in them. In 426, the new sovereign summoned him to court, where he spent two years with no real duty or power, but rather as a token to display loyalty: he then left for two years, but came back in 430 to defend himself against charges placed by his local prefect. In 431, he was relegated to what is now Fuzhou in Jiangxi , then
5395-444: The relative safety of the capital city, Jiankang (modern Nanjing ), for the four years of its course. The Xie family received official residence in a fancy mansion, where their entertainments were among the foremost for the luxury and display fashionable at that time: that the young duke (having inherited the title when his father died) was well off financially (having also inherited the three thousand household fiefdom which went with
5478-420: The robes of officials and other objects such as plates and vessels in the Yuan dynasty. It was further stipulated that for commoners, "it is forbidden to wear any cloth with patterns of Qilin , Male Fenghuang (Chinese phoenix), White rabbit , Lingzhi , Five-Toe Two-Horn Dragon, Eight Dragons, Nine Dragons, ' Ten thousand years ', Fortune-longevity character and Golden Yellow etc." The Hongwu Emperor of
5561-759: The rulers of water and weather, the dragon is more anthropomorphic in form, often depicted as a humanoid, dressed in a king's costume, but with a dragon head wearing a king's headdress. There are four major Dragon Kings , representing each of the Four Seas : the East Sea (corresponding to the East China Sea ), the South Sea (corresponding to the South China Sea ), the West Sea (sometimes seen as
5644-558: The sky. Also, depictions of dragons in tattoos are prevalent as they are symbols of strength and power, especially criminal organisations where dragons hold a meaning all on their own. As such, it is believed that one must be fierce and strong enough, hence earning the right to wear the dragon on his skin, lest his luck be consumed by the dragons. According to an art historian John Boardman , depictions of Chinese Dragon and Indian Makara might have been influenced by Cetus in Greek mythology possibly after contact with silk-road images of
5727-490: The sound of Chinese Zither." (Chinese: 十里湖山翠黛横，两溪寒玉斗琮琤) Except Xie and Wang, there were still some poets writing poems for specific mountains or lakes. Poet lived in Tang dynasty(618–907) called Zhang You-xin (Chinese: 张又新) sang a poetry for Yu-zhen Peak that "The Lake in front of the Yu-zhen Peak with spring is here, there is clean dust on the road aside." (Chinese: 白石岩前湖水春，湖边旧径有清尘) Another poet in Qing dynasty called Lin Qi-heng (Chinese: 林启亨) wrote, "The peak rises steeply from
5810-421: The temples caught fire and constructions built in Qing dynasty was lost. Three Lakes consist of Bai-shi Lake, Zhong-qian Lake and Long-shan Lake, which are all man-made lakes and built in 1950s-1960s. Bai-shi Lake was built in 1958, which was mainly used to prevent flooding and irrigation, but also generate electricity and supply water. The reservoir has a storage capacity of about 11.97 million cubic meters. After
5893-400: The viewer's pleasure: the southern hill during the youth of Xie Lingyun was left as somewhat of a wild preserve; but, between the two there was a whole range of fields and crops as well as wild plant and animal life. Even the secluded family estate was not necessarily safe during these turbulent times; and, when a major rebellion broke out, the family abandoned their country living in favor of
5976-518: The well known Chinese lacquerware table in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The number nine is special in China as it is seen as the number of heaven, and Chinese dragons are frequently connected with it. For example, a Chinese dragon is normally described in terms of nine attributes and usually has 117 (9×13) scales—81 (9×9) Yang and 36 (9×4) Yin. This is also why there are nine forms of
6059-648: The wolf may be used by the Mongols as it is considered to be their legendary ancestor. The dragon was the symbol of the Chinese emperor for many dynasties. During the Qing dynasty, the Azure Dragon was featured on the first Chinese national flag. It was featured again on the Twelve Symbols national emblem , which was used during the Republic of China , from 1913 to 1928. The dragon has been used as
6142-478: The yin essence (negative). Initially, the dragon was benevolent, wise, and just, but the Buddhists introduced the concept of malevolent influence among some dragons. Just as water destroys, they said, so can some dragons destroy via floods, tidal waves, and storms. They suggested that some of the worst floods were believed to have been the result of a mortal upsetting a dragon. Many pictures of Chinese dragons show
6225-645: Was a coastal seaport surrounded by scenic hills, and the setting for Xie Lingyun's Yongjia poetic period, when he wrote some of his finest poems. After a year in office here, however, Xie claiming health problems, resigned and returned home to the family estate in Shangyu. After returning home to the family estate in Shining (Shangyu), where he spent considerable time attending to the previously undeveloped or cultivated South Hill, which may also be known as "South Mountain". Here he went on long exploratory expeditions, accompanied by dozens of servants, who often had to hack
6308-507: Was consequently brought up by a Buddhist monk, Du Ming, in what was then Qiantang but now Hangzhou , a cosmopolitan metropolis at the southern end of the Grand Canal , a market nexus for maritime trade and transport to and from the north, and an area widely famed for its scenery with surrounding hills and the spectacular West Lake . Although, returning home from the monastery in 399, when he would have been in his mid-teens, Xie retained
6391-518: Was content to have the services of Xie Lingyun, nominally as an official of Jin. However, in the year 420 Liu Yu declared the end of Jin and the beginning of his new dynasty, the Liu Song. At this point, as an official in the Liu Song government, Xie Lingyun received a demotion, to marquis, with only 500 households in fee. He then was demoted to a position in a remote area, and so effectively exiled, to Yongjia (永嘉, modern Wenzhou in Zhejiang ). Yongjia
6474-537: Was later to become a feature of the design of Brand Hong Kong , a government promotional symbol. The Chinese dragon has very different connotations from the European dragon – in European cultures, the dragon is a fire-breathing creature with aggressive connotations, whereas the Chinese dragon is a spiritual and cultural symbol that represents prosperity and good luck, as well as a rain deity that fosters harmony. It
6557-399: Was only for select royalty closely associated with the imperial family, usually in various symbolic colors, while it was a capital offense for anyone—other than the emperor himself—to ever use the completely gold-colored, five-clawed Long dragon motif . Improper use of claw number or colors was considered treason, punishable by execution of the offender's entire clan. During the Qing dynasty,
6640-583: Was referred to as the Dragon Throne . During the late Qing dynasty, the dragon was even adopted as the national flag. Dragons are featured in carvings on the stairs and walkways of imperial palaces and imperial tombs, such as at the Forbidden City in Beijing. In some Chinese legends, an emperor might be born with a birthmark in the shape of a dragon. For example, one legend tells the tale of
6723-490: Was reported that the Chinese government decided against using the dragon as its official 2008 Summer Olympics mascot because of the aggressive connotations that dragons have outside of China and chose more "friendly" symbols instead. Sometimes Chinese people use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" ( 龙的传人 ; 龍的傳人 ) as a sign of ethnic identity, as part of a trend started in the 1970s when different Asian nationalities were looking for animal symbols as representations. For example,
6806-483: Was strictly reserved for use by the emperor only. The dragon in the Qing dynasty appeared on the flag of the Qing dynasty . The dragon is sometimes used in the West as a national emblem of China, though such use is not commonly seen in the People's Republic of China or Taiwan . Instead, it is generally used as the symbol of culture. In Hong Kong , the dragon was a component of the coat of arms under British rule. It
6889-702: Was the general Xie Xuan , a general who is best known for repelling the Former Qin army at the Battle of Fei River , thus preventing the Former Qin emperor Fu Jiān from destroying Jin, and thus allowing the continuation of the southern dynastic kingdoms. His maternal grandmother was Wang Mengjiang, the only daughter of calligrapher, writer and politician Wang Xizhi . Xie Lingyun was born in Yangxia County , Henan , but his father died early. Xie Lingyun
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