Life in China 2016: A Picture A Day, October 23 – I’m not sure how I’ve made it this far into the year without posting specifically about dragons! Dragons, called龙 long, are HUGE in China and there is no way I’ll cover everything there is to learn about them in this paragraph! Most importantly, dragons in China are GOOD, unlike dragons in Western lore that are/were mean, ferocious enemies. Chinese dragons are mainly symbols of power and good luck. They have a very different look than most Western dragons. They have NO wings (although they can fly) and they don’t breathe fire; They have scales like a fish, the mane of a lion, the claws of a hawk, a long tail like a snake, the antlers of a deer, the mouth of a bull, the beard of a catfish, the nose of a dog, and eyes like a shrimp! Legend says that the emperor was a direct descendant of the dragon. Legend also says that the Imperial dragon had 9 dragon sons; today, you can still recognize nine different specific dragons, used in different ways. The dragon is also one of the Chinese Zodiac animals, the only mythological one of the group. Long ago, the dragon symbol was only allowed to be used by the emperor, but, today dragon symbols are widely used as a decorative symbol. This large ornamental pillar with a dragon wrapped around it is located in the Dalingshan Town Square, in Dongguan.
Inflatable Dragon Archways
Life in China 2016: A Picture A Day, July 4 – Today we decided to test the new scooter and go to the shopping plaza to see if there were any signs at all of the American Independence Day celebration, but there was nothing (Yes, I know, we do live in China !) . However, there was an inflatable dragon archway that is often used to celebrate a new store opening or a special event taking place. In Chinese culture, dragons are symbolic of success, achievement, and more. The top picture is the main entrance to the Spar Supermarket near where we live and they just opened a small optician “kiosk” inside the store. The sign reads something like “Offering Congratulations to the Opening of the Eyeglass Shop”. The bottom picture was from yesterday in the next town, Dalingshan, in front of a jewelry store. These inflatables aren’t very expensive, a 10 meter or 32 foot wide one like in the top picture costs about 50usd. A small cost to advertise your new business and bring it good luck :-)