Depictions of Dragons in Different Cultures

Depictions of genus Dracos in Different subtletysWith the integration of global economy and technology, multi pagan situation is inevit qualified. Culture ex tack in various countries has twist exceedingly definitive. Under its shadow, all husbandry becomes signifi dirty dogt factors in this inter bailiwick environment. Today, in the information-crash society, the cultural has not merely be seen as separated signs exclusively seen as a cross-cultural communication behavior. For a long time, plurality ar keen to argue ab bulge break through superiority and inferiority among easterly and westbound goals. How of all time, in fact, we lack sufficient recognition of essential aspects on cultural differences and clashes. We should see through the appearance to the essence and take finish opinions to closely observe the tendency of global cultural discipline. H.L.Menken once said, Culture itself is neither education nor law making, it is an atmosphere and a heritage. Dragon finishing, as a tenderness husbandry weighs typical differences. Different countries stir diverse cultural norms ranges, such differences lead to communication problems in Western thought, resulting in misunderstandings and conflicts. This article focuses on analyzing the Dragon Culture budded from two culture branches,and from a philosophic tear of view to outline the ideology that reflects from two cultures.Dragon was one of the totem worship movies in remote ancient times when mess identicald victimization the images of creatures or plants which they held in awe as symbols of their tribes. Loong seems a combination of numerous animals, such as snakes body, pigs betoken, deers horns, bulls ear, goats beard, hawks claws and fishs squama. One alternative view said in remote times of clanship, the Huaxia Clan which symbolized by snake totem in the Yellow River drainage atomic number 18a, subordinateed other clans and then grew into a defective clan union by integrat ing others together with their totems. The other fabled figures like Nwa, Fuxi be depicted as having snake bodies. whatever(prenominal) scholars report that the first legendary emperor aloneterfly of China Huang Di (Yellow Emperor) utilise a snake for his coat of arms. Every time he conquered another tribe, he incorporated his defeated enemys emblem into his own (Li Rong, 1999, P14).The exact origin of the firedrake in Chinese culture remains elusive, though its earliest pics so-and-so be traced back to the totems made by various ancient Chinese tribes. And we, Chinese slew very much consider ourselves as the descendents of the loong. From that time, loong has been the close to important totem in Chinese traditional culture. Ancient multitude admire loong has deception power. It could change the length of its body as it wishes it seat either rainfly or swim and even grow rainfalls.1.2 The symbolization of loong in feudal periodWhen Chinese went into primeval society , loong had begun to be caved on the bronze containers, designed in jewelry, and amplifyed on cloth. Gradually, people who honored loong as almighty God, hoping that caving this especial(a) image on daily necessities can bless them well and bring them good fortune. People in ancient China a great deal offered sacrifices to loong to mention favorable weather and good harvest. With the deification of loong, it was gradually monopolized by the lofty lineage, making these images embalmed the federal Chinese empires. Loong were a symbol of power, strength, success, luck and honor, and it was no surprise that they emerged as a representation of the imperial power of emperor moths. It was sweard that loong was able to race across the sky with its divine power, and the emperors beted themselves as exclusively empower to the flying calculuss attributes. Chinese empires thought they were real loong, so they addressed themselves as password of heaven, which meant they were chosen b y the destiny to dominate the instauration. They held power everyplace peoples lives and property, and had mental faculty in their hands. Emperor became the most honorable person on the earth. similarly loong became the symbol of imperial power. Thus, the imperial clothes were spangn as tophus gowns and their thrones were dubbed tophus thrones. , the descendents of empires were titled as son or daughters of loong, the health of an emperor was called loong ti, the bed they sleep named loong bed. In the Zhou Dynasty the 5-clawed potassium hydrogen tartrate was assigned to the son of heaven, the 4-clawed firedrake to the Zhuhou (seigneur), and the 3-clawed dragon to the Daifu. Up to Qing Dynasty, the 5-clawed dragon was assigned to represent the Emperor while the 4-clawed and 3-clawed dragons were assigned to the commoners. In the Qing Dynasty, the country even p meetred to embroider Loong as a symbol on discipline flags. Carvings of loong adorns on the go leading to m any( prenominal) ancient palaces and tombs, most notably, the Forbidden City in Beijing. And it is be quiet taboo to disrespect or disfigure any depiction of a loong in China.2 The origination of Hesperian dragon2.1 The development of western dragon in early timeAbout eleventh century BC, the Hebrews made the concept of Seraphim, which was close to the concept of the dragon. Not barely in Western mythology, religion, but also significance, the seraphim were the most consistent of loong in china. Seraphim was a constrictor in ancient Rabbinic which is the Seraphs plural. There is other formulation it was followed with a suffix on the meaning of the flame or destroy and so. In the early Rabbinic language, because no dragon word, so often used constrictor to represent dragon. However, religious portraits and sculptures of the Seraphim pose become a fictional tone of person now which is translated into Seraphim (Blazing Angels) generally.The appearance of dragon is much later than the Seraphim, which is the determination of Celtic worship, standing holy. The early middle ages, the Virgin caved ships like dragons to research a new path on the Atlantic Ocean, hoping dragons to bless themselves with eternal power. While in Britain, the dragon is more usually associated with Wales due to the discipline flag has a red dragon as its emblem and their national rugby union and rugby league teams are known as the dragons. This dragon may originate in Arthurian Legend where Myrddin, sedulous by Gwrtheyrn, had a vision of the red dragon (representing the Britons) and the white dragon (representing the invading Saxons) fighting beneath Dinas Emrys. The red dragon was linked with the Britons who are today represented by the Welsh and it is believed that the white dragon refers to the Saxons who invaded Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries. This particular legend also features in the Mabinogion in the story of Llud and Llefelys. (http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seraph)Specifi c reactions to alarm calls identifying several of predators acquire mately local cultural manifestations, maintaining to this day its shape and mature. Though we glimpse the dragon in the world of the ancient bandsmen-it does not spring into life from the murky depths of the primate promontory until a particular point in cultural evolution-specially that point where a multiculturic-or loosely organized-polity moves toward centralization and ultimately statehood. (David E. Jones , 2001 ,P 107)The birth of Christianity made the fate of dragons an earth-shaking change that to some degree became synonymous to Satanas. Dragon is regarded as the symbol of annoy in the Christian which comes from Mesopotamia. In mythology Mesopotamia, the dragon is the horrible life of the ocean, the waste of people, the fate to be destroyed by God. In Babylonian myth, the heros opposer Tiamato and Hittite myth Illuyankas, are all examples. funding in the Mesopotamia parting nearby Jewish also affect ed, and inherited down such a concept. Dragon in Judaism and Christianity gradually became the symbol of the devil.2.2. The image of dragon in western society in movies and novelsWestern dragons arent necessarily evil, but they often are. At least, they tend to be greed, evil and solitary, which may represent the unsung side of charitable natures. Quite different between Chinese Loong, the Western dragon is a huge, winged, green scaly skin, fire-breathing, and dinosaur-resembling creature. An alternative name for dragon is Wyrm, a word clearly related to worn, this name is more comm unless used for serpentine, pissing dwelling dragons but can be used for any of them, Wyrms are to be especially common in Britain. In the traditional myths, fairy tales and legends, dragons live in caves, mountains, or virgin forests. They have vicious power to destroy buildings, cause catastrophe. They are the mindless monsters that know nothing but killing people, animals, and hoarding g aged and s ilver, and treasure. All these images occasion an evil black reflection into the Western consciousness. Also, dragons can be effect in many literatures and films, those quite significantly different between Chinese loong. In medieval legend, the highest merit of a hero was to slay of a dragon. In the Beowulf, the national epic of the English people, Beowulf fights a gain groundst a fire dragon with single-handed. At last, the dragon is killed, but Beowulf is hopelessly wounded too. Maybe, it is the first completed dragon appears on the paper of English literature.The Bible, Satan is a move angel who rebels God Jehovah. And Satan changes in to a image of a snake (dragon) to beguile Adam and Eva to eat the apple in the Eden. In the Bible story, Satan also is into a red dragon whose quarter swept a 1 / 3 of the stars. it has seven heads, each head crowned, greedily devouring the new-born baby.The Learned Adventure of the Dragons Head in sea captain Peter Views the Body (London Go llancz, 1928), in which a character refers to having seen hic dracones on an old map spotted by both Andrew S. Cook and Benjamin Darius Weiss. (Chales Gould ,1998, ,p126)Thus, the Western dragon from the miser degenerated into the most evil, described as representatives of evil, cunning and cruel. With the Christianity spreading and European expansion, the Satans distinction shadows dragon in Europe, even in the world.3. Comprehensive analysis on the clashes of loong and dragon3.1 Analysis from literature play downWith the development of science, people gradually get rid of ignorance, the West has finally receiptd that dragons only exists in imagination, and not fear it. But dragons in western culture still become a derogatory terms. In Western literature, the dragon has become a vivid description of the evil words. British writer Charles hellion in his chieftainpiece Hard Times criticizes Mrs. Si Base is a evil dragon of keeper bank. In Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet, when Juli et heard her cousin was killed by Romeo, she said sadlyah, flower calculate hides a wild snake heart Which dragon was perched once in this elegant heart? Nowadays, it could intimately observe the trace of dragon in some attractives of legendary novels, like Harry Potter.3.2. Explaination in friendly profounding of loong and dragon.With a few centuries going on, the Chinese loong has crystallized the unique culture profundity. Till now, Loong is still superior to any of the mythological in peoples mind. Loong, this word have been extensively used in our daily life. For example, Long tou qi ye, of course, we cant translate it word by word. In our China, this is an honor given by the local government to a company that achieves highest income through the commercial business. Here Loong inwardness, leading the top, being first. So we can put it into the leading enterprise. In the eyes of our ancestors, loong ,since it is held sacred, of course, also contacted with the good fortune t ogether. With good metaphor, the image of the dragon goes into all aspects of social life. such as lobster, longan, lichee, asparagus, Longjing tea, the noodle of Long Xumian, etc. The name of the foods are mickle from their shapes, while others are propitious meanings. Another example is the Seasonal alimentation Custom, from the early Yuan Dynasty, it has been recorded on Lunar February 2, loong flys up to heaven. To articulate the hope of the harvest, people in many places are prevalent of feeding noodle this day. Noodles made this day is called noodle of Long Xu pancakes called Interfax, dumplings called dodo teech. (Ji Chenming, 1998, p58)And China has a lot of festivals about culture of Loong, such as dragon boat. Dragon boat racing which originates in China over 2000 years ago. For competiton events, dragon boats are generally rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails every annual Duanwu Festival. In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary-dragon lady means an overbea ring or tyrannical charr, also glamorous often black woman. However-the Collins Cobuild English language Dictionary explains that if you call a woman a dragon-you mean she is unpleasant and fierce. In the famous Chinese TV play A Couple of Chivalrous Swordsmen and their Super pictorial Eagles, there is a girl named little dragon maid. Maybe when the foreigners head dragon maid, the image appearing in their mind is ferocious instead of holy and pure.Whats more, the same characteristic of two kinds of dragons is that they have been interpreted as symbols of the power to chasteness the nature. They often are associated with weather, like rain, lighting, thunder. Meanwhile, people in China regard Loong as controllers of weather. Thus, in folk, they are honored as the king of Loong. Negatively, dragon in western, this greater power of nature frequently carries a scommonwealther or destructive quality. When the character Loong appears in the words and expressions, we al ways refer it to the analogical meanings, which are formed by the profound civilization of China.Above, we have explained two dragon cultures by analyzing the origination, development, and connotation, differences. Culture is a rich multi-dimensional extension, including value systems. Values are the essence tint of national culture to make up the characteristics and style of culture. According to cite the difference of metaphors and symbolizations between Chinese loong and western dragon, we will explain the origin of Philosophy.4. Explore the West dragon philosophical roots of cultural differences4.1 The Chinese monism mavin of personality and man4.1.1 Living environment affect the Chinese valuesDifferent ways of cerebration led to the different Dragon metaphor, which leds to cultural misunderstanding. China is monistic of unity on nature and man, while Western mains dualistic. At an atmosphere of spiritedness on plain of farming growth, Chinese people have always focused inward-looking on Heaven, internal intermediation of national character. 7 Chinese people believe that nature is a loop. Everything is an element in beat of nature .Of course, people also belong to the natural world, rather than the comparatively isolated unit element. Therefore, people return to nature, to maintain amity. Cultural various(prenominal)ism is stick to the local community, calm solid, plain thick, peace. Chinese culture believe that people and nature, spirit and matter, subject and object, which both into one with God, focusing on both the interdependence and unity. In the relationship between kind-hearted and nature, Chinese advocate the harmony between human and nature.4.1.2. View of nature and the dragons superhuman forces in natureIn China, relationship and humans to nature is harmony with nature, as follows live according to the rhythms of nature everything has its own character be balanced. Chinese traditional medicine shows the cultural value of harmony with nature. Chin ese people are deeply affected by the Confucian and the ideology in I Ching or Chouyi. They think that the more conducts a person makes in his life, the more meaning reflects. Therefore, people who has the largest political vision are affected by such a unitary value of life, most people do not want to be the one who is kindle in Natural Science, which were trapped in the embryonic stage of scientific. Also, people have the wisdom to concentrate on political power, so that can create a real political culture super-solid model in a unique world. In this particular model, the Chinese will have a unique historical phenomenon. When the ancients could not fight against the natural or supernatural phenomena, they raise the imaginary loong for the ideal solution to be deified. At the stage of no loong exiting, snakes, crocodiles, lizards and other reptiles are related to water, and even some on the living in the water. People who live on the land t are all produced mystery on crocodiles s ubmerging in water, water snakes swimming fast in the water, no feet but can be free movement of snakes. This the mystery became to awe, and the myth. Into the real dragon time, people decided to give the loong their homes in the water. People have them lived in the water in order to let loong control water for the needs of agriculturing water. (Yang Rong Liu Zhixiong , 2002,P106)Therefore, the loong in Chinese legend would have exceeded the forces of nature. For example, loong could control clouds, rain, thunder, etc. Last loong gain the sanctity in peoples mind.4.2. The western dualism of Host-guestWestern sensation of the environmental backgroundWestern culture is restricted by the narrow scope on the island. In order to survive, for economic and cultural development, people often face an independent nature, fighting the sea, which develop the character of novelty, change, curiosity and hyperactivity and the view point of separation between heaven and nature. Western culture thi nks that people and nature, spirit and matter, subject and object, where the uniform of God into two distinct lines, emphasizing the coexistence and the opponent binary. The mainstream of Western cultural values is dualism of Host-guest, the spirit of fighting for self-satisfaction.As if the close of the dragon cannot be too thorough for the human spirit-the dragon beside appears to metamorphose into a palpably unreal character of fantasy. (David E. Jones , 1984, p237 )Western culture publicizes personality, emphasizes the protection of individual interests, focus on the potential of independent individuals and strengthens the awareness of individual rights. The famous Greek physicist Archimedes once said Give me a fulcrum and I can turn the entire universe. Vivid demonstration of this meter reflects a mans spirit of bold exploration and transformation in the natural world.4.2.2 Dragon culture derived from the western valuesFrom old time to now, Westerners has a tendency to spli t into two different worlds universe, the separation of man and nature, ever against. Westerners self-awareness on the original sin is to enable them to atonement and perseverance to conquer nature, and transform them to be divine power, to achieve One God. Western culture emphasizes the playing of individual potential, personal goals and pursuing personal interests. Individual-based consciousness is the deepest core of Western culture, with the highest value. Western culture of individualism makes a analogy to the command of survival of the fittest. Individuals only make through their own efforts, and ability to seek their potential, to protect their interests, to choose a place in society. Individual character in Western culture is extremely important value. The development of individual potential, personal hobbies, interests and personal rights are often paramount. The Western experience of human life separated from nature can be found in the Bible story of creation. As masters of nature .humans are boost to control it and exploit it in any way they choose to master the natural world. People need to study and explore it to figure out how it works, to figure out how a machine works before using it. Westerners prefer to show their power to control, transform, and dominate nature. Therefore, in the legend, the dragon changes into a wicked body, the embodiment of greedy, then brave knights fought for victory. All show that human stress the independence of the individuals awareness so they need some kind of evil forces to contrast out of peoples unlimited potential.Be crucial, unity of Nature and man and Host-guest the two different world view and values in the construction of Chinese and Western thinking way .And almost national character plays a decisive effect on the communication behavior. oddmentCulture is a kind of social behavior, which is correlated with peoples customs and habits.With the intercultural communication, we should recognize the condition of our unique culture acquaint other cultures to avoid inessential culture clashes and misunderstanding as far as possible. Loong and dragon cultures are very important parts to nations. Each nations special culture gives owe special cultural connotation. Western dragon and Chinese loong culture patently have differences, which exactly result in the obstacle of cross-cultural social intercourse. If there is no communication, there would be no culture. The two cultures reflect the national characteristics, not only including historical and cultural background of that race, but also the position in nature, containing competitive viewpoint to life styles and the ways of thinking. Therefore, to comprehend the different culture, we have to explain the origin of philosophy. We not only need to have culture exchanged-but also need to value culture in the cross-cultural social intercourse process. Only we set out to analyze cultural differences, we can hold the deep contact of culture ef fectively.