Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Weather inquiry - Why do people in China fear dragons?

Why do people in China fear dragons?

Dragon is a totem worshipped by Han people, and it is a symbol of auspiciousness and majesty. The standard types of dragons are two horns, snake body, four feet, scales and strong smell, while the non-standard types are one-horned dragons. The prototype of the dragon is the beautiful Wayaolong in the "Xinlong" fossil, with double horns. Legend has it that dragons can spread clouds and rain, eliminate disasters and reduce happiness, symbolizing good luck, so it is a custom for Han people all over the country to dance dragons to pray for peace and harvest. There are more than 300 dragon events recorded in the official history of China, and the legendary literature is even more huge. The most famous topic in ancient times was that Cao Cao of Wei Mingdi led his ministers to watch dragons during the Three Kingdoms period, and asked painters to paint portraits on the spot, and civil servants to recite poems and write poems on them. In some places, there is also a legend that dragons were killed by the sky. The Legend of the Dragon is a folk cultural warehouse in China.

Legend is a popular legend, and we can examine its truth and falsehood. Literature is created by individuals, and it doesn't matter whether it is true or false. Of course, some ancient works, such as Tai Ping Guang Ji, Strange Tales from a Lonely Studio and Notes of Yuewei Caotang, take both legend and literature into consideration.

Dragon is one of the oldest clan totems of Han nationality. In ancient times, people feared nature and worshipped divine power, so they created such an idol with infinite power, worshipped it and prayed for peace. For thousands of years, the dragon has been mysterious and sacred in people's hearts, and has gradually become a totem representative worshipped by the Han people.

The image of the dragon known today combines the characteristics of various creatures: antlers, ox heads, donkey mouths, shrimp eyes, elephant ears, fish scales, human whiskers, snake bellies and chicken feet. Some studies have pointed out that the image of the dragon has undergone constant development and changes. In the long historical process, through war and alliance, the people who believe in the dragon totem have gradually become leaders, and the dragon totem has gradually become the banner of the whole Chinese nation's belief. The totem image originally believed by other nationalities was gradually absorbed and enriched into the dragon image, so the dragon became more and more distinctive, and its image became increasingly complex and powerful, becoming the representative of the emperor.