Perhaps friends who have seen "A Song of Ice and Fire" will be impressed by the "dragon" that appears in the novel or TV series.
The three dragons represented by "Drogon", "Rego" and "Weserion" were once the nightmares of the continent of Westeros.
Not only do they have sharp claws and teeth, but they also spray dragon flames "dracarys", and their combat power is even comparable to that of an entire mercenary group.
So, what exactly is a "dragon" in Western civilization? How does it compare to the "dragon" in the traditional sense of our country?
This issue will reveal the answers.
(Note: This article is about 5,000 words, and although it's long, it's well worth reading.) ）
<h1>1. Traditional shape</h1>
Since the Middle Ages, dragons in Western culture have often been depicted as monsters with wings, sharp horns, thorny limbs, and fire-breathing abilities, while their bodies covered with hard scales. (There is a saying that the abdomen and neck of the Western dragon were not protected by scales, in order to secrete mucus in order to collect gems, which will be said later.) ）
The dragon in the oriental culture usually has a super high wisdom, from the Song Dynasty people generally believe that its "horns like deer, head like cattle, eyes like shrimp, mouth like donkey, belly like snakes, scales like fish, feet like phoenix, whiskers like people, ears like elephants", but also has the momentum of "thunderstorms obscure, dragons come to cry, sound like cattle roaring".
Western Dragon
Oriental Dragon
<h1>2. Etymology</h1>
In the West, the serpent and the dragon have deep roots – almost all Indo-European and Near Eastern mythology has stories of storm gods killing the serpent.
Etymologically, whether in Italian, Spanish, French, German or even Danish, there are extremely similar roots in the word "dragon".
The word "dragon" in English dates back to around the 13th century AD and, like the word "dragon" in French, is derived from the Old French word for "dragon".
The latter is derived from the Latin word for "draconem", referring to a giant snake. Its nominative word "draco" is derived from the ancient Greek word "drakōn", which stands for giant sea serpent or sea monster.
In addition, the root of "drakon", "drak-", also means "gaze", so "drakon" literally also means "possessing (dead) gazers".
The word "dragon" in China, in the original oracle bone, is closer to the form of "seen by the naked eye", as shown in the following figure.
Subsequently, in the golden text, the word "dragon" changed again:
Later, in the seal of the "Six Books", the character "dragon" gradually appeared in the prototype of the traditional character "dragon":
In the end, it evolved into the "dragon" that we can basically recognize:
Scholars have provided three main explanations for the birth of the word "dragon":
1. There were "true dragons" in history, but they were later extinct;
2. Dragons are mythological images that evolved from various animals, such as pythons, lizards, crocodiles, etc.;
3. People's explanation of the natural phenomenon of "tornadoes".
Of course, there is also a saying that the "dragon character" and the crown on the emperor's head are also quite related.
However, as for whether the "real dragon" exists or not, and the origin of the "dragon", there are still many controversies in history, and only a statement will be made here, and no discussion will be held.
<h1>3. The breed of "dragon"</h1>
Almost all dragons in Western European mythology are derived from Indo-European legends. Among their "ancestors", the most famous dragon is called "Mushkhushshu", which is a mythical creature of ancient Mesopotamia.
“Mushkhushshu”
"Mushkhushshu" is a mixture of animals – it has a fish-like lin, a cat-like front leg and an eagle-like hind legs. In addition, it has deer-like double horns, a snake-like tongue and crest, and a lion-like tail.
"Mushkhushshu", which appeared on the reconstructed Ishtar Gate in the city of Babylon and dates back to the sixth century BC, is one of the few clearly documented "freaks" among Western dragons.
Later, the ancient Egyptian civilization also appeared the early prototype of the "dragon", its name is "Apophis", is a giant snake in ancient Egyptian mythology, also known as "Nile and Evil Dragon" ("The Evil Dragon of the Nile").
It was in Egyptian mythology a sworn enemy of the sun god and was known as the "King of Chaos". Earlier, "Apophis" was the umbilical cord of the sun god at birth, and later gained the power of the sun god and became the ruler of the dark hour. The sun god has spent his life fighting this evil dragon to ensure that people can survive in the light every day.
"Indra"
In ancient Indian mythology, the "dragon" was naturally not absent. In the early Vedic religions, "Vritra" was a dragon (also said to be a "giant serpent") and a sworn enemy of the Hindu god Indra. It was once killed by Indra with a "thunderbolt" for blocking the river.
Of course, legends like this were also very popular in ancient Europe. For example, in Greek mythology, zeus killed Tiphon, Hercules killed Lena 's Hydra ) , and norse mythology , Thor , defeated the earthly python.
It seems that throughout Indo-European mythology, the "dragon", as an evil heretic, has always stood against the hero god, and its basic form is mainly based on the "giant snake".
Dragon Smaug
But the image of the "Western dragon" we see today first appeared in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf around the 8th century AD.
It blended the knowledge of the "dragon" in Norse and Germanic literature and for the first time formed a definitive image of the "fire-breathing dragon".
Cloaked in scales, spitting flames, with bat-like wings, this dragon loves treasure, has a strong sense of vengeance, and has no pity for the invaders. In the story, a slave steals a wine glass from the Dragon's Treasure, and an angry dragon attacks a nearby village in retaliation, eventually being killed by the heroic Beowulf.
This story is also the blueprint for The Hobbit, the prototype of the dragon Smaug.
The dragon Smaug is guarding the gem
Later, in order to distinguish the "dragons" in these myths, medieval heraldry also deliberately classified them, which were roughly 4 categories, namely (1) "dragon", (2) "Drake" (3) "Wyvern" (4) "Wyrm".
First of all, "dragon" is the most standard dragon in the traditional sense: it has a pair of large wings and four stout legs. As I said before, the word comes from the French word "dragon", which in turn comes from the Latin word "draco", which means giant snake. Looks like a toothless boy in the movie "How to Train Your Dragon".
Toothless
Drake, a weakened version of the Standard Dragon, is weaker than the Standard Dragon in size, intelligence, and mana, and sometimes doesn't even have full wings. Moreover, they may change different element types according to the environment in which they are located, and most of them appear as villains in mythology. The word is borrowed directly from the Latin draco, which means "sea monster, sea serpent." Its image can be referenced to "Velociraptor" in the game Monster Hunter.
Monster Hunter Velociraptor
Wyvern, the most common "alternative" dragon, has only a pair of wings and two hind legs. They generally play a weaker role similar to Drake, they generally do not breathe fire, but they are highly toxic. The word ontology is the French word "guivre", derived from the Latin word "viper" (snake). The appearance can be referred to the "female fire dragon" in Monster Hunter.
Monster Hunter female fire dragon
Finally, Wyrm is a very classical type of dragon — they are the most in line with the Greco-Roman image of the "giant serpent": most of them have no legs, and occasionally some have only front legs; some do not even have wings, they are a huge snake. But unlike the other three species, the word comes from ancient Germanic rather than Latin.
Specifically, Wyrm's appearance can also refer to the "Twisted Snake Dragon" in Monster Hunter.
Monster Hunter Strangler Dragon
Although the species of Western European dragons dazzle us, in our country, there are not only more varieties of dragons, but also strict hierarchical divisions.
First of all, according to the rank, from the lowest to the highest, in order, it is "虺, 虬, 螭, Jiao, Horned Dragon, Ying Dragon and Fire Dragon". (The Green Dragon is not lined up here)
venomous snake
虺 (虺): According to the Book of Shuyi: "Five hundred years of 虺 turned into jiao, and jiao of a thousand years turned into a dragon." "It's the infancy of the dragon.
Qiú (qiú): Generally called a small dragon without horns, which is a kind of dragon, so the ancient literature notes: "Hornless dragon, horned dragon." ”
Cockroaches
Pán chī : A serpentine creature of the genus Dragon , a hornless dragon.
Jiao
Jiao: Generally refers to a scaly dragon that can flood. Legend has it that when the dragon gets water, it can make clouds and fog and soar into space. It is often used in ancient texts as a metaphor for talented people getting the opportunity to perform.
Regarding the origin and shape of the jiao, there are different theories in the classical literature, some say "dragon without horns and jiao", and some say "there are scales and dragons". Volume III of the "Ink Guest Swinging Rhinoceros" is more specific: "The shape of the jiao is like a snake, its head is like a tiger, and the elders are several zhang, mostly living under the stone caves of Xitan, and the sound is like the sound of cattle." ”
People often say "jiaolong", in fact, "jiao" and "dragon" are the names of the legendary deified creatures at different ages: the hour is "jiao", and the big becomes "dragon".
Horned Dragon: Refers to a horned dragon. According to the Book of Narratives, "Jiao's thousand years turned into a dragon, and the dragon's five hundred years became a horned dragon."
Ying Long
Ying Long: Also known as the Yellow Dragon. According to the Book of Differences, the dragon with wings on its back is recorded: "Jiao's thousand years turned into a dragon, the dragon's five hundred years became a horned dragon, and the millennium was a Ying dragon." "It is said that the famous general of the Xuanyuan Emperor was Ying Long, and his main merits were to fight the clams and dredge the waterways of the Yellow River.
Fire Dragon: The Draft History of the Qing Dynasty says: "There are dragons in the floating mountains that fly into the folk buildings, and the smoke rises and the buildings burn", "On May 27, 2006, the Red Dragon of Yezhou was seen in the Zhangti Liangchuan Wall." On the seventh day of the first month of June, the Gaoping Fire Dragon was seen in Shimu Village" and "In June of the 56th year, the Juzhou Red Dragon was seen in Dragon King Yu, first large and then small, several inches long, and the grass and trees passed were like burning.".
Dragon Nine Sons
In addition, in addition to the above 7 levels, China's "dragon culture" also includes many derivative series. For example, in ancient myths and legends, a dragon had nine sons, but none of the nine sons were dragons, and each had its own advantage. The qualities and hobbies of brotherhood are different. They are:
1. The eldest son imprisons the cow, likes music, and crouches on the head of the piano;
2. The second son, Jing Wei (yá zì), who loves to kill and fight, is engraved on the sword ring and the handle of the sword;
3. The third son laughs at the wind, shaped like a beast, is the third oldest, has a dangerous and good hope in life, and the beast on the corner of the temple is its relic. Some people have always thought that it is a phoenix with a dragon vein.
4. The fourth son, Pu Prison, roared loudly when he was hit, and acted as the beast button of Hong Zhong Ti Liang to help his sound far away;
5. Suān ní, shaped like a lion, ranked fifth, likes to be quiet and not moving, sits well, and likes fireworks, so the foot decoration on the Buddha seat and the incense burner is its relic.
6. Liuzi Baxia (also has another name, the box is seen as a word, [Worm Eight] [Worm Xia]), also known as Gantu (bì xì), like a turtle with teeth, like to bear weight, is a turtle under the monument;
7. The Seven Sons of the Seven Sons (bì àn), shaped like a tiger, have their images on both sides of the prison gate or the main hall of the official court;
8. Eight sons of the negative beetle (fùxì), like a dragon, Yahao Swen, coiled above the head of the stone stele;
9. Nine sons of the slug kiss (chī wěn), also known as the owl tail or chī (chī) kiss, the mouth is thick and easy to swallow, so as to become the ridge-swallowing beast at both ends of the temple ridge, take it to extinguish the fire and eliminate the disaster.
<h1>"Dragon Culture"</h1>
Earlier, in Norse mythology, the "dragon" was depicted as a divinely elegant and blessed deity. But after the gradual Christianization of Europe, it seems that the believers did not like these "behemoths" very much, so the image of the "dragon" became the embodiment of evil heresy after the Middle Ages: they were greedy, grumpy, and used magic.
In the 11th-13th centuries, Europeans became interested in the cultural symbol of "dragon". Geoffrey of Monmouth, a famous 12th-century Welsh monk, recorded a story about the "dragon" in his book The History of the Kings of Britain.
In the early years, King Vortigern of England had hoped to build a tower that would be famous enough to make him famous in history, but the tower fell like an evil, collapsing before completion each time.
He was told that in order to prevent this from happening, he had to first sprinkle the blood of a fatherless child on the ground under the tower. Since the child Merlin (prophet) was believed to have been born without a father (legend has it that he was the heir of mortals and elves), he was brought before the king.
But Merlin explained to Wottigen that the tower could not be erected on the foundation because there were two fighting dragons living beneath, representing the Saxons and the Celts, respectively.
So the king ordered the foundation of the pool to be drained, revealing a red dragon and a white dragon, and they immediately began to fight. Finally Merlin made a prophecy that white would triumph over red, symbolizing England's conquest of Wales.
Later, this story was still widely circulated on the European continent until the 15th century.
In addition, there are many other documents in the 13th century that record the story of the "dragon". Since Satan is referred to as "the dragon" in the book of Revelation, the "dragon" is also often identified as an incarnation of Satan during this period.
For example, in The Golden Legends, dragons are described as "monsters that live in rivers or underground lairs." They became the embodiment of greed—greed for both money and gluttony.
Then there was a virgin martyr named Our Lady Margaret. Olybrius, the governor of the Roman diocese of the East at the time, insisted on marrying her and asked her to renounce Christianity. After a serious refusal, an enraged Olybrius throws Margaery into a cell where Satan dragons are held.
However, Margaret was not killed by the dragon, because when the dragon approached her, she made a cross mark with her hands, and the dragon immediately disappeared. In some other versions, it is also said that she was actually devoured alive by the dragon, but after making a cross mark on the dragon's stomach, she returned to the cell unscathed.
Gold Legend
Although dragons may seem powerful and invincible, in medieval Western culture dragons were often depicted as monsters that could be tamed or defeated—they were "background emperors" under the swords of saints and heroes, as was the legend of St. George's slaying of the dragon in the Middle Ages.
The "Slaying of the Dragon by St. George" is one of the most famous stories in The Golden Saga – a dragon is said to have been plundering sheep in the Libyan town of Silene. After it ate a young shepherd, the people were forced to appease the dragon by offering more sheep as sacrifices.
Eventually, it ate all the sheep and began asking people to pay tribute to their children.
One day, the dragon took a fancy to the king's daughter, and despite the king's pleas for forgiveness, he insisted on eating the poor princess. Just as this moment was in full swing, St. George arrived on the scene, stabbed the dragon with a spear, and subdued it with a cross and the princess's belt.
When St. George led the dragon to the city, the subjects were grateful to him. Saint George then asked the townspeople to convert to Christianity on the condition that he would now be able to kill the people and slay the dragon.
In the end, the whole city converted to Christ, and St. George did not break his word and stabbed the dragon to death with his sword.
However, unlike Western European culture, in our country, the dragon has always been our totem, the beast of the nation, and the symbol of the emperor.
In China, the dragon has gone through four major stages of development: the stage of totem worship, the stage of worship of gods, the stage of combining the worship of dragon gods with the worship of emperors, and the stage of combining Buddhist naga dragon worship with Chinese dragon worship.
During the totem worship stage, some ancient Chinese tribes regarded the dragon as a totem, as the ancestor and symbol of their own tribe. According to historical documents and related legends, the dragon (originally a snake) was originally a totem of the Fuxi clan, and later became the totem of the Taihao (太昊) tribe. The Taiyu tribe is one of the most important origins of dragon totem worship.
During the stage of deity worship, agriculture and animal husbandry gradually formed, and religious beliefs also developed, transitioning from a relatively single totem worship to polytheistic worship. Dragon totem worship also developed into dragon god worship. People deified the dragon and worshipped the dragon as the god of water and the god of rainbows.
After the dragon was deified, it was combined with the worship of the emperor. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the great unification of China required a corresponding god to integrate the beliefs of various localities and nationalities, and the dragon worship was combined with the worship of the emperor. Ancient Chinese emperors described themselves as the embodiment of the dragon god or the son of the dragon god, or described themselves as people protected by the dragon god, and used the dragon to establish authority and gain universal trust and support. In this way, the dragon gained a more prominent position and played a very important role in the development of Chinese dragon culture.
Moreover, we have also derived quite a lot of subcultures based on "dragons", such as "dragons" in the Chinese zodiac, "dragon heads up" on February 2, "dragon veins" in feng shui, "dragon dances" in the Lantern Festival, "dragon boat racing" in the Dragon Boat Festival, "dragon and phoenix auspiciousness" when getting married, and so on.
It can be said that the "dragon" is an important totem that has always accompanied the growth of the Chinese nation, and it is also a historical imprint that witnesses our great rejuvenation.
In contrast, the Western Dragon is a holy spirit and an important deity for people to pray and bless, but in the evolution of history, it has gradually become the background of everyone's fear and heroism, which is a pity.
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Who has more cultural soft power than Western dragons and Chinese dragons? Radio
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<h1>Wen 丨huo Yan</h1>
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