"Among the 12 zodiac signs, the dragon is actually the most special one, because the other 11 zodiac signs all have physical objects, and the dragon is imaginary. Wu Tian, director of the Nanjing Museum, said.
Ancient Chinese texts depict the image of the dragon in detail, and the Guangya Shiyu records four main types of dragons: the scaly one is called Jiaolong, the winged one is called Yinglong, the horned one is called Qiulong, and the hornless one is called the dragon. And the period is different, the number of claws of the dragon is also different, before the Yuan Dynasty, it was mostly manifested as three claws or the front three and four claws layout, and the Ming Dynasty began to generally adopt the image of four claws.
During the Tang and Song dynasties, there were various theories about the specific appearance of the dragon, and its body size could be as large as tens of zhang, or as small as a domestic dog; Liu Zongyuan described it as "a body with three heads", and Hong Hao of the Southern Song Dynasty recorded the remains of a dragon preserved in the inner library of the Jin Dynasty in his "Chronicles of the Song Desert".
It was not until the Song Dynasty that the image of the dragon was gradually standardized, and the theory of "three stops and nine likenesses" was established: "three stops" meant that the dragon body was divided into three parts: upper, middle and lower from head to tail;
On the occasion of the Year of the Dragon, a number of museums around the world have launched special exhibitions with the theme of "Dragon", reproducing the profound and long history of Chinese dragon culture through rich and diverse collections.
Nanjing Museum (Chaotian Palace)
Bringing together more than 180 pieces (sets) of dragon-themed cultural relics and folk exhibits, according to the imagination of the dragon, the flying dragon, the auspicious dragon, the supreme dragon, the dragon of Jinling and other chapters, such as the first-class cultural relics "Liang Qi" bronze bell, vividly demonstrated the superb level and free innovation spirit of the dragon ornament art in the late Western Zhou Dynasty.
"Liang Qi" bronze bell. Source: Nanjing Museum
"Liang Qi bell is a long cavity wide drum type, the bell mouth arc, the dance department is decorated with a symmetrical dragon pattern, the seal is a two-headed dragon pattern, the drum is decorated with a pair of corolla dragon patterns, there is a standing bird pattern on the right side, the inscription is 48 words between the cymbals and the left part of the tunnel, the content is to praise the merits of Liang Qi's ancestors, and express loyal obedience to the Son of Heaven. Wu Khotan, director of the Nanjing Museum, introduced that the image of the dragon in this period was still relatively free, because the dragon itself was an imaginary thing, so the image was very many, and the image of the dragon on the bell of "Liang Qi" was only one of them.
Shanghai Museum
The exhibition "Spring Glory and Dragon Fusion - Spring Festival Exhibition in the Year of the Dragon at the Shanghai Museum" displays eight representative dragon-themed cultural relics, including the jade-shaped dragon of the Hongshan culture period, which is a sacred object for the ancestors to communicate with heaven and earth, and is also one of the important examples of the early image of the dragon.
According to the shape, it is speculated that it may have originated from pigs, bears, silkworms, etc., so it is also called "Jade Pig Dragon", reflecting the richness of the origin of dragon culture.
Jade Dragon. Source: Shangguan News
In addition, there are exquisite and luxurious gilt copper dragon head silver chains from the Tang Dynasty. Judging by similar cultural relics, this chain may be a necklace worn by monks or laymen, intended to worship the Buddha and protect the Dharma. Its well-made and expensive materials reflect the level of social and economic development of the Tang Dynasty and the degree of economic development of Buddhist monasteries at that time.
Gilded bronze dragon head silver chain. Source: Shangguan News
Sichuan Museum
On January 23, the Sichuan Museum unveiled the "Dragon Travels to China - 2024 Spring Festival Special Exhibition". More than 60 pieces (sets) of cultural relics related to dragon culture are all on display, revealing the continuous vitality of dragon culture from ancient times to the present.
Porcelain dragon boats. Source: Sichuan Museum
From the giant stone pile plastic dragon at the Chahai site in Liaoning Province about 8,000 years ago, to the mussel plastic dragon in Puyang, Henan Province more than 6,000 years ago, and the jade dragon of Hongshan culture more than 5,000 years ago, countless cultural relics prove that China's dragon worship has been passed down for thousands of years.
Among them, the dragon-shaped bronze ornament unearthed from the No. 8 sacrificial pit of the Sanxingdui site in 2021 was met with the public for the first time, triggering a new round of public attention to the origin and evolution of dragon worship.
Bronze altar parts (left) and bronze dragon ornaments (right) unearthed in Sanxingdui. Source: Red Star News
China Three Gorges Museum, Chongqing
For the new year, the museum has selected 169 pieces (sets) of cultural relics containing dragon elements, and the theme of the exhibition is "Dragon Dance in China". Du Zhiming, the curator of the exhibition and a researcher at the Three Gorges Museum, said, "The exhibition has been prepared for about half a year, and we have carefully selected and displayed thousands of cultural relics related to the 'dragon' in the museum. ”
Among them, there are 67 pieces (sets) of grade cultural relics, including the dragon-shaped jade plate of the Warring States Period, the dragon and tiger pattern mirror of the Eastern Han Dynasty "green cover", the Shu brocade quilt of the Ming Dynasty with the dragon and phoenix pattern, the Qing Dynasty "Jiaqing Year" model depicting gold dragon pattern printing box, the Qing Dynasty blue yarn and gold embroidered dragon pattern horseshoe sleeve robe, the Qing Dynasty jade coral Canglong godson pattern with hook, etc.
Green yarn and gold embroidered dragon pattern horse coat (Qing Dynasty). Source: Cover News
Xianyang Museum
"Dragon Walks the World - Xianyang Dragon Cultural Relics Lunar New Year Exhibition" combs the evolution of dragons from the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Ming and Qing dynasties and even the Republic of China through three units, and carefully selects 95 precious cultural relics such as dragons, phoenixes, jade pendants, dragon buttons, and Qianyu.
According to Ma Sheqiang, director of the Xianyang Museum, the exhibition is divided into three sections: "The Beginning of the Dragon's Formation and the Establishment of Divinity", "The Transformation of the Dragon, Respect of All Beings", and "The Descendants of the Royal Exclusive Dragon".
Source: Sanqin Metropolis Daily
During the New Year's Day, Spring Festival, Lantern Festival holidays and throughout the exhibition, the Xianyang Museum also plans to hold a series of activities related to dragons. It is hoped that through 68 activities in 7 categories, the audience will appreciate the breadth and profundity of traditional Chinese dragon culture and draw spiritual power from dragon culture in a series of all-round exhibitions and series of activities.
Hong Kong Palace Museum
To welcome the Year of the Dragon, the Hong Kong Palace Museum has curated a special exhibition of eight antiques from the Ming and Qing dynasties that are closely related to the Year of the Dragon, and will last until the end of March.
Wu Zhihua, Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, said that the dragon symbolizes supreme power in Chinese culture, and through the display of these Palace Museum artefacts, the public can deeply appreciate the depth and longevity of Chinese culture.
Jiaolongniu "the treasure of the system". Source: People's Daily Online Hong Kong
The supremacy of the emperor is reflected in the dragon-shaped motifs on the jade seals, such as the square jade seal of the Chongde period of the Qing Dynasty, the "treasure of the system", which is huge in size, far exceeding the ordinary jade seal, and is specially designed to issue imperial orders and is strictly guarded by specific officials. This treasure seal with exquisite jade carving technology, with the dragon design of the button, symbolizes the emperor's ninety-five supreme status.
In addition, Shanghai Pudong History Museum, Ningbo Museum, Rizhao Museum and other museums have also displayed art treasures containing dragon elements, jointly outlining a picture of Chinese dragon culture. The Liaoning Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism has also launched the "Liaoning Dragon Culture Research and Tourism Theme Route" to guide tourists to explore the dragon cultural heritage all over the land of Liaoning and Shenyang, from the ancient stone pile plastic dragon at the Chahai site to the unique paleontological fossils and Great Wall relics in the region, tracing the long trajectory of the development of Chinese civilization.
Five Dragons Presents Ruitu Tapestry, exhibited at the Pudong History Museum in Shanghai. Source: China Daily
[Source: Jiupai News Comprehensive]
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