"Year of the Dragon"
Text/Gao Hongliang
The year 2024 is the year of Jiachen, the year of the dragon, which is determined according to the "sexagenary branches". The heavenly stem "Jia" belongs to wood in the five elements, and the corresponding color is "cyan", and the 12 zodiac signs corresponding to the earthly branch "Chen" are dragons, so people also call the year of Jiachen in 2024 the "Year of the Green Dragon".
The solar calendar has a leap year in four years, and the "green dragon year" is reincarnated in 60 years, so this year there is a saying that "the leap year is a green dragon".
Starting from the Spring Festival in 2024, people have come to the Year of the Dragon, and how much do you know about the dragon, which is a major and complex topic.
First: about the origin of dragons
The origin of dragons has been an important topic of inquiry for thousands of years. It is said to have originated from the worship of celestial phenomena. In the eighties of the last century, a 19.7m long dragon was found at the Chahai site in Fuxin, Liaoning Province, which was stacked with reddish-brown stones, which was the earliest dragon pattern found in China. This pattern dates back tens of thousands of years. It comes from the image of the crooked lightning, and it is believed that there is a kind of divine creature in the sky that can call wind and rain, thunder, and lightning, and it is called a dragon, and is known as the "Oriental Divine Beast". According to "Shuowen Jie Zi", it is believed that "the dragon, the length of the scale insect, can be dark and bright, can be small and huge, can be short and long, ascend to the sky at the spring equinox, and dive into the abyss at the autumn equinox." Able to soar through the clouds and fog, travel the clouds and rain, it is a miraculous animal. ”
The mainland is a multi-ethnic country, and each ethnic group uses different animals to represent its own nation, and in order to unify it, it is necessary to have a common object of reverence, and the dragon is determined to be the common symbol of all ethnic groups.
Since the Qin and Han dynasties, the dragon has become a common spiritual totem of the Chinese nation.
Second: the image and category of the dragon
1. The image of a dragon
According to the Han Dynasty scholar Wang Chong, the dragon's horns are like deer, the head is like a snake, the eyes are like a rabbit, the neck is like a snake, the belly is like a mirage (shèn: clam), the scales are like a carp, the claws are like an eagle, the palm is like a tiger, and the ears are like a cow. There are four kinds of images: ascending dragon, walking dragon, sitting dragon, and squatting dragon, with different expressions and lifelike.
2. Classification of dragons: There are five types
(1) Jiaolong: a dragon with scales.
(2) Ying Long: a winged dragon.
（3）虬（qiú）龙：有角的龙。
（4）螭（chī）龙：无角龙。
(5) There are four-clawed dragons and five-clawed dragons.
Third: the meaning of the dragon
In traditional Chinese culture, the dragon is a symbol of power, nobility and honor, and a symbol of happiness and success, so dragon culture has a lofty position and historical significance in Chinese culture.
The dragon represents auspiciousness, harmonious coexistence, good weather, good life, unity, and endless life. The dragon is also a mythical object in people's imagination, metaphorically referring to imperial power, the ancient emperor called the true dragon son of heaven, and has become synonymous with the supreme commander of more than 5,000 years of history in China.
Fourth: the footprints of dragons in life
Dragon's clothing, food, shelter and transportation in life are all-encompassing, and I will list some of them.
The emperor's clothes are called dragon robes, and the hats are called dragon crowns; the food has lobsters and dragon beard noodles; the buildings have dragon palaces and dragon pavilions; the homes have dragon beds and dragon chairs; there are dragon boats and dragon boat races; the plants have nightshade, dragon beard grass, dragon cypress, dragon claw locust; the crane has a gantry crane; the temple has the dragon king temple; the water has the dragon pool, the dragon river, and the dragon lake; there are many names of people and places named after the dragon, such as Jackie Chan, Heilongjiang, and the folk "dragon raises its head".
Fifth: Idioms connected to dragons, colorful
Dragon Flying Phoenix Dance, Dragon Teng Tiger Leap, Dragon Pan Tiger Standing, Dragon and Horse Spirit, Dragon and Phoenix Chengxiang, Dragon and Tiger Fighting, Longtan Tiger's Den, Ins and Outs, Raw Dragon and Living Tiger, Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger, Riding Dragon Fast Son-in-law, Dragons Without Heads, Finishing Touches, Jackie Chan, Ye Gong Good Dragon......
Each idiom contains a vivid story, and it can be said that dragon culture has a long history.
Sixth: Year of the Dragon Folklore
"In leap years, when the green dragon is in place, five people should wear red", these five types are dragons, oxen, rabbits, dogs, and sheep in 2024.
Wearing red includes: wearing red underwear, red socks, and wearing a red belt. Wearing red can improve your fortune, which means that the future days will be smooth and everything will be auspicious.
Seventh: The Year of Jiachen "The World Speaks New Words"
1. Jinzhou New Language
(1) "Blessed land of mountains and seas, splendid state"
(2) "Hero City, Jinzhou is good"
2. Liaoning Xinyu
(1) "Mountains and seas are affectionate, and the sky is peaceful and peaceful"
(2) "The sun of Shenshui, my heart yearns"
3. National new language
(1) "Dragon, Future, Life, Hundred Industries"
(magnificent) (great future) (more than every year) (courage, strength)
(2) "Cut and cherish, blessed and beautiful"
(偲: cāi: versatile; 偲偲: mutual learning (榷) mutual supervision)
(瓞: dié: There are two kinds of melons, the big one is the melon, and the small one is the gourd.) Fu Lu Mianmian, that is
"Fruitful".
Writer: Gao Hongliang, a retired cadre of the municipal organs
Conclusion
This "Year of the Dragon" not only explains my perception and cognition of the dragon, but also my hope for the Year of the Dragon, wishing 2024 a "Year of Dragons, a new chapter in the future".
The picture comes from the Internet