Chinese dragons and Japanese dragons?

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:der: go to google

type: "difference chinese japanese dragons"

I dunno much about it... but the sites are there... :shrug:
 
I lived in Japan for 2 yrs. Minored in Japanese studies.

I dont know that much about the whole dragon thing, but this much I do know: Most of the old Japanese culture is based off of Chinese culture, from art to city design. The Japanese took the things they thought they were behind in and then modified them to their own culture to make them "better/more Japanese". I imagine the dragons are the same, taken from Chinese culture, slightly modified to Japanese culture.

I did see them in local festivals in Japan. Pretty cool to see stuff like that, things you'd never really see in your own culture/country.
 
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Well, I'm Japanese, but I've lived in Singapore for most of my life and I probably have more knowledge about Chinese customs. The Chinese have their own Zodiac (a 12-year cycle with a different animal for each year) and I just happen to be a Dragon. Unlike Western cultures, the Chinese believe that dragons (long) are lucky creatures, which is why in 'dragon-years' more babies are born. There is also a saying, 'wang zi cheng long', which means 'wishing for a son to become like a dragon', basically hoping your offspring would become great people. That's all I can remember now, for the moment.
 
sheshe(sp?) dogs and fu(sp?) dogs are cool. Someone here has a tattoo of one of them I think. Calluna(sp?)
 
puff?

there are a lot of ugly shirts in the world right now. most have dragon designs. they are atrocious.
retro-dragon-1.jpg


:wave: gheto!
 
That is one bastardized chinese dragon shirt.

martha, often you'd find statues of chinese dragons with marbles in their mouths. Perhaps this is linked to the old custom of placing a marble in the empress dowager's mouth when she dies (I forget the symbolism). Something about the afterlife. Anyway, it's a sign of prosperity, the dragon. There's also the tale of the dragon on mooncake festival day. Children were often told to make as much noise as possible at night, so as to chase away the evil spirit. So I guess not all dragons are +ve. My random thoughts.


foray
 
Good to know there are so many people here into Asian culture!!!! I approve!
 
Dragons have been an integral part of the culture of the Chinese, Koreans and Japanese peoples since the beginning of recorded history. In China they are used to mark the stairways over which only the Emperor could be carried. In Japan they are used in Buddhist temples both as decoration and as fountain heads for purification before worship. In many cases the dragon is combined with the phoenix to symbolize long life and prosperity. It is also combined with the tiger to represent heaven and earth or inyo (Yin and Yang).
Have you ever wondered how to tell the difference between Chinese, Korean and Japanese dragons ? Each of these countries dragons look the same at a glance, but each has a difference in the detail. You have to start by counting the toes. Yes the toes. The Chinese dragon has five toes. The Korean has four toes and the Japanese dragon has three toes. Each of the three countries explains this differently, and since nearly everything in Asia has its roots in China we will start with them.

The Chinese dragon is a central figure of both good and evil in their fables and legends. According to the Chinese the dragon originated in their middle kingdom and has always had five toes. The dragon by nature is a gregarious creature who wanders the earth. However, the farther it goes from China, the more toes it loses. Hence, when it reached Korea it only had four toes and by the time it got to Japan it only had three. This also explains why it never made it to Europe or the Americas in that by the time it got that far it had lost all of its toes and could not walk.

The Japanese account of the dragon is very similar to that of the Chinese. The Japanese also believe that the dragon had its origins in their country. Again they know that the dragon has a tendency to travel and the farther it travels, the more toes it grows. By the time it reached Korea it had four and by the time it got to China it had five. Again this is the reason it never made it much farther than China. It kept growing toes and could not walk any further.

It should probably be noted that the Asian dragons do not have wings, even though they are often depicted in clouds or ascending from the heavens.

The Koreans tell a similar story of the dragon. They of course know that the dragon began with them. Probably just like they know that karate began in Korea. The Korean dragon has always had four toes. When the dragon travels East or North, it loses toes. When it travels South or West it gains toes. This explains why the Japanese dragon has three toes and the Chinese dragon has five toes. It also explains why the dragon never made it to Europe or the Americas. As it traveled West to Europe, it grew so many toes that it could no longer walk. As it traveled East to the Americas, it lost all of its toes and could no longer walk.

The sexuality of the dragon can also be noted in most cases at a glance. In all three countries, the determination is based on the same factors. (Isn't that a relief). The male dragon holds a war club in its tail while the female dragon holds a sensu or fan in its tail. One of the problems lies in that you cannot always see the tail or tell the difference between the fan or the war club. But then again, if you are not another dragon, you probably do not need to know.

Now wasn't that simple. Each of the three countries can totally explain the origins of the dragon, and in doing so can take total credit for its origins.

The next time you see an item of Oriental art that is of dragons, whether it is a painting, a bronze casting or a decorative motif on sword furniture, take a close look at the claws of the dragon and you can always tell where it's from.
 
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