中国人对龙的理解与西方人不一样。龙是中华民族进入农业社会后创造的一种虚拟动物,属于水物,它的产生 与农业对水的需求有关。在中国的神话与传说中,龙是一种传说中神异动物,居于蛇身、蜥腿、凤爪、鹿角、鱼鳞、鱼尾的形象。它能走,亦能飞,能倒水,能大能 小,能隐能现,能翻江倒海,吞风吐雾,兴云降雨。
The Chinese understanding of dragon is different from that of Westerners. Loong, another term for Chinese Dragon, created by the ancients, is a virtual animal when the Chinese nation entered into agricultural society. Loong belongs to water. Its appearance is related to agriculture that demanded for water.In Chinese myth and legend, Loong is a mystical animal with snake body, lizard leg, chicken feet, antler, fish scale and fish tail. It does walk, fly and swim. What’s more, it has capabilities of turning big or small and of being partly hidden and partly visible. Not only can it overturn rivers and seas but inhale clouds and exhale mist. It gives rain to men.
龙是图腾文化的融合。远古时代,许多部落有自己的图腾。当两个或若干个部落结成一个部落联盟或新部落的时候,其图腾就要反映原来部落图腾的特点。所以,当中华民族形成的时候,龙图腾就出现了。
Loong is the merger of totem culture. Many tribes have their own totems in the ancient age. New totem reflects characteristics of previous tribes when a new tribe unio is built up which consists of two or more tribes. That is, the totem is appearedwhen the Chinese nation comes to be.
龙是帝王的象征。帝王的子孙,被称为“龙种”,帝王的用品也常常被加上“龙”字,如“龙袍”、“龙椅”等,连帝王的面色也被称为“龙颜”。龙也是杰出人物的象征,汉语词汇中,有“藏龙卧虎”、“乘龙快婿”等。
Loong is the emblem of emperor, whose son is called “long zhong”. The daily necessities for emperor are always with the word “long”, such as “long pao”(Dragon Robe) & “long yi”(The Emperor’s Chair). Indeed, the emperor’s look is called “long yan”. Meanwhile, Loong stands for a wonderful person. “wo hu cang long”(hidden talent) & ”cheng long kuai xu”(son-in-law) both mean the guy is outstanding in Chinese vocabulary.
同时,龙也是一种祥瑞之物。因此,人们希望它能在自己的家里,保佑自己家里一切平安,万事如意。舞龙灯的季节,人们会请人到家里来舞一回。龙呈威猛之象,因此,有龙舟驱鬼辟邪的说法。
Meanwhile, Loong is a mascot. People wish it would stay behind to bless family all right and to be a happy life. When the Dragon Dance time is coming, people often ask actor to dance in their home. It is said that dragon boat could protect against evil since Loong is very powerful.