T. Z. Chang - 50 Life Answers. The Dragon

Copyright T. Z. Chang

Cover design by Adam David

ePub design and production by Flipside team

eISBN 978-971-9942-27-6

This e-book edition published 2011

by Flipside Digital Content Company, Inc.

Quezon City, Philippines

www.flipsidecontent.com

50 LIFE ANSWERS

THE DRAGON

BY T.Z. CHANG

THE DRAGON, An Introduction

Considered an incredibly potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art, its little wonder that every Chinese parent hopes to have a child born under the year of the Dragon.

Unlike the predominantly reptilian creature with obvious lizard features depicted in Western legend and art, the Chinese Celestial Dragon is often depicted as a mythical beast with the physiognomies of other animals. Albeit long and serpentine, the Celestial Dragon often also has the fins of fish or the horns of a stag, a hawks claws, the belly of a crocodile, a tigers paws, a camels head, and, in some cases, wispy threads of a flowing white beard like a goats, that makes it appear wise and sagely.

Celestial, eastern Dragons are beautiful and friendly even as they are astounding to look at in their majesty. Loved, adored, and worshipped, Chinese people around the world, proudly proclaim themselves as Lung Tik Chuan Ren or The Descendants of the Dragon. Temples and shrines have been built in their honor, for they control the rain, rivers, lakes, and seas.

The five-clawed dragon was the symbol of many Chinese emperors and has been ever associated with all the power and privilege of nobility and the gift for rule. It is the embodiment of the male yang and auspicious, irresistible power.

The earliest depiction of the Chinese dragon dates back to the 16th century B.C., when the archaeologist Zhou Chong-Fa claimed that the word for dragon was an onomatopoeia of the sound thunder makes. The word for Dragon is long in Mandarin or luhng in Cantonese.

According to legend, celestial dragons can take on human form and bring upon the populace the essence of life in the form of its divine breath, known as sheng chi. When angered or wronged they wreak mighty, righteous havoc. They rule over all moving bodies of water including waterfalls, rivers, and seas. With their immense powers, they can manifest as water spouts, tornadoes, and twisters of immense size. Other than flight and quick swimming in water, they are also capable of breathing fire, rain, or fog.

The Year of the Dragon, which takes place every twelve years, is extremely lucky. Children born during a Dragon Year are blessed not only with beauty and fortune, but also robust health and the expectation of a long life.

THE CHINESE ZODIAC

The Chinese animal signs or zodiac features a 12-year rotation. They represent a cyclical concept of time based on the moon, rather than a linear, solar-centric one, which the Western calendar uses.

Thus, in the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls somewhere between late January and early February. While the Chinese have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, the lunar calendar is still used for festivals and other cultural and religious occasions, like the Chinese New Year.

WHAT IS YIN AND YANG?

The concept of yin and yang permeates Chinese philosophy and metaphysics. Basically they are complementary opposites that interact within a greater whole. They are both part of a dynamic system. They are usually represented by the Taoist Taijitu (translated as the Diagram of the Supreme Ultimate) symbol.

In the Chinese Zodiac, certain signs are predominantly yin or yang. The balance of the two elements is often crucial to the well-being of the person, as an overabundance of his birth energy may lead to adversity or ruin.

The relationship between yin and yang is often described as sunlight playing over a mountain and in the valley. Yin is the dark area shadowed by the mountain's bulk, while yang is the brightly lit portion of the land. As the sun moves across the sky, yin and yang gradually trade places with each other, revealing what was obscured and obscuring what was revealed.

Everything has both yin and yang aspects, but either of these aspects may manifest more strongly in particular objects, and may ebb or flow over time.

YIN

Yin is the black side with the white dot on it. Yin people are group oriented, usually concerned about the welfare of their family or the assembly which they move in. A yin person loves community events, group activities, parties, celebrations, gatherings and holidays. Yin is characterized as slow, soft, yielding and diffuse. It is cold and is associated with wetness and moisture and passivity. While the moon, femininity and night time fall under yin, a yin person is serious and given to brooding. Yin people rarely smile and they tend to be grounded on the material and factual, rather despising those with their head in the clouds.

YANG

Yang is the white side with the black dot on it. Yang people are individualistic and tend to introversion. While they might prefer solitude it does not necessarily mean they are lonely people. Yang people are hard and fast moving, focused, hot, dry and often aggressive in their personalities. Yang is associated with fire, the sky and the sun, masculinity and the daytime hours. Because of their sensitive natures, yang people tend to be meditative and spiritual. They are also often upbeat and at peace. Yang people focus more on inner growth and personal development, but tend to ignore the facts of the daily grind.

DRAGON BIRTH DATES

THE DRAGON AND THE REST OF THE ZODIAC

According to the legend of the Chinese zodiac, a long, long time ago the Jade Emperor wanted to find a means of measuring time. So he organized a race and invited all the animals to take part.

When they had all lined up on the bank of a river with fast-moving waters, the Emperor proclaimed the prize for the race would be a permanent place in the celestial zodiac. He however explained that, to win, the animals would have to be one of the first twelve to cross the river. The place in which they finished the race would determine their order in the cycle.

As the race progressed, the Dragon came on in fifth place. He flapped his great wings and breathed fire into the riverbanks air. The Emperor was puzzled. How come such a majestic creature with its wings and strength did not finish first?

In explanation the Dragon said: while he had been close to finishing ahead of all the animals, he chanced to see a poor, helpless rabbit clinging to a log that was being washed quickly downstream. Taking pity on the domestic animal, he stopped to exhale a mighty puff of breath that blew the log to the shore.