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In Chinese culture, dragons embody power and might. They symbolize good luck, a favorable environment, nobility of spirit and supposed powers of control over meteorological phenomena, such as invoking rain during a drought. In China, dragons can be found everywhere, in legends, Chinese New Year, Chinese astrology, the arts, names and even sayings. Considered to be good luck charms in Chinese culture, dragons are far removed from the terrifying and evil image of fire-breathing dragons found in Western fairytales.

 

 

Inspiration

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The Dragon model manufactured by DENA has been developed in relation to the philosophy and symbolism of the dragon in Chinese culture. The luckiest number in China is 8. It is the favorite number in Chinese society because of its link with wealth and luck. The Chinese people love this number both in trivial circumstances and at important moments in their lives.

 

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Philosophy

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This exceptional DENA features the constellation of the dragon accompanied by 8 diamonds on the right-hand side (at 3 o'clock) and 8 diamonds on the left-hand side (at 9 o'clock), representing yin and yang. The 5 diamonds on the upper part (at 12 o'clock) symbolize the 5 elements. This is the basis defined by DENA for its limited numbered series of 8 watches. While in the West, dragons are cruel and destructive beings, in Asia, and more particularly in China, this mythical animal is surrounded by an extremely positive aura.

 

The Dragon model manufactured by DENA was developed in relation to the philosophy and symbolism of the dragon in Chinese culture. The luckiest number in China is 8. It is the favoritenumber in Chinese society because of its link with wealth and luck. The Chinese love this number both in trivial circumstances and in important moments of their lives. This exceptional coin features the constellation of the dragon with 8 diamonds on the right side and 8 diamonds on the left side representing yin and yang. The 5 diamonds on the upper part symbolize the 5 elements. This is the basis of its numbered limited edition of 8 watches.

Dragon symbolism in Chinese culture.

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While in the West, dragons are cruel and destructive beings, in Asia and more particularly in China, this mythical animal is surrounded by an extremely positive aura. The dragon is both a mythological and folkloric creature in China. The founding myths of Chinese civilization include Yu the Great, who is said to have been helped by one of these creatures. Chinese dragons are very different from their Western cousins.

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While the latter are evil beings in the legends of the European Middle Ages, the dragons of China, and by extension of Asia, are generally benevolent beings, even if Buddhist thinkers have introduced the idea that some dragons could be responsible for destruction following human affronts.

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Powerful and wise, as in the West, Chinese dragons have two other fundamental differences their long form, and the element with which they are most often associated, water. In popular Chinese beliefs, the dragon is therefore the deity of aquatic phenomena, waterfalls, rivers, seas and determines droughts or floods. They are sometimes even reputed to control the weather, especially rain, and may possess many supernatural powers depending on the source of the legends.

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In primitive times, most villages, especially those near water, would have had a temple dedicated to the local dragon, to offer sacrifices to it in times of crisis to obtain its help or forgiveness. As one of the four sacred animals in China, along with the phoenix, unicorn and turtle, the dragon represents power and talent, so that brilliant people are often referred to as dragons.

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Because of its extremely positive connotation, the dragon has become the symbol of emperors and, by extension, of Chinese culture. However, the Chinese authorities, fearing the negative image of the dragon in the West, now prefer to put forward more friendly mascots such as the panda. However, the population remains very attached to the image of the dragon, particularly in astrology. The dragon sign is one of the most popular and sought-after signs because it symbolizes power and success. In fact, it is in the years of the dragon that the birth rate is the highest in China.

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In triad circles, dragon tattoos have a very serious meaning. It is said that only the powerful can afford to wear such designs, otherwise the mythical animal may consume the unworthy wearer. The appearance of the Eastern, and therefore Chinese, dragon is quite different from that of the Western dragon. Long like a snake and with four legs, it combines the features of several animals deer horns, a camel's head, demon eyes, a snake's neck, a mollusk’s belly, carp scales, eagle's claws, tiger's paws and cow's ears.

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The pearl sometimes seen below the chin symbolizes well-being, luck and prosperity. However, most Chinese dragons do not have wings, and their ability to fly is a mystical power. It is difficult to determine how the myth of the dragon was formed in China, and the only answers may come from primitive cultures. It could be the result of the fusion of totems from different tribes, including the fusion of animals such as the snake and the fish.

Another hypothesis implies that the Chinese dragon was inspired by the marine crocodile, the largest reptile alive today. Crocodiles were in fact in ancient times seen as a variety of dragons.

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Chinese tradition considers that there are four great dragon kings, each corresponding to one of the seas surrounding the Middle Kingdom, the East China Sea, the South China Sea, the West China Sea and the North China Sea. Several legends link the mythical emperors Yan Di and Huangdi to the Chinese dragon. Huangdi is said to have been immortalized in the form of the legendary animal. It later became the symbol of the emperors, and even the emblem on the flag of the Qing Dynasty. The wives of the emperors were associated with the Chinese phoenix. To differentiate the emperor from his subjects, the son of heaven was the only one who could wear five-clawed dragon motifs, an image that today represents the whole of China. The four-clawed dragon represents Korea, the three-clawed dragon represents Japan.

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The Chinese attach great importance and significance to numbers. It is therefore logical that the dragon is associated with one of the most positive numbers, 9. This is why it is considered to have 9 attributes and 117 scales, 81 yang and 36 yin (each a multiple of 9). In imperial palaces such as Beihai Park in Beijing, for example, one can find walls with nine dragons.

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The five elements of Chinese cosmology are important elements of traditional Chinese astrology and philosophy, in relation to your own Chinese zodiac sign. According to the theory of the five elements wood, fire, earth, metal and water, each element of nature has yin and yang components.

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Yin and yang are the two opposing but complementary components that allow us to approach the phenomena of life and the cosmos.