According to the Ganzhi chronology and the lunar calendar, 2024 is the year of the Jiachen Dragon. For the upcoming Year of the Dragon, as with the different animal images of the 12 zodiac signs, there are a large number of dragon patterns, portraits, and images appearing to celebrate the New Year. One of the phenomena that has implications is that there is controversy over the image of the dragon, the most controversial being whether it is a real dragon or a fake dragon measured by the number of dragons' claw toes.
China Post has issued a commemorative commemorative banknote book for the Year of the Dragon stamps of the "Golden Dragon Presents Rui", and the United Nations has also launched a series of 10 stamps for the Year of the Dragon, each with a beautiful picture of the dragon. Moreover, wherever there are Chinese people and Chinese traditions, there are also dragon drawings and decorations. For example, Chinatown in Singapore is also lit up, and the illuminations are dominated by dragon images.
The dragon depiction in Chinatown, Singapore, has four claws, three front paws and one hind paw.
A little observation shows that most of these dragons have claw toes, and most of them have five claws, while others have three or four claws. No one expected that on the issue of dragon claws, someone with a heart would pick out a big problem.
Apple launched the AirPods Pro 2 Year of the Dragon Special Edition, and also launched a new Year of the Dragon phone case on the official website, on which a four-clawed dragon is drawn, and it is paired with a bright red tone. Illustrated by renowned illustrator Yulong Lli, this case showcases the dragon's fierce spirit with brilliant peony fireworks, curling lines and bright colors.
However, the image of the dragon on this phone case encountered netizens Du Groove. Some netizens pointed out: "In traditional Chinese culture, 'five claws are dragons and four claws are pythons', which actually refers to pythons as dragons", "pythons and dragons cannot be compared", "since it is China's limit, it is necessary to have an in-depth understanding of Chinese culture", and Chinese culture should be respected.
In response to such criticism, there are also opposing voices saying that the dragon in traditional Chinese culture did not have five claws at the beginning, but developed from three, four and five claws.
Judging whether it is a real dragon or a fake dragon by the number of dragon claws, there is not only the source of culture, but also the formation and change of Chinese social hierarchy. If the identification of individual situations that do not conform to the mainstream culture is not very good, it can easily rise to disrespect for Chinese culture, and it is obvious that there is some allergies.
The dragon is an animal that does not exist in reality, but the ancient religious totem and culture of China created the image of the dragon and gradually improved and perfected it, forming the modern image of the dragon that has been handed down to this day. Therefore, from a cultural perspective alone, it is necessary to accept the diversity of Chinese images of dragons, as well as the various elements of dragons, and understand the historical changes of dragon images.
According to the Erya Wings, the dragon "has horns like a deer, a head like a camel, eyes like a rabbit, a neck like a snake, a belly like a mirage, scales like a fish, claws like an eagle, palms like a tiger, and ears like a cow." This is also the origin of the image of the dragon from the nine animals, which was later recognized by the people of all generations, and was also reflected in various paintings, patterns, buildings, and costumes of the dragon.
Since the dragon's claws resemble those of an eagle, the dragon's claws should have four toes on each claw, three in front and one in the back. Therefore, the appearance of the dragon image with four claws on the iPhone case is not a mistake, but conforms to the regulations of history and culture, and even respects the earlier cultural definition of the image of the dragon. It's just that history is constantly evolving, and the image of the dragon in culture is also evolving and developing.
Not only the dragon claws, but even the image of the dragon is also nine kinds of dragons, all of which are different, and in folklore, there are four types of dragons: Jiaolong, Ying Long, Qiu Long, and Cockroach Dragon. However, there are only three types of dragons that correspond to the dragon's claws and toes, the Kui Dragon, the Ying Dragon, and the Golden Dragon. Correspondingly, the claw toe of Kui Long is a single toe, which appeared from the Shang Dynasty to the Warring States Period. This was followed by Yinglong, which was a three-clawed toe, which appeared from the Warring States period to the Sui Dynasty, and then the golden dragon, which had three-clawed, four-clawed, and five-clawed toes. Both the three-claw toe and the four-claw toe appeared from the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, and the five-claw toe appeared from the Ming to Qing dynasties.
It can be seen that the five-clawed toe dragon only appeared in the late Chinese history, and has also become a major image and manifestation of the dragon in Chinese culture. Accompanied by the establishment of the supremacy of the dragon, that is, the "true dragon son of heaven", which is the emperor for himself to establish the first rank of the world, therefore, China's first stamp is the Qing Dynasty issued in 1897 "Qing Dynasty dragon post", the dragon on the stamp is on the five claws, indicating that this is the "true dragon son of heaven".
On 19 January, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) also issued a special edition stamp sheet for the Year of the Dragon in New York to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year. The Year of the Dragon stamp sheet consists of a face value of 1The $50 set consists of 10 stamps, and the entire pane is priced at $17$95. Every stamp issued by the United Nations has the image of a dragon, and the dragon's claws and toes are all five claws.
The dragon design of the stamp was created by Chinese designer Pan Hu and is reflected in the Chinese Gongbi style of dragon. This shows that the Chinese designers of the United Nations Year of the Dragon stamps are more likely to agree that the dragon's toes are five claws. However, the illustrator of the iPhone case is also Chinese and immersed in Chinese culture, but the dragon drawn is four-clawed. This shows that the author still agrees with the four-clawed Ying Long.
In the dragon image on the dragon lantern in Chinatown, Singapore, the dragon claws are also four claws, three front claws and one hind paws. The dragon lighting was designed by 13 students from the Singapore University of Technology and Design over a period of about nine months, and they certainly took into account the traditions of Chinese culture, but also incorporated modern elements, so they did not stick to the five claws on the dragon claws.
From the perspective of the global and local images, as well as the layout, the dragon's claws are only a part, as long as the overall image of the dragon from the nine animals is mostly consistent with the image of the dragon in traditional Chinese culture, it can be considered that the drawings of these dragons are still faithful to Chinese culture. Whether it is the dragon drawing of the Apple phone case, or the dragon image on the United Nations postage stamp and the dragon lantern in Singapore, it is also lifelike, like a flying dragon in the sky, soaring through the clouds, reflecting the mysterious and fierce majesty of the legendary dragon.
The dragon is just a legend, there is no need to admit death, it doesn't matter if the dragon has three claws, four claws, five claws, or no claws. As long as the overall image conforms to the definition of Chinese culture, that is, the dragon is derived from nine animals, it should be grasped and let go of the small, not the small to be enlarged.