Dragons, blessed all over the world, walk in the market, dwell in the palace, and are also skillful in folk customs. Dragon, carved in jade and bronze, records the years, participates in the creation of words, and emblems the spirit of the country. The dragon embodies the genetic code of Chinese civilization in the 10,000-year cultural history and 5,000-year civilization history. It exists in ancient mythology, in cultural heritage, and in our lives.
Today, we will start from the National Museum of China, the highest historical, cultural and artistic palace carrying Chinese civilization, to understand why the C-shaped dragon in the C position of the exhibition hall is known as "the first dragon in China", and what cultural codes have been unlocked by the earliest "dragon" character on bronzes. Let's feel the high-spirited, strong and majestic posture of the Chinese dragon, and read the wonderful and interesting chapters in the dragon culture.
The auspicious beast millennium totem roars the Chinese dragon of the nine heavens.
The dragon is prosperous and glorifying. On the occasion of the advent of the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, the National Museum of China carefully selected the cultural relics from its collection and launched the "Longzhao New Yuan - Jiachen New Year of the Dragon Cultural Exhibition".
Reporter Shuai Junquan: In the National Museum's New Year of the Dragon Special Exhibition, a total of more than 200 cultural relics with dragon elements were exhibited, and more than 90% of them were presented to the public for the first time. It can be said that in the New Year of the Dragon, a rich cultural feast was presented to everyone. As soon as you enter the hall, the absolute C position is such a C-shaped jade dragon unearthed about 6,000 years ago.
National Museum Exploration Hall Dragon World Dragon Pattern Dragon Character Dragon Totem.
Now in the National Museum of Hongshan culture C-shaped jasper dragon, 26 centimeters high, carved by dark green Xiuyan jade, the whole body curled up in the shape of C, there is a small hole in the middle of the body, as long as the line through the small hole after the hanging, the dragon head and the dragon tail will be on the same horizontal line, the shape is unique, ingenious, is the largest volume and the highest level of relics in the Hongshan culture jade found at present, known as "the first dragon in China".
The dragon and the origin of Chinese civilization go hand in hand, it is created by the ancestors of the Chinese nation, set many animals and natural phenomena in one, with extraordinary ability of the gods, as early as the primitive tribe period, our country has appeared the prototype of the dragon.
From the dragon character in the oracle bone inscription and the jade dragon unearthed from the tomb of the Yinxu woman, if you look closely, you can find that the dragon that the ancients thought of showed a giant beast with legs and a curved body. The Neolithic period that best fits these characteristics is the C-shaped dragon and the Jue-shaped dragon in the Hongshan culture.
Sun Mengying, content design of the Ancient Chinese Jade Exhibition at the National Museum: This Jue-shaped dragon, we can see its bear-like high ears and large ringed eyes, pig-like protruding external jaws, and snake-like curled body ring-tailed, some people say that it represents a human embryo or a larva of a metamorphosis insect, which may have the meaning of metamorphosis or feathering and regeneration.
In addition to jade, for the image of the dragon, researchers have their own hypotheses, in other relics of the Neolithic Age, the dragon pattern plate of the Taosi site, the painted dragon pattern pottery plate of the Longshan culture, the salamander pattern painted pottery bottle of the Yangshao culture, the dragon and tiger pattern of the mussel sculpture, although the geographical space is far away, but they all have a common cultural sense and communication. The pictures of birds and beasts on the pottery of Zhao Baogou culture, and the cultural information contained in the patterns of deer, pig and bird on the vessel, allow the original dragon totems of the three ancestral tribes to converge on the same canvas in a relationship of intimacy and alienation. The head of the Fuxi clan is the dragon judge, the Yellow Emperor is in the center, and the Yellow Dragon is precious. The earliest ornamentation of the dragon head pattern on the jade of Liangzhu culture, the head and tail ribbon were named "Chiyou Ring" by later generations.
Sun Mengying, the content design of the ancient Chinese jade exhibition at the National Museum: These dragon images can prove that the Neolithic Age was the cradle of early Chinese civilization, and early Chinese civilization had the characteristics of pluralism and unity.
The pluralistic and integrated Chinese civilization is inclusive, the Chinese dragon culture is integrated throughout, and the totemic culture and heroic legends from different regions eventually converge and unify with the process of history and the evolution of civilization. The stepmother Wuding is the largest national heavy weapon in the Shang and Zhou dynasties that we can see at present, and the body is distributed with dragon patterns, animal face patterns, tiger patterns, human face patterns and other patterns. They are not simple ornamental designs, they contain very special cultural meanings.
Zhai Shengli, research librarian of the National Museum: The dragon pattern on the stepmother Wuding is very special, on each face, we can see two dragons standing upright. When we change our perspective and walk to the corner where the two walls intersect, we can find that in fact, the two dragon patterns together constitute a beast face pattern, and these animal face patterns and dragon patterns carry an important medium role in conveying the demands of the sacrificers to the gods to communicate with the gods and express their demands.
On the bronzes of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the image of a dragon can often be seen. The national ritual dragon shape is solemn and solemn, and the design is three-dimensional and vivid. The dragon above soars through the clouds and fog, conveying to the gods the spiritual appeal of the sacrificer. In fact, the dragon is still a typical pattern pictograph, three thousand years of time flow, today, the dragon on the dragon on the dragon, but still so lively, naughty and lovely.
Zhai Shengli, research librarian of the National Museum: Zilongding is named because of the inscription of the word "Zilong" in its vessel. The word "sub" is relatively small, it is a single line engraving, and the font volume of "dragon" is relatively large, it is a yin line double hook, like a child, the two arms are stretched out one after the other, as if running. The inscription of Zilongding represents the typical style of decoration and writing in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, which is the earliest "dragon" character on the bronze tripod that we can see at present.
Xiangyun Rui beast dragon culture diversified aggregation of Greater China.
The Chinese dragon is not only high in the temple, but also in the people, it can really go up to the hall and the kitchen. Carved dragon crystal Shanzi waits for pen and ink, the Warring States period green jade dragon shape wears the fashion, the green jade beast head cone wears a wide coat unbuttoned, the Han Dynasty dragon head iron irons clothes, Chensheng auspicious celebration Qian Nafu has more than enough, and the Tang Dynasty green dragon tile guards the east. There is also the most commonly used dragon bronze mirror, looking at each other and smiling, and dressing up towards the clouds.
Reporter Shuai Junquan: The dragon culture, which coexists with Chinese civilization, has actually been widely used in people's lives since ancient times. And it can be said that the picture must be intentional, meaning must be auspicious, for example, this exhibition has the auspicious money of the dragon and phoenix, the ancient iron of the dragon handle and the dragon-style aromatherapy furnace, etc., I can see such a display cabinet next to me, which exhibits a number of different dragon ornaments such a bronze mirror, so what is the meaning of these dragon ornaments?
Zhuge Yingliang, deputy research librarian of the National Museum: "Mulan Ci" talks about the yellow applique on the mirror, so polish it very bright, and then you can comb it according to it. The bronze mirror is also a condensed body that reflects the politics, economy and culture of different periods and regions.
The traditional Chinese Rui beast dragon culture carries the ethical emotions, aesthetic tastes, folk customs and beliefs of the Chinese. The author of this Shoushan stone carving dragon chapter uses the seal of "how can it be as good as it should be, but it is worthy of my heart" to show his spiritual temperament and virtue.
Sun Mengying, the content design of the Ancient Chinese Jade Exhibition at the National Museum: Rites are an important symbol of Chinese civilization, which represents the perception and understanding of nature and social order by ancient sages. And the dragon, as a kind of auspicious and powerful beast, in our daily life, for example, the combination of dragon pattern and dragon pattern, is the combination of the dragon godson, the head of the dragon and the tail of the fish, and also has the meaning of the carp jumping over the dragon gate and rising steadily.
In the 2024 Jiachen Year of the Dragon, wandering in the world of Chinese dragon culture at the National Museum, the dragon is still the most core and oldest symbol of Chinese culture today, when other totemic symbols are almost gone. On the door wall of the ancient building, in the decoration of porcelain, we can see its figure, the Dragon Boat Festival dragon boat race, in the dragon boat scroll of Jinming Pond. The Lantern Festival, the dragon lantern dances, and the flying dragon is in the sky, reflecting in the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in Hakka Meizhou for thousands of years. The traditional aesthetic significance and auspicious thoughts of the Chinese dragon have condensed into the most unique landscape of the Chinese New Year Festival, exuding a unique spiritual and cultural power.
Zhuge Yingliang, associate research librarian of the National Museum: I can come with you to search for the dragon and find the source of our true cultural spirit. Dragons have always lived in our lives. With such a flow of history, it has been deeply integrated into our bloodline, diversified and aggregated, endless, hard-working, and harmonious, which is the cultural gene that our Chinese nation really has.