As a symbol of Chinese culture, the dragon was not all but hijacked by the emperors. In folklore, dragons still appear in various ways. Almost every ethnic group in China has legends and stories featuring dragons. People celebrate festivals with dragon boat races and dragon lantern dances, and sacrifice to dragons to pray for good weather. Here are some legends about dragons:
Legends about Dragons--Tianlong:
The supplement of Taiyuan Evening News is known by the " Tianlong" as its name. A friend asked: what kind of dragon is Tianlong? Why is there a Tianlong?
The heavenly dragon, of course, refers to the dragon in the sky, or the dragon that ascends to heaven. The dragon's ability to soar in the clouds and sky is determined by the object it is taken from and its divinity. The divine nature of the dragon can be summarized in terms of being fond of water, good at flying, being able to reach the sky, being good at changing, manifesting the spirit, signifying the auspiciousness, signaling misfortune, and demonstrating. Among them, "good flight" and "through the sky" are the decisive factors for the formation of the "heavenly dragon". We know, as a collection of objects of the dragon, thunder and lightning, clouds, rainbows, etc. was originally flying in the air "heavenly phenomena"; and fish, crocodiles, snakes, etc. in the water swimming fast, horses, cows, deer, etc. on land running speed, are similar to the "fly" date due to the thinking of the ancients The fuzzy nature of the ancients due to the thinking, often submerged in the water of the fish, crocodiles, snakes, etc., running on land, horses, cows, deer, etc., and soaring in the air of the thunder and lightning, clouds, rainbows, etc., as a different manifestation of the gods, and thus think that can swim in the water, the ground running, will also be able to fly in the sky.
"Good flying" is inevitably "through the sky". Because the direction and domain of "flying" is naturally, and can only be the mysterious, vast, and supreme sky. Therefore, from ancient times to the present day, people always let the dragon often appear in the vast and boundless Haotian clouds. On the black ceramic amphora basin unearthed at the Hemudu site in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, there is a pattern of "fish and algae pattern" and "bird pattern" carved together; the "bird and fish pattern" unearthed at the Beishouling site in Baoji, Shaanxi Province, also depicts a bird flying in the sky with water and a bird flying in the sky. The "Bird and Fish Pattern" unearthed at the Beishuling site in Baoji, Shaanxi Province, also links the birds flying in the sky with the fish swimming in the water and the collection of dragons. This shows that as early as in the early Neolithic period, when the fuzzy collection of dragons began, dragons began to have the meaning of "through the sky". A painting on silk of a dragon and phoenix guiding a dragon to heaven was unearthed in the Chenjia Dashan Chu Tomb in Changsha. The dragon on the screen, vertical body and tail, head and face to the sky, limbs and claws paddling, jumping up. Next to it is its companion, the phoenix with its head held high and wings spread. Under the dragon and phoenix, there is a woman in a dress with folded hands. Apparently, the woman is praying, accepting the guidance of the dragon and phoenix, to fly to the sky, to be a free and easy "female immortal".
So the dragon has the ability and identity to communicate with heaven and earth, to be the bridge between heaven and earth and the messenger. The reason why those autocratic emperors called themselves "true dragons and sons of heaven" was that they recognized the dragon's divine nature and its ability to act as a bridge between heaven and earth and to act as a messenger.
For the common people, the "heavenly dragon" is a kind of national psychological correspondence, release and externalization. Our ancestors lived in an exceptionally difficult environment, with frequent natural disasters, inter-clan rivalries, and a lot of suffering from old age, sickness, and death. After entering the class society, the pressure from the authoritarian imperial power was added, and this latter pressure was combined with morality and ethics in the form of the "Three Principles and Five Rules", which were poured into people's bloodstream like a bucket filled with ducks, and bound people's hands and feet without any explanation or refusal. However, the pursuit of freedom is the nature of man's natural date of freedom of nature is always in the custody, so people hope, hope, fantasy to break the rope, transcend the world, to live a kind of nature can fully unfold the unrestrained life.
The dragon offers the possibility of satisfying such a mentality. It can swim comfortably in the water, walk swiftly on the ground, and fly daintily in the sky. How wonderful is the sky! Bright bright moon, snow-white clouds, colorful haze, but also a long wind for thousands of miles, electricity, thunderbolt eight ...... Tianlong, Tianlong, in fact, is the human heart want to fly high, in the high flying ah.
Legend of the dragon - dragon beads:
People in the architectural paintings, carvings, clothing embroidery and other carriers common "dragon play with the beads" (there is a "single dragon play with the pearls", "two dragons playing with pearls", "three dragons playing with pearls", "more dragons playing with pearls" points) pattern. A friend asked: what is "dragon pearl"? "Dragon Pearl" because of where it comes from? "Dragon Playing with Pearls" and how is it?
Dragon beads is related to the dragon beads. "The pearl of a thousand pieces of gold must be in the nine abysses and under the jaw of the black dragon." That's what the Zhuangzi says. Bei Ya also says "the dragon pearl is in the jaw". The Book of Description of Dissimilarities says, "Wherever there is a dragon pearl, the dragon spits out ...... a proverb of the Yue people says, 'It is better to plant a thousand mu of wood slaves than a dragon pearl.'" The above statement tells two meanings: one is that the dragon pearl is often hidden in the dragon's mouth, the appropriate time, the dragon will spit it out; two is that the dragon pearl's value is very high, with the folk proverb, that is, to get a dragon pearl, is better than planting a thousand acres of mandarin oranges.
So, where does the dragon pearl come from? Why do dragons play with pearls?
We know that the beads, is some mollusks in the water, in certain external conditions under the stimulation of their shells and the formation of round particles of the secretion, because of its bright luster and is loved by the people, and therefore is called pearl. Since the animals in the water can give birth to beads, as the water tribe of the dragon, naturally, should also have a pearl born date this should be the dragon pearl myth produced a basic idea.
But things don't seem to be that simple. The dragon is a vague collection of divine objects, the collection of objects are fish, crocodiles, snakes, pigs, horses, cows, as well as thunder and lightning, clouds, rainbows and so on. Of these, crocodiles and snakes are oviparous. The eggs are round, or one might say granular, particles much larger than pearls. So, the ancients will not crocodile eggs snake eggs as a kind of "pearl"? The answer is yes. Ancient people can crocodile snake as the main collection of objects, its eggs will not be ignored; for crocodiles and snakes, the significance of the egg is significant, is the source of life, there are eggs will have crocodile, snake, and then there is the dragon. Therefore, the egg is completely in the identity of the "bead" into the life of the dragon. Then, the dragon bead is the dragon egg; dragon play bead, in fact, is the dragon play "egg", is the dragon this divine creature, the care of life, caress and respect. Which embodies and expresses the ancient people of a "life consciousness", that is, to the vicissitudes of life phenomenon of knowledge, understanding and play.
The folk legend of swallowing a dragon provides a footnote to our view: a young man cut the grass (or water) to get a pearl, this pearl into the rice jar to rise rice, put into the money cupboard to generate money. A rich man knew, brought people to rob the beads. The young man in a hurry will bead into the mouth, but accidentally swallowed. Then thirsty for drinking, tank water to drink dry, and go to drink river water, river water. Drinking, the head emerged from the horns, eyes bulging outward, the body became scales and jujube into a dragon. Such a legend is widely spread in Sichuan, Zhejiang, Guangdong and other places, from which reveals the "pearl" precious, as well as beads and the dragon life depends on the relationship.
The sun is another part of our understanding of beads. We see some of the dragons playing with the pearl pattern, especially those two dragons playing with the pearl pattern, the beads have flames rising, clearly a "fire pearl" or "fireball"; below is the sea, can be understood as a ball of fire jumping out of the sea. In people's vision and concept, can be called "fireball", the sun can be ranked first. Then, obviously, the fireball out of the sea is also the sun out of the sea. Since the sun out of the sea, why the dragon to "play" it? Here to introduce the ancients in the eyes of the four gods: the east of the green dragon, the west of the white tiger, the south of the vermilion bird, the north of the Xuanwu. The sun rises from the east, and the dragon represents the gods of the east. In this way, it seems that the dragon playing with the pearl has the meaning of sun worship, it should be the intermingling of sun worship and dragon worship.
The dragon is divided into male and female, which is the reason why there are more patterns of two dragons playing with beads. If the beads for the egg solution, that is, both parents *** with the care, caress their children; if the beads for the sun solution, that is, male and female two dragons *** to meet the rising sun, so that the brilliant sunshine on the earth. Moreover, the two dragons symmetrical, long curved dragon body, bead shape round, in the composition also has a sense of beauty.
Legend of the Dragon--Wulong:
Longtan Fort, under Shaohua Mountain, originally had only about ten families. The village lived: a family surnamed Liu, father and daughter, by doing selling tofu for a living. The daughter's name was Zhu Feng, and she was very handsome.
One day Zhu Feng went to fetch water, and a small black snake hung up on the hook. She caught the little black snake and put it on the well platform, saying, "It's pitiful, let it go!" The little black snake nodded to her and turned around and scurried into the well.
Zhufeng was just entering the house when she heard someone calling her from behind. Turning around, she saw that it was a beautiful young man in his twenties. The boy pulled Zhu Feng's hand, put a round bead in her hand, said: "I am the Weihe Dragon King's fifth prince, just now in the dragon pool play swimming, accidentally bumped into your hook on the hook can not break free, thank you big sister to save your life. This is a dragon pearl, you put it in the water tank, you do not have to carry water every day. In the future, if there are any difficulties, big sister just say a word." Said, suddenly disappeared. Zhu Feng chased out the door, only to see a cloud of white mist at the mouth of the well, and heard the well water clatter a few times. She felt like she was in a dream, and then looked at her hand, it was clearly a precious pearl. Into the house, she will be the dragon pearl to the water urn a throw, wow date, splash splash, flooded with a urn full of water, taste a mouthful, than that well water is also sweet, bead phoenix know is a treasure, to no one did not tell, even her pro big also hid. Just often think of Oolong, every day to go to the well platform to pick a load of water, secretly to the well to see a few eyes.
Four or five miles from Longtan Fort, the Sun Family Fort is home to a family of wealthy Yin Lixian. When Zhu Feng's mom died, Liu Laohan had no money for burial, and borrowed ten taels of silver from Yin. The days are poor, can not afford to pay, but often send some tofu to the Yin family, as if paying interest. This ten taels of silver Yin Zaidong also do not call for, happy to eat all year round tofu does not spend money to buy.
Zhu Feng girl a year older, more and more out of fashion. The first thing you need to do is to get your hands on some of the most popular products and services in the world, and you'll be able to do it all in one place. The first is to hire a good matchmaker, to Zhu Feng matchmaking under the bride price to come. The first time I saw this was when I was a kid, and it was a very good time for me to be a kid.
When Yin Zaidong found out, he rolled his eyes and scolded: "The old man is shameless, and he owes 10 taels of silver for more than 10 years. Hmph! Even with the interest of the grain silver hundred two, three days to hand over what said not to say, not to hand over the silver date humph!" He narrowed his eyes with a sneer: "Called the pearl phoenix girl to top the account!" The words reached Liu Laohan's ears, and he was also out of ideas. Zhu Feng just climbed on the edge of the kang crying, left and right thinking no way "until midnight she was asleep, ran to the well platform, teeth clenched, heart a cross, shouted:" Mom, children with you to come!" The eyes closed, jumped into the well.
Zhufeng only felt dizzy, like flying in the clouds. Suddenly, I heard someone shouting by my ears, "Zhu Feng, sister Zhu Feng!" Slowly opening her eyes, she realized that she had not fallen into the water, but was lying on Wulong's arm. "Brother Wulong!" Like seeing her relatives, she cried out in Wulong's arms. Wulong advised her, "Zhu Feng, I know all about you, don't be sad. The dog Zaodong for the rich and unkind, heavenly justice is hard to tolerate, look at me to clean up this old dog "...... I will send you back!" Zhu Feng refused, he was in her ear a burst of whispering, said Zhu Feng with tears with a smile, nodded again and again.
Listened to Zhu Feng cast well, the townspeople played torches down the well to save people. Wulong saw someone down, whispered to Zhu Feng, "Good sister, I will not send you." With both hands, he lifted up Zhu Feng. The people who came down the well touched Zhufeng and hurriedly tied a rope and rescued her.
Late at night, Zhu Feng learned her and Oolong's story from beginning to end to her father, and the old man was secretly surprised to hear it, but half-convinced. When Zhu Feng fishes out the dragon pearl from the urn, the old man sees that it is really not a worldly object, and then he believes Zhu Feng's words. The news that Zhu Feng jumped into the well and was saved reached Yin Lixian's ears, and the old thief stroked his rat whiskers and laughed: "Hey, it's obvious that the heavens are working for good. I Yin someone's family wealth ten thousand slam, gold and silver full of boxes, and then there is such a beauty a few, can really ...... ah, hey ......" thief eyes a turn, instructed the subordinates to split up to prepare to go. Early the next morning, the old thief with a group of houseguests towards the bead phoenix home to run. Going halfway, a gust of wind rolled sand and rocks blowing the sky dark, brought the gift of wealth early scraped out of sight, Yin thief even with a horse tumbled to the ground. After the gale, the old thief looked, although the gift is empty, people and horses are all in, rubbed the nose of the fall was crooked, with a group of homes, waving sticks and sticks, went straight to Liu Laohan's home to rob the bead phoenix.
Wulong see the old thief three times, still do not know change, to be the old thief rushed to the well platform, will show the true form, mouth with dragon pearl, spray a clear spring. At a time of lightning and thunder, the waves, Yin thief gang wailed and howled, with the waves rolled, washed into the Wei Shui River, fed the fish and turtles.
A little while later, the clouds disappeared, the sky was full of sunshine, the clouds danced up a black dragon, the dragon on the back of the pearl phoenix girl. When they reached the top of the mountain, the dragon lay down to rest, and Zhu Feng waved goodbye to her father and the townspeople.
From then on, people called this village Longquan Village, and later changed to Longtan Fort, the dragon resting on the hill also named as Wu Long Mountain, the ages, are called five dragon mountain.
Legend of the dragon--Dragon Boat:
Dragon Boat Racing is also known as "Dragon Boat Racing", "Dragon Boat Rowing", "Dragon Boat Race", etc. It is a kind of dragon boat race that originated from the Dragon Boat Race, which is a kind of dragon boat race. "and so on, is a long history of mass recreational activities. Its cause has always been said differently, there are mainly the following:
One said to commemorate the Yue Wang Goujian maneuvering the water division, to defeat the state of Wu. "Yue Di Chuan Yun, the race started in the Yue Wang Goujian, today's dragon boat is also." ("Things primitive - Duanyang") Wu and Yue were at war, Goujian was defeated and captured, and after three years of enduring insults and humiliation in Wu, he tricked King Fu-chai of Wu into trusting him and was released back to Yue. After returning to his country, he was determined to fulfill his ambition, and on the fifth day of the fifth month of that year, he set up a naval division and began to practice, and finally, a few years later, he destroyed the state of Wu in one fell swoop. In order to honor this spirit of resilience, the descendants followed the example of the Yue navy's rehearsals, rowing boats on the 5th of May to commemorate the occasion.
The second is to commemorate Wu Zixu and Cao E. Legend has it that Wu Zixu was slandered by his wife. Legend has it that Wu Zixu, who had been slandered by the king of Wu, was thrown into the waves of the Qiantang River by the order of Wu Fu-chai, and was rescued by Cao E in her boat. "On the fifth day of the fifth month, when the time came to welcome Wu Jun, he went up against the waves and was flooded by the water" (Cao E Stele). Later generations then rowed a dragon boat, as a rescue Wu Jun.
Thirdly, it is said to commemorate Chu Daifu Qu Yuan. This statement is generally accepted, its written records can be found in the southern dynasty Liang people wrote "continued Qi Harmony": "Chu doctor Qu Yuan was not used by the slander, is the day of the Miluo River to die, Chu people mourn, is to save the oars. Duanyang race, is the legacy of custom."
In addition to the above, there are a number of different sayings. In Guizhou's Qiandongnan region, some say that the dragon boat race is to commemorate the old man who sacrificed his life to kill the poisonous dragon; Yunnan Dai believe that it is to commemorate the ancient heroes of the rock red nest (also known as "rock Hong nest"). There are also "welcome the summer solstice", "to avoid the evil day" - that May is the "evil month", the fifth of May is ominous day and other sayings.
These statements, each with its own rationale, but they do not make clear the most basic question: whether to commemorate a certain person, or in order to "welcome the summer solstice", "to avoid the evil day", why do we have to organize a "dragon boat"? Why is it necessary to organize a "dragon boat" race? In other words, why race the dragon boat and not some other boat?
To answer this question, we have to start from the dragon's basic divinity. As we have said, the dragon is happy with the water, good flight, good change, the sign of Switzerland and other divine nature and the clouds and rain, the Secretary of the water and the water of the priesthood. Since there is such divinity and divinity, is living in the river and malfunctioning four streams, lakes and lakes of the people of the water is the worship of the natural thing. Worship consciousness must be externalized into specific behavior. These behaviors include: sacrifices to the gods, the earth's delicious offerings to the gods, and accompanied by incense, so that they enjoy; entertainment, singing, dancing, thinking of ways to make God happy; God, imitating God's demeanor and form, that they and the gods have a close relationship with their own body is endowed with the "divinity," so that they can "God's spirit is alive". This is probably the deep-seated motivation for the Dragon Boat Race. People believe that, through the great momentum of the race dragon boat, can make the water in the sky and water of the divine dragon heart and soul sensing and greatly entertained, so as to renew the divine nature, Kepu divine duty, blessing one side of the land and wind and rain, crops and fisheries into a bountiful. At the same time, also make people themselves endowed with dragon nature, like the dragon as strong and robust, and then shy away from evil and difficult. As for commemorating a certain person cloud, is just a kind of incidental. The reason probably lies in the fact that the "human nature" of these people and the dragon's "divinity" have the same place, and more or less share the dragon's part of the "priesthood". For example, Wu Zixu was worshipped as the "Water Fairy", "God of the Wave", "God of the Tide", and "God of the River" in the waters of the Yangtze River. Qu Yuan was also honored as the "King of Guangyuan Shunji", and it is said that "the river god is Chu Daifu Qu Yuan".
"Dragon boat" is made into a dragon shape or engraved with a dragon boat. In ancient times, those who have the "real dragon son of heaven" said the emperors, walking on the waterway generally have to take the dragon boat. Such as "the son of heaven by bird boat dragon boat floating in the marsh" ("Mu Tianzi biography"), "on the imperial dragon boat, fortunately Jiangdu" ("Sui book - Emperor Yang Ji"). The emperor rode the dragon boat, tall and spacious, majestic luxury, the boat on the lofty pavilion, the boat body carved, painted gold, weather extraordinary. The Southern Song Dynasty Painting Academy to be painted by Li Song "big dragon boat", that is, an example. Folk used to race the dragon boat and the royal dragon boat can not be compared, are generally made narrow and long, in order to facilitate the event.
Used as a dragon boat racing, its shape changes due to the times, due to the region and different. It is reported that the old West Lake on the dragon boat, about four or five feet long, head and tail high, painted in the shape of a dragon; in the cabin of the upper and lower two layers, the bow has a dragon head Prince and swing frame, are dressed as a child, the Prince stood immobile, swing up and down the push; next to the bow, crossbow, sword, halberd and other "eighteen kinds of martial arts" and all kinds of flags. Tail has a centipede flag, the lower part of the cabin playing gongs and drums, sitting next to the sailor rowing.
Suzhou dragon boat is divided into various colors, four corners of the flag, drummer in the cabin, both sides of the paddler sixteen people. Penny master long hooks in the bow, called the head of the Penny. On the pavilion at the bow of the boat, children with good appearance are chosen to dress up as the story of Taiga, called the Dragon Head Prince. The stern of the boat is more than ten feet high, tied with colorful ropes, and the children who are good at playing in the water perform programs such as "Exclusive Ace", "Children Worshiping Goddess of Mercy", "Pointing to the Sun", and "Concubine Yang Spring Sleeping". The program is a great success.
Contemporary dragon boat used to race, the shape is much simplified than in the old days. Boat to color points red dragon, green dragon, yellow dragon, white dragon, black dragon, etc.. The hull of the boat, the boat's umbrella flags and other decorations, as well as the rowers' clothing and even oars, all require a color. Hubei, Hunan and other places of the dragon boat short more than seven zhang, long more than eleven zhang, paddling like a dragon playing in the water. Fujian's dragon boat, the bow carved dragon head, mouth can open and close, tongue can turn. Guizhou's dragon boat by three canoe joint into the middle of a longer one called "mother boat", the boat has a drummer command, the two sides of the two boat body is slightly shorter, called "child boat".
The rituals, regulations, techniques and scenarios of the race are also colorful and varied depending on the time and place.
"On the fifth day of the fifth month, when the sky is clear and bright, the poplars are crowing around the river. Before you leave the county, you will hear the sound of Qihe on the river." "The drums beat three times and the red flag opened, the two dragons jumped out of the floating water. The two dragons jumped out of the floating water. Anchorage shadows flew ten thousand swords on the waves, and the sound of the drums split the waves and sounded a thousand thunderbolts. The sound of drums is approaching, and the two dragons look at the mark as if they were in a flash." "The gongs and the drums are thundering, and the red flag is sticking out of the waves. When the championship is won, the wind rolls the dragon's beard and snow is piled up." The ancient poem will be hundreds of years ago the lively scene of the dragon boat race on paper.
The "standard" mentioned in the poem is the "standard pole" or "standard boat", which is the target of each dragon boat. The "standard pole" hanging on the brocade, silver bowls, money and other rewards, standing in the water, fast first to get. The "standard boat" is set at the end of the line, when the dragon boat is close to the race, the "standard" will be thrown into the water, so that the "dragon" to compete. There are "fish mark", "duck mark", "iron mark" and so on. Fish mark duck mark is alive, into the water immediately swim away, to catch at once, is not easy. Iron mark heavy, throw down to the bottom of the water, if there is no great diving skills, the same is not catch up. Therefore, the dragon boat generally have to arrange one or two excellent water "standard hand", specializing in capturing the standard of duty.
Some places are also popular "do win will" - that is, by watching the boat visitors to buy clay pots or ducks, thrown into the water, by participating in the race of the dragon boat, into the water to fight for entertainment.
Dragon boat racing before the general have to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony. Such as in the Qu Yuan cast water Miluo River, every year before the dragon boat race, we must first sacrifice Qu Zi Temple. Men, women and children from all directions, carrying a dragon head, a group of people gathered under the statue of Qu Yuan, bowing, condolences, to dumplings, buns, wine and other offerings. Then by the officiating person will be a red silk tied to the "head of the dragon" head, by the "head of the copter" will be carried to the riverside bath, after washing the dragon head in the bow of the boat, which began to race the dragon boat. Different regions, different instructions. Some places out of the dragon a few days before, to worship God to test some, called "underwater". On the shore to send God, called "dial dragon head". The organizers of the race, before the rate of a number of swimmers, will be a bamboo pole with leaves erected at the head of the bridge, so that the next year, "out of the dragon to recognize the color", the name is "drill five"; the first day of the month to each other, the name is "worship"! "
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With the exchange of Chinese and foreign cultures, dragon boat racing has also spread to Japan and Southeast Asian countries. For example, Japan's Kyushu, Okinawa and other coastal areas, there is a popular boat racing activities. However, they do not call dragon boat racing, but called "climbing dragon". Singapore often in the Dragon Boat Festival day, held a national dragon boat race. Their dragon boats are decorated with red and colorful, dressed as "lion", "bear" drummers stand in the front of the dragon boat, beat the drum, command and coordinate the action of the paddlers. The entire race, which usually starts at 2 or 3 p.m., ends at sunset.
Dragon boat racing is a kind of mass recreational activities with strong folk culture color, but also a kind of sports which is conducive to enhancing people's physical fitness and cultivating the spirit of bravery, perseverance and boldness. Therefore, the Chinese people's **** and the National Sports Committee on May 16, 1984 made a decision, the dragon boat racing as an official competition. In October of that year, the first Qu Yuan Cup Dragon Boat Race was held in Foshan, Guangdong Province, and on June 6, 1985, the China Dragon Boat Association was established in Yichang City, Hubei Province, and in July, the second Qu Yuan Cup Dragon Boat Race was held in the Three Rivers Waterway of Gezhouba Dam, with more than 100,000 spectators. Such dragon boat races have been held for more than ten times so far. In recent years, the dragon boat race system tends to improve, the scale is also getting bigger and bigger, and progress to international events.
Dragon boat races need to be wide and deep rivers and lakes, shallow waters, small boats can not float the place where the race is not. Therefore, the shallow water people made "dry dragon boat", in the market, high platform, site wandering, commonly known as "welcome ghost boat". Jiangxi area has such a custom, the time is also in the Dragon Boat Festival.
The dragon boat is not just for racing. Such as Guizhou Qiandongnan and Xiangxi Miao compatriots of the "Dragon Boat Festival", the dragon boat is not made for the race, but mainly to take the dragon boat tour of the village, will be friends and relatives. Before launching the dragon boat, the first singer sings an auspicious blessing song, wishing the dragon boat a smooth journey. Each boat has a "drum head", elected by the whole village of the respected old man as, sitting in the dragon neck drumming orders, presided over the activities on board. Dragon boat over the Walled City, fired an iron cannon to inform friends and relatives, the shore reported to the "dragon" firecrackers, friends and relatives then went up to the people on the boat to toast rice wine, and ducks, geese, colored silks and other gifts hanging in the "dragon head". When the dragon boat docked, the sailors put glutinous rice balls and dishes on the boat to eat without bowls and chopsticks. Women and children have come to the "roadside rice", it is said that eating the food on the dragon boat can eliminate disasters and take refuge. The dragon boat is exquisite and beautiful, and the dragon body is made of a mother boat and two child boats, called "child boat", which are all hollowed out of a single piece of wood. The dragon's head is about two meters long, carved from willow wood and equipped with a pair of one-meter-long horns. Because of the different coloring of the dragon's head, it is divided into green dragon, red dragon, yellow dragon and so on. Walled villages in order to protect the dragon boat, but also specialized in building a "dragon tent". Dragon Boat Festival from the lunar calendar May 16 began, the specific period of each village slightly different, as long as the whole village gripped rice seedlings, the village dragon boat can go into the water, lasted about three days. In the Guangdong water towns, when the dragon boat is traveling, every family sends rice wine to the person rowing the boat, and the old man points out the eyes for the dragon, and then goes into the water to swim. After the swim, the dragon head is enshrined in the Dragon King Temple, and the boat body is buried in the riverbed sand and mud, to be dug out and reused the next year. In the evening, the villagers have to burn a big pot of "dragon boat rice", no matter what people can eat, in order to tie the "dragon fate", all over the "dragon blessing".
Legend of the Dragon--Dragon Dance:
Every festival, we can see the Dragon Dance, which makes people excited. Dragon dance is also known as "dragon dance", "play dragon", "haunted dragon lantern", "play dragon lantern", "Dragon Lantern Festival". So, why do we need to dance dragons?
The intention of the dragon dance is summarized in these terms: one for praying for rain and blessings, the second for the entertainment of the gods to entertain themselves, the third for the manifestation of the power, the fourth for the prosperity of the people.
One of them, pray for rain is the most basic. Folklore around the two lakes, the Warring States period of the ghost valley and the Golden Horn of the old dragon met, ghost valley said: "According to my counting, recently there is rain, thirty-six points inside the city, forty-eight points outside the city." The Golden Horned Old Dragon, intending to make Gigu Zi's prophecy come to naught, took advantage of his position to make it rain forty-eight points inside the city and thirty-six points outside, resulting in the death of many of the city's common people from flooding. Later, when the Jade Emperor inquired about the crime, the Golden Horned Old Dragon was deposed. In order to atone for his sins, the old dragon bowed to the common people door by door every year at the arrival of the New Year and promised a year of good weather. So, people will be according to this legend, with bamboo wire, satin gauze made of colorful dragons, every New Year's Day dance to express the joy of joy, but also implies that the old dragon submissive, the sky follows the wishes of man. Sichuan Tongliang area of the legend is also different: East China Sea Dragon King suffering from lumbago, into an old man ashore to seek medical treatment. The doctor knew that he was not a human being by taking his pulse, so he let him return to his original form and caught a centipede from his waist. After recovering from his illness, the Dragon King thanked him by revealing a secret: he said that if people could build a dragon to dance around like him, they would be able to keep the rains coming in time, and the grains would be plentiful.
Dancing dragons to pray for rain in the pre-Qin period has begun to popularize, to the Han Dynasty has been quite large-scale, the form is also much to pay attention to. According to Dong Zhongshu "Spring and Autumn Dew", the Han Dynasty, spring drought for rain dance green dragon, hot summer for rain dance red dragon or yellow dragon, fall for rain dance white dragon, winter for rain dance black dragon. These dragons were as long as several zhang, and each time, five to nine dragons were deployed.
Most of the later dragon dances contain the meaning of praying for rain and blessings. For example, the "Dragon Head Silkworm Body Lantern" is popular in the mountainous areas of western Hunan Province. The lamp consists of the head of the dragon and the body and tail of the silkworm. The production of sophisticated, compact, head and tail can bend and stretch, turning and flexible. Bamboo circle into a silkworm body, rope tied within, white cloth outside, outside the red and green colored ring wrapped body, by three outstanding dance skills of folk artists were holding the head, waist, tail three parts of the executive play. The "dragon head silkworm body lamp" is usually traveling in pairs. Before the lamp, each pair of lamps should be down to the riverside "sucking water", and then only along the door along the household blessing auspicious. Why "suck water"? It's easy to understand, the dragon sucked up the water, in order to ensure that the rainfall is sufficient.
Some places in the south popular dance grass dragon date by willow, rattan, straw tie into the night dance, the dragon body full of incense, and thus also known as "incense dragon", "incense dragon". At the end of the dragon dance, but also in the noisy sound of gongs and drums and firecrackers, respectfully sent the grass dragon to the river and streams and pools. The intention is also to let the dragon back to the Dragon Palace, to bless a side of the ground wind and rain.
The dragon dance for the purpose of entertaining the gods can be traced back to the Han Dynasty "fish and dragons Man Yan". The Han Book - Western Region Chuanzan ": "Xiaowu Shi ...... set up wine pool meat forest to entertain the four barbarians guests, as Ba Yu Du Lu, the sea in the Dan Dan pole, diffuse fish and dragons, the corner of the play to watch." Yan Shigu explained, Ba Yu Du Lu, the sea in the Dan Pole is the name of the song and dance, and "fish and dragon", is dressed up as a giant beast from the Western Regions of the beast of the date Shelly, the first in front of the court dance play music, and then to the temple in front of the water, water splash, into a huge flounder, "jumping gargling water, for the The water splashed and transformed into a huge flounder, "jumping and rinsing the water, making a mist to block the eyes". Then, then turned into a body length of eight feet of the yellow dragon, "out of the water Ao play in the court, flaunting daylight", it is also known as the "yellow dragon change". From this point of view, the "fish and dragon", when it is a kind of people dressed up as a giant fish and a giant dragon to perform a large-scale dance. Because there is a "change" between the giant fish and the dragon, so in the performance, it may also need illusion, scenery, smoke, etc. to cooperate.
What is the meaning of "manjan"? It is said that this big beast "like a beaver, long hundred search", can "imitate this play for a hundred plays." Ancient eight feet for a search, a hundred search is eighty feet. Therefore, the "Xijing Fu" in the "Beast 100 searches, is the Man Yan" sentence, Xue Zhuan note: "as a large beast, 80 feet long, the so-called fish and dragons Man Yan also." From this, it is inferred that "Man Yan" is "fake beast to play", is played by people into a variety of beasts of the dance. The "ichthyosaur" was one of the main typical ones, so it was called "ichthyosaur manyan".
Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhang Heng in the "Xijing Fu", Li You in the "Ping optimistic fugue" in the "fish and dragons Man Yan" have a vivid description. It can be seen that, as a large-scale song and dance of the Han Dynasty, "Fish Dragon Man Yan" gathered the highest level of actors and actresses, as well as sets, props and stunts, which can be said to be on a grand scale, with a variety of illusions. In addition to the centerpiece show, "Giant Fish into Giant Dragon", there were also bears, tigers, apes, elephants, sparrows, tortoises, toads, and other unknown beasts in human disguise.
Beyond the historical data, you can also find the shadow of the "fish and dragons Manyan" on the Han Dynasty portrait stones. Such as Tongshan Honglou found in the music and dance of a hundred theater portrait stone, Shandong Yinan unearthed the corner of the hundred theater portrait stone, there are fish and dragons on the image of the dance.
"Fish and dragon Man Yan" from Han to Tang, continued for nearly seven or eight hundred years, after the Tang, the whole gradually lost, later generations left behind, only part of the program. The Dragon Dance, Lion Dance and Unicorn Dance can be regarded as the inheritance and evolution of "Yu Long Man Yan".
The combination of lanterns and dragons began around the time of the Song Dynasty. Wu Zimu in the Southern Song Dynasty in the "Dream Liang Records" recorded: "the night of the Lantern Festival ...... grass bound into a dragon, with a green screen to cover the grass, densely placed lamps and candles 10,000, looking at the winding as the shape of a double dragon." Such a dragon lamp, that is, what we call placed there exclusively for people to see the dragon lamps. The problem is that the dragon is a walking, good flying gods, can not stay there, and not move ah, and whether the court or folk, since ancient times have the tradition of dragon dance. Since the dance, not only in the daytime dance, dance at night, dance at night can not be separated from the lights, so all the dance of the dragon, are commonly known as the "dragon lamp".
"Dragon lanterns will" generally in the festivals, festivals held at the venue selected in the long street square, the village bay side of the open flat place. Dragon varieties are colorful, there are bamboo dragons, wooden dragons, wattle dragons, grass dragons, cloth dragons, yarn dragons, paper dragons; there are lotus flowers and butterflies composed of "hundred-leaf dragons", with shavings tied into the "wooden flower dragon", with the iron rolled into the "iron dragon "
Dragon
Dragon lanterns are found everywhere. Tongliang County in Sichuan Province is more famous for its dragon lanterns. National Day 50th anniversary ceremony on the golden dragon, from this county. Tongliang dragon lanterns have a "positive dragon": head large, shin long, lighted in the section, to light instead of fireworks, play safer. There are also "colorful dragons" that dance with the help of lamps and lights, using bamboo as the dragon bone, paper as the dragon head, and cloth as the dragon spine; "meat dragons" or "wriggling dragons" that use leather or silk as the skin, painted scales and armor, and the dragon body can be retracted and rotated; and "dragon lanterns" that are used for praying in times of drought and for the sake of the people. The "Yellow Thorn Dragon", which begs for rain in times of drought and splashes water during the dance; the "Filial Piety Dragon", which is made of white flowers and is used to offer sacrifices to the dead; the "Grass Handle Dragon", which is made of straw and inserted into bamboo poles to be held and danced; and the "Straw Dragon", which is made by a group of people who are all in love with each other and who are all in love with each other. The "Straw Dragon" is made of straw, inserted into bamboo poles, and held up to dance; as well as the "Vegetable Dragon", which is played and danced by children with a cabbage inserted into bamboo poles, red candles lit, and a rope strung in the middle, and so on.
Tongliang people have a lot to say about the dragon dance. In the past, they followed the Han Dynasty's rules of dancing the green dragon in spring, the red dragon in summer, the white dragon in autumn, and the black dragon in winter. Now on New Year's Day dance colorful dragon, dance to the door of the family will temporarily stop, the dragon's head point to the master of the New Year's blessing, and then up and down again, left and right spinning. At this time, the host must firecrackers to show welcome, and some thanks: wrapped in money "red packets" or candy cigarettes.
The people of Foshan, Guangdong also like to dance the dragon. In the 1940s and 1950s, Foshan dragons were mostly connected by umbrellas.