Myth: The Dragon and His Nine Sons
There is an ancient myth in China that explains that the Dragon had nine sons. These nine sons have influenced Chinese art a great deal. They can be seen watching over China's most beloved landmarks. Many sources don't agree to who exactly these sons are as their names differ from text to text. In fact, the Beijing Tourist Magazine states that, "the Chinese themselves seem unable to achieve agreement as to what the dragon's sons are called." In Roy Bate's book Chinese Dragons, the nine sons are listed as Haoxian, Yazi, Chiwen, Baxia, Pulao, Bixi, Qiuniu, Suanmi, and Jiaotu. They are all said to differ greatly from their father and to possess enormous strength of character.
Haoxian is said to be a reckless and adventurous dragon whose image can be found decorating the eaves of palaces.
Yazi is valiant and bellicose; his image is seen on sword-hilts and knife hilts. However, there haven't been many of these swords recovered. In Japan it is common to see Dragons on the Samurai swords.
Beixi (also known as Chiwen) likes to gaze into the distance and his appearance is often carved on pinnacles and canals. . In front of the Pavilion of Literary Profundity, which is the Imperial Library in the Forbidden City, there is a famous Beixi mounted on the bridge staring out over the water. At Dong Rui Ting, the Pavilion of Auspicious Clarity, there are two Beixi's that can be found staring at the surrounding water.
Baxia is a good swimmer and his image is usually carved at the bottom of heavy stone monuments. He looks more like a gigantic turtle than a dragon. Many centuries ago, the Baxia was, in fact, intentionally crafted as a turtle. However, over time the Baxia's reputation went south because the Chinese people began to associate the turtle with the penis; there is an obvious likeness between the shape of the turtlehead and a falice. People began to frequently use the phrase, "turtle head," to be an insult of the lowest kind. Bit by bit the Baxia gained characteristics more like the dragon., which is seen as a much more acceptable animal to have carved on the base of the Emperor's tombs.
There is an excellent picture of a Baxia on this Chinese website. It will be the first picture. Also, check out this site, and scroll down to the middle of the page to see another amazing Baxia.
Pulao is fond of roaring and his figure is carved on bells. There is a myth that is frequently told by the Chinese in regards to Pulao. It is said that the Pulao resides on land close to the sea, and that his archenemy, the whale, resides in the ocean. The whale will often try to attack the Pulao, and the resulting sound is this loud roar. This explains the structure of the bell. The striker is known as the whale and if one wants to have an exceptional sounding bell, one would need to place a Pulao on it. Often times statues of Pulao's would come in twos, as is seen at the Big Bell Temple in Beijing.
Bixi is a pack-animal whose image is seen on the tops of tomb stones. The Bixi is a sharp contrast to the Baxai who is frequently found at the bottom of large stones monuments. Because Bixi's placement is usually on top of many monuments, he frequently peers down, seeming grief stricken.
Qiuniu loves music and his figure is a common decoration on the bridge of stringed musical instruments. It is only his head that is used, however.
Suanni is fond of smoke and fire; his likeness can be seen on the legs of incense-burners. He is said to bare resemblance to the lion. An amazing example of one of this majestic Suanni's can be found on a gigantic incense burner located in the Imperial Garden.
Jiaotu is carved on doors. His function is to close things, however, he exists much more as decoration.
These are commonly accepted as the Dragon's Nine sons. (Zhayu, a son that is sometimes acknowledged, will be mentioned here for the reader's education and will be the tenth dragon in this list.)
Zhayu is a dragon that is unique to Chinese control in that it isn't portrayed as a benevolent creature. It is thought to exist in the yin world. There are two Zhayu's that guard the entrance to the Gate of Tranquil Longevity and their purpose is to frighten those that pass. It is thought that if the Emperor should pass between these frightening beasts without them awakening, than he would be virtuous. If they should awaken, then there is something within him that needed to be addressed. This is reminiscent of the two Oracles in the Never Ending Story, which is cited above. As Atreu, the hero, passes through them he is scanned by these Zhayu's to see if there is fear within him. The scene is intense and perhaps this is how the Emperor may have felt passing through the Gate of Tranquil Longevity.
Another myth told frequently by the Chinese explains the origin of the world.
As he created the universe using a chisel and mallet, he was accompanied by a dragon, a phoenix, a unicorn and a tortoise. Millions of years later, when the first "human beings" appeared on earth, the female, Nuwa, had a human head and a serpent's body, and the male, Fuxi, a human head and a dragon's body. Their human offspring were dispersed across China, with each group using an animal as its totem. When Emperor Huang, the ancestor of the Hua Xia clan, united the clans and established an empire, he chose the dragon to symbolize the newly united Chinese nation.
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