Azure Dragon

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Thanh Long" redirects here. For the fruit known as "Thanh Long", see
Dragonfruit
.
Azure Dragon
Hanyu Pinyin
Qīnglóng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChēnglùhng
JyutpingCeng1lung4
Southern Min
Hokkien POJChheⁿ-lêng or Chhiⁿ-lêng
Vietnamese nameVietnamese alphabetThanh LongChữ Hán青龍Korean nameHangul청룡Hanja靑龍
Transcriptions
Revised RomanizationCheongnyong
Japanese nameKanji青竜Hiraganaせいりゅう
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnSeiryū
Kunrei-shikiSeiryuu
The Azure Dragon on the national flag of China during the Qing dynasty, 1889-1912
The Azure Dragon on the Chinese national emblem, 1913-1928
Marina Bay Sands Azure Dragon Display
Azure Dragon display at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, during Lunar New Year 2024.

The Azure Dragon (

chthonic forces of the Five Regions' Highest Deities (五方上帝 Wǔfāng Shàngdì). It is also one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations, which are the astral representations of the Wufang Shangdi. The Azure Dragon represents the east and the spring season.[1]
It is also sometimes referred to as the Blue-green Dragon, Green Dragon, or the Blue Dragon (蒼龍 Cānglóng).

The Dragon is frequently referred to in the media, feng shui, other cultures, and in various venues as the Green Dragon and the Avalon Dragon.[2] His cardinal direction's epithet is "Bluegreen Dragon of the East" (東方青龍 Dōngfāng Qīnglóng or 東方蒼龍 Dōngfāng Cānglóng).

This dragon is also known as Seiryū in Japanese, Cheongryong in Korean and Thanh Long in Vietnamese.

Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon

As with the other three Symbols, there are seven astrological "Mansions" (positions of the Moon) within the Azure Dragon. The names and determinative stars are:[3][4]

Mansion no. Name (pinyin) Translation Determinative star
1 角 (Jiăo) Horn Spica
2 亢 (Kàng) Neck κ Vir
3 氐 (Dĭ) Root α Lib
4 房 (Fáng) Room π Sco
5 心 (Xīn) Heart Antares
6 尾 (Wěi) Tail μ Sco
7 箕 (Jī)
Winnowing Basket
 γ Sgr

Cultural depictions

The Azure Dragon on a road marker at Yangshan Quarry
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In the

Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Gong. After death, their souls are said to possess heroes of the Tang dynasty and Goguryeo, such as Xue Rengui and Yeon Gaesomun
.

The Azure Dragon appears as a

door god at Taoist temples. He was represented on the tomb of Wang Hui (stone coffin, east side) at Xikang in Lushan. A rubbing of this was collected by David Crockett Graham and is in the Field Museum of Natural History.[5][6] The dragon featured on the Chinese national flag in 1862–1912, and on the Twelve Symbols national emblem
from 1913 to 1928.

Influence

Azure Dragon presiding the ablution well of the Shinto Heian Shrine in Japan.

Japan

In Japan, the Azure Dragon is one of the four guardian spirits of cities and is believed to protect the city of

Kiyomizu Temple in eastern Kyoto. Before the entrance of the temple there is a statue of the dragon, which is said to drink from the waterfall within the temple complex at nighttime. Therefore, each year a ceremony is held to worship the dragon of the east. In 1983, the Kitora Tomb was found in the village of Asuka
. All four guardians were painted on the walls (in the corresponding directions) and a system of the constellations was painted on the ceiling. This is one of the few ancient records of the four guardians.

Korea

In Korea, the murals of the

South Pyongan province features the Azure Dragon and the other mythological creatures of the four symbols.[2]

  • Azure Dragon of the East, Han dynasty.
    Azure Dragon of the East, Han dynasty.
  • The Azure Dragon mural depiction at the Goguryeo tombs.
    The Azure Dragon mural depiction at the Goguryeo tombs.
  • Depiction of the Azure Dragon on a tile.
    Depiction of the Azure Dragon on a tile.
  • The Azure Dragon by a fountain in Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto.
    The Azure Dragon by a fountain in Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto.

See also

References

  1. ISBN 9780824812850
    – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-674-61576-2
    .
  3. ^ "The Chinese Sky". International Dunhuang Project. Archived from the original on 2015-11-04. Retrieved 2011-06-25.
  4. ISBN 0-7923-4066-3
    . Retrieved 2011-06-25.
  5. ^ Starr, Kenneth (December 1957). "Gift of Chinese Rubbings goes on Special Exhibition" (PDF). Chicago Natural History Museum Bulletin. Field Museum of Natural History: 4–5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-11-04. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  6. OCLC 185544225
    . Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  7. ^
    ISBN 9789004229174
    – via Google Books.
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