The Chinese dragon looks like snake, do they have some relationship?
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The Chinese dragon looks like snake, do they have some relationship?
related page: http://www.chinatravel.com/facts/china-travel-guide-book/china-airline-baggage-allowance/
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- answered by chinawander at 2008-9-24 21:54:00
- Actually, yes and no. If archeologists are to be believed, the legend of the dragon comes from Crocodolis porosus, a breed of giant crocodile common in pre-historic Asia that might have had contact with humans. On land the crocodile shambles about on four legs and in the water looks like a snake, which gives rise to the idea of a snake combined with another animal. The problem with this theory is that Crocodolis porosus remains have been found in areas whose ancient cultures have no dragon legends such as those of Africa. Another problem is that dragons make their debut in the Hongshan culture of NE China and also that of ancient England, areas historically too cold to perpetuate a species of aquatic amphibian that large, no matter what the folks at Loch Ness say. The interesting thing about the Chinese dragon is that it in its oldest depictions it has no legs and is basically a snake with a large dorsal fin and a big head with wide jaws, which makes it seem like a very powerful snake rather than a chimera. Later on, it is depicted as having legs, which brings it to match the legends of dragons in Europe. While the European dragon was often considered evil due to the western fear of the abominable combination of man and beast, depicted in such early writings as "Beowulf", the Chinese dragon was considered a diety.
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