The image of the dragon in Feng Shui dates back to the Stone Age, more than 4,000 years ago, where the celestial dragon and tiger were inscribed on a Chinese tomb and placed pointing to the North Star.
There may be evidence now that the Chinese dragon is not just a myth, but a true creature. In the Eastern tradition, dragons represented primordial creative energies, the power of Mother Nature. There were air and water dragons who ruled the weather and controlled lakes and oceans. The energy of the dragon coiled in the earth created mountains. Dragons were seen as a supernatural energy that shaped the outside environment for better or for worse. They were considered legendary sources of power, often relegated to the emperor’s courts as only imperial insignia could only display the image of the dragon. Golden dragons with five claws were a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties. Dragons were considered yang male energy and some emperors were considered their descendants. Great men were compared to a mighty dragon, as opposed to a lowly man who could be compared to a helpless worm. Often the dinosaur bones unearthed were described as dragon bones and used in Chinese medicine. Chinese apothecaries used “dragon” bones, teeth, horns and claws as a panacea and proved invaluable to fossil hunters in later centuries by showing them fossil sites. Although dragons were seen as symbols of power, Chinese tradition also sees them as omens of good luck that signify great power, ability, and protection. The traditional Chinese dragon is a combination of many animals, the head of a horse, the horns of a deer, the body of a snake, with the claws of a hawk. The dragons of myth have mystical abilities, including the ability to change color, fly, disappear, and shapeshift, just like the weather. The ability of a dragon to fly and ascend into the sky is very important to the Chinese. Showing respect for the dragon translates to showing respect for the variability and power of the surrounding environment and many shrines were built to honor them. Killing a dragon instead of taming its power was a bad omen.
In a similar vein, but with a contrasting view, the western view of the dragon was also that it represented energy, but that this primary energy was an evil influence that needed to be mastered. In European mythology, dragons roamed the land only to destroy towns and people. The western dragon is also seen as a snake-like creature, similar to a dinosaur, it often spits fire and likes to capture innocent princesses. It is also seen with wings, scales, claws, and fangs. Like eastern dragons that often carried a valuable giant pearl, western dragons also held valuable gold and treasures that are usually hidden somewhere impenetrable on earth. Dragons in the Slavic tradition have a mixed behavior towards humans: the female represents harsh weather and a crop destroyer and the male dragon acts as a protector. Christian saints are often depicted as dragon slayers, as the dragon was viewed more as a destructive or evil force in human affairs.
Even the Bible, the most widely read and historically documented ancient book, describes dragon-like creatures (the Leviathan) and there is growing evidence that some of the dinosaurs may have coexisted with humans in remote parts of the world. If this is the case, it is understandable why the brave knights would want to go destroy these fearsome beasts.
The interesting aspect of all of this is that some of the dinosaurs really do look like flying snakes or dragons that mythology talks about and if some of them survived to torture humans, weird weather cycles might have blown them away. The modern discovery of a skeletal skull found in North America has been named “Dracorex Hogwartsia”, aptly named “Hogwartsia” in honor of the Harry Potter film series. It is a real dinosaur that looks a lot like the Chinese version of a dragon, with a horse’s head, horns, and a bony head plate. This new species of dinosaur was a relatively peaceful vegetarian. This discovery suggests that there may have been an actual dinosaur in China that resembles this species from which mythology evolved. And it is quite possible that a more aggressive version roamed the European plains, terrorizing the villagers. Both cultures sought to deal with a force that seemed supernatural and uncontrollable.
Interestingly, Western writers have shown a recent change in their description of dragons, showing them that they are intelligent and even capable of being allies rather than adversaries. Although dragons have the power of a fearsome beast, they are willing to help man and even be his guardian.
This modern view perhaps indicates a major shift in Western thinking that there may be undiscovered wisdom in the natural world that can be harmoniously worked with rather than violently conquered. Traditional Asian philosophy has been observing natural law for thousands of years. Maybe it’s time for Westerners to see a significant value in harmony with nature as well, and perhaps discover some buried treasure in the process.