Unraveling the Jade Dragon: Historical and Cultural Significance in Chinese Mythology

Theoretical framework

            This paper aims to offer a theoretical framework for understanding important aspects of the Jade Dragon Artifact in Chinese history and culture. Thanks to anthropology, the field of cultural studies has provided an in-depth understanding of different cultures of the world. Scholars have been able to delve into the studies of history, sociology, art, literature, and many more professors to bring about a clearer understanding of other cultures and how they work. This paper will focus on an ancient Chinese Artifact, the Jade Dragon. This artifact is symbolic in Chinese culture of a brighter future and good life, but the question is whether cultural philosophers have everything they need to know regarding the symbolism of this artifact in Chinese culture[1].

According to the ancient Chinese myth of the Jade Dragon, it is a celestial dragon who watched over water and its life source. The Jade Dragon was created by emperor by the name of Qingming, becoming an emblem of China. In Chinese, Qing means the last or everlasting part of the year. The dragon was said to live in a lake between heaven and earth, and its breath created waves on the lake called “qi.” The Jade Dragon was also said to take its meals every New Year. The Jade Dragon was captured by the emperor many times and released back to the lake between heaven and earth after each period of captivity[2]. This led the people to believe that the emperor was powerful because of the Jade Dragon, so they worshipped the emperor as a god. People from different cultures, kingdoms, and areas all believed in the same story and created designs that showed the dragon. One day, the people rebelled, and the dragon was freed into the sky. It was said that the dragon became a constellation of stars, and its breath became the wind. For this reason, the Jade Dragon remains a symbol of hope because the people believe that the dragon will one day return to the water where it originated, and also because it watches over them and makes their dreams come true as it did with the emperor. Despite how interesting the myth of the Jade Dragon is, it has not been entirely deciphered. To date, there are many different speculations as to how this myth came about.

Argument for Further Analysis of the Artifact

The main reason why this myth requires further analysis is because of its cultural influences, which have spread internationally. In Western culture, one can see the influence of the Chinese zodiac on popular culture. For example, the Walt Disney Company uses characters from Chinese mythology, such as the White Tiger and the Lucky Cat, in their company logo. The color white is associated with good luck on New Year’s Day, and so many people wear a piece of white clothing to celebrate it. The Jade Dragon Artifact is a part of the Chinese zodiac and has influenced Western culture. It is also important to note that the myth of the Chinese zodiac has spread worldwide. When one examines the myth, it appears to be based on practicality. In terms of traditional beliefs and cultural heritage, it is only logical to assume that people would want to know their future in the form of tradition and superstition. Although there are some critics that believe this myth can be traced back historically to ancient cultures, it is important to note that the origins of zodiacs are not known. Hence, there is no way to prove or disprove that the myth of the Chinese zodiac was originally created for practical reasons and has no connection to Chinese history.

Another reason why this myth requires further analysis is because of its historical context. Even though the Jade Dragon was said to be made from jade, it was most likely made from nephrite, an extremely tough and durable material that could only be sculpted with primitive methods. Although it may seem like a simple and obvious mistake, nephrite and jade are two entirely different materials. In anthropology, such a seemingly simple mistake requires further investigation because it could have real ramifications on the artifact’s history. Additionally, some of the blame may fall on a poor translation. The statement implies that the jade used to make the Jade Dragon was from “a distant land”. This may have been a mistranslation that presupposed jade from a foreign country, when in fact it could have been more likely related to nephrite. The problem with this is that there was no such thing as “a distant land” during the Han Dynasty when the artifact was created.

Moreover, its cultural importance in Chinese culture is another reason why it requires further analysis. In Chinese mythology, having a piece of jade was considered very lucky and would bring great fortune to the owner. In one story, a poor woodcutter found a piece of jade that was said to be worth $1 million![3] He could finally buy his own home and live happily ever after. It is only imaginable how different such stories would be if the value of the Jade Dragon that was thought of had been greater or less.

Finally, this myth requires further analysis because of its complicated history, including various versions and versions that contradict each other. Scholars have identified many different interpretations, including ones that contradict each other and others that are too complex or ambiguous for them to understand. It is because of this that scholars say there are many challenges with this myth, and therefore it requires further investigation not only into the meaning behind the artifact itself but also into its historical significance as well. Additionally, similar artifacts are also present in other cultures, and as such, it may be more plausible to study the historical context and cultural significance of the object itself so that it can be understood more accurately.

In conclusion, the Jade Dragon is an artifact that has not been deciphered completely. Like many other myths and legends, there is no concrete historical evidence as to how this story came about. However, with research into how cultures believe in things like dragons, it is possible to find information regarding how dragon lore became so popular in ancient China and what role they played in society at that time. This means that further research should be conducted to better understand important aspects of the Jade Dragon Artifact in Chinese history and culture. This includes an analysis of its cultural influences, historical context, and its cultural importance within China. In doing so, it is hoped that the mystery surrounding this artifact will be unraveled by scholars to provide a better understanding of this important part of China’s history.

Bibliography

Duiker, William J., and Jackson J. Spielvogel. World history, volume II: Since 1500. Cengage

learning, 2015.

Nanda, Serena, and Richard L. Warms. Cultural anthropology. Sage Publications, 2019.

Pei, Shuyan, and Chuqiao Yu. “Exploration on Jade Culture in West Liaohe River Basin in the

Neolithic Age.” In 4th International Conference on Culture, Education and Economic Development of Modern Society (ICCESE 2020), pp. 557-560. Atlantis Press, 2020.

[1] Duiker et al. World History.

[2] Pei et al. Exploration on Jade Culture in West Liaohe River Basin in the Neolithic Age, 558.

[3]Pei et al. Exploration on Jade Culture in West Liaohe River Basin in the Neolithic Age, 558.