The Story#
A long, long time ago, there were many tribes in China. Each tribe had its own totem.
Some tribes worshipped snakes, some worshipped deer, some worshipped eagles, some worshipped fish…
Later, these tribes gradually merged into one big family—the Huaxia people.
Everyone wanted to create a new totem that represented all of them.
So people combined features of many animals:
A snake’s body, long and flexible; A deer’s antlers, beautiful like tree branches; An eagle’s claws, sharp and powerful; Fish scales, shining brightly; A tiger’s eyes, bright and spirited; A cow’s ears, able to hear sounds from far away…
Like this, the dragon was born!
The dragon could fly to the sky, dive into the sea, call wind and rain. It was a magical and majestic animal.
People made the dragon a symbol of good luck and called themselves “descendants of the dragon.”
Every Chinese New Year, people do dragon dances and paint dragons, praying for good weather and good harvests.
The emperor’s clothes were embroidered with dragons, called “dragon robes”; The emperor’s chair was carved with dragons, called “dragon throne.”
Little friends, although there are no real dragons in the world, in Chinese people’s hearts, the dragon represents strength, wisdom, and good fortune!
What the Story Teaches Us#
The dragon combines features of many animals, representing unity and fusion. This story teaches us that different things combined together can become stronger and more beautiful.