The Story of the Twelve Animals of the Korean Zodiac
Dragon
영상
Scenario
# 1 Main title: Dragon
# 2 Opening: The Dragon is the fifth animal of the twelve zodiac animals. The Dragon guards the hours from 7 o'clock to 9 o'clock in the morning. Dragon Month corresponds to the third month of the lunar calendar. Since ancient times, the Dragon has unchangingly been an auspicious creature, and dreaming about a dragon was considered the best dream. In Korean culture, the Dragon symbolized courage, extraordinariness, and hope. Among the twelve zodiac animals, the Dragon appears as one of the four patron saints (四神) in the Goguryeo dynasty, along with White Tiger (白虎), Red Phoenix (朱雀), and Black Tortoise (玄武). Yongduam (龍頭岩) Rock on Jeju Island comes with a legend of a soaring dragon hardening and becoming a rock. The highest goal of the Dragon is to rise to heaven. Only ascension can complete a dragon.
# 3 The Dragon, the god born in water: The Dragon lives in water, protects the water, and controls rain. To overcome a drought, a rain-calling ceremony is performed for the Dragon God. Fishing villagers living along the sea held ceremonial rituals to wish for big haul and safe voyage.
# 4 The Dragon as the symbol of a king: To the ancient people, the Dragon was the creature with the highest authority due to its power to control water and fly in the sky. This was the reason the Dragon was used as the emblem representing the royal court based on the animal's sacred authority and power. All things associated with the king were associated with the Dragon. It was only natural for the ancient people to connect their reverence and respect for the Dragon with its mythical power with the symbol of their king.
# 5 The meaning of the Dragon reflected to commodity goods: The people's faith in the Dragon can be found in various commodity goods used over many generations. From the belief that the Dragon brings happiness to everyday life, the image of a dragon was engraved onto poles and wardrobes. Praying for a dream of the dragon or to nurture a courageous spirit, people added the image of a dragon. The elaborately crafted motif of a dragon per se added a mysterious mood. Wishing for the ultimate "Doctrine of the Mean (中庸)," noble scholars had their stationery goods engraved with dragon patterns. The sacred meaning and motif of the Dragon were ubiquitous and mainstream, especially through white and blue-green celadon works.
# 6 The intuitive and patriotic Dragon: The Dragon had long been considered the guardian god of the Korean kingdoms since it made prophecies on the country’s future. King Munmu of the Silla dynasty who unified the Three Kingdoms left behind a will that, after his death, he would become a dragon to protect the country and Buddhism. The story in "Samgukyusa (三國遺事, the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms)" shows that the Dragon not only controlled the water but also played the role of a guardian god to protect the country.
# 7 Buddhism and the Dragon: Even in Buddhism, the Dragon held a sacred meaning. At the entrance facing the main Daeungjeon Hall of the Buddhist temple stands the guardian gods, called "the Four Devas (四天王)." Among the four, the guardian god protecting the south stands, holding none other than a dragon in his hand. According to legend, nine dragons from the heaven sprayed water to bathe the baby Buddha at birth. The elaborate image of a dragon can be found, without fail, in the wooden fish (木魚) and Dharma drum (法鼓) used in Buddhist service or an offering presented to Buddha.
# 8 The Dragon, the cultural animal: According to a Chinese herbology volume written by Li Shizhen during the Ming dynasty, "Bonchogangmok (本草纲目, Compendium of Materia Medica)," the Dragon combined many animals' features: the pig's nose, the rabbit's eye, the camel's head, the cow's ear, the deer's horn, the tiger's paw, the falcon's claws, and the carp's scale. A dragon was born as a gigantic cultural symbol.
# 9 The Dragon's son: The Divine Bell of King Seongdeok is the oldest bell in Korea. The hook of the massive bell is in the shape of a dragon's head. Likewise, the Dragon takes various shapes in Korean culture. There are nine mythological sons of the dragon. Jiaotu (椒圖) looks like a clam, and his image is used on door knobs. Suanni (狻猊) likes smoke and fire and often sits down, so his image is found on incense burners. Baxia (蚣蝮) loves water, so his image is often engraved on a bridge or where water drops. Yazi (睚眦) is fond of bloody killings. His image is often engraved on knife handles as if swallowing the sword. Qiuniu (囚牛) loves music, so his head is often depicted on musical instruments like Geomungo. Chaofeng (嘲風) is adventurous, and he likes to climb and eat, so his image is placed on the four corners of roofs. Chiwen (鴟吻) likes looking and swallowing, so his image is used on both ends of the ridgepoles of roofs. Pulao (蒲牢) likes to scream, so he is represented on the tops of bells. Bixi (贔屭) has a large shell, and he is able to carry heavy objects, so he is normally found on tombstones. There are other various types of dragons in folk customs.
# 10 The Dragon, the energy of ascension: The Dragon is the symbol of change, protection, and power, born out of the people’s wish for the highest value and auspiciousness. As a guardian god that invites good fortune in daily life and protects precious value, the Dragon has always been in the hearts of Koreans. Born out of water, the dragon soars to the sky, harmonizes the world, and teaches about bright life and future. The robust energy of ascension is the image of the Dragon in the hearts of all Koreans.
Along with the phoenix, giraffe, and turtle, the Dragon was one of the "Four Divinities (4靈)" or four imaginary animals. Among all existing animals, the Dragon was considered the animal of the highest authority. It is equipped with all the best weapons of other animals and an ability to harmonize all matters infinitely. The Dragon had been deeply rooted in the people’s daily life, influencing countless folklore, folk religions, legends, ideologies, artworks, and geographic names. People of the Silla dynasty in particular gave birth to a dragon that protected the country (護國龍), culminating in the most illuminating spirit of patriotism in Korean history. People born in the Year of the Dragon are known to be healthy, energetic, brave, sensitive, and trustworthy. They detest pursuit of money or flattery. They can be easily irritated and excited, stubborn, quite clear with what they like and dislike, and somewhat temperamental.
People born in the Year of the Dragon are most attracted to people born in the Year of the Monkey, who have boundless amiability. In the same token, people born in the Year of the Monkey are attracted to people born in the Year of the Dragon for their grandiosity. They make a great, amicable team. The combination of the Dragon and the Rat can make a successful pair because of the Dragon's strength and the Rat's skillfulness. Together, they can accomplish great work. In other words, the Dragon can make the best threesome combination (三合) with the Rat and the Monkey. The Dragon is said to be a creature made of the Rat's clever brain and the Monkey's agile body. Between the Dragon and the Pig, however, there will always be enmity. The Dragon dislikes the nose on the Pig's face (龍嫌猪黑面). The Dragon is the embodiment of all twelve animals, but of all the grand features, the Dragon took the Pig's nose. The Dragon simply detests the ugly nose, thinking it is the Pig's nose that made the Dragon look ugly. Thus, in marital compatibility in folklores, a match of the Dragon and the Pig was often avoided.
The mythical animal dragon was imagined in various ways by people living in changing times and social environment, and its ability to harmonize was worshiped. Thus, depending on the time and environment, the Dragon and its abilities were portrayed differently. In Korea where the Dragon was worshiped as a sacred one equipped with weapons and functions representing many animals, it meant great leap, ascension, and hope and, at the same time, the symbol of the greatest authority on earth. The Dragon was the god of water controlling the clouds and rain and also the protective god of Buddhism and the royal authority, which all led to the birth of various dragon gods. Dragons became the important theme of many legends. The ultimate goal and hope of the Dragon was to rise above the clouds and ascend to heaven.
