Is the Dragon a Suitable Symbol for China? -- Beijing Review

Is the dragon the best symbol of China? Through the past thousands of years, this has never been a question for many Chinese, who see themselves as "descendants(5¥Œ) of the dragon." As a result, a Shanghai professor's alleged suggestion that the dragon should no longer symbolize China because Westerners see the dragon as a symbol of arbitrariness and offensiveness aroused immediate objections from the public in mid-December of 2006.

Though Wu Youfu, Chairman of the University Council of Shanghai International Studies University, said that the report quoting him was untrue and stressed that the dragon represents the solidarity, courage and unbent spirit of the Chinese, the alleged comment has nevertheless stirred up a hornet's nest.

Ninety percent of the 100,000 people who responded to a survey on sina.com, the most popular Chinese Internet portal, said the dragon is a traditional Chinese icon and should continue to represent the country, despite prejudice from the West.

Professor Guan Shijie at the School of Journalism and Communication of Peking University believes that different conceptions of the dragon in Chinese and Western cultures result from a mistaken translation of the Western word dragon into "Loong," which actually means a long, supernatural animal that symbolizes good luck in China. This is different from the Western dragon-an evil fire breathing animal with a long neck and two wings symbolizing aggression. Professor Guan suggests that the government should have linguistic experts work out a standard translation for dragon. "We should not blindly follow Western culture," added Guan.

However, quite a lot of people believe dragon is an unsuitable symbol for China, as the Chinese dragon actually does not exist in the real world and its close connection with the previous imperial autocracy may have a negative impact on the development of democratic politics.

Despite the debate over the dragon, there is consensus on one thing: Western countries' misconception of the Chinese dragon will not disappear even if the dragon is replaced by another symbol.

Lu Qianhong (hlj.rednet.com): What is used as the symbol of a nation must have been recognized by the nation for a long period. Over thousands of years of history, the Chinese dragon is a propitious animal representing the enterprising and hardworking spirit of the Chinese people. Even overseas Chinese regard themselves as "descendants(5¥Œ) of the dragon," which is reflected in the dragon dance during the Spring Festival in China towns across the world. The dragon, as a symbol of China, is deep-rooted in Chinese culture, so it is not something that can be replaced because of the wishes of certain individuals.

The excuse to replace the dragon is not persuasive enough: In Western countries, a dragon is a monster and this may lead people who know little about Chinese culture to have a negative impression of the country. Isn't abandoning the dragon because of Westerners' misconception having blind faith in foreign countries? Even if it is replaced by a new animal, how can we be sure no prejudice or misunderstanding will again be shown by Westerners? Those who are respected most are not the ones who try to cater to the tastes of others, but who cherish their own tradition.

It's undeniable that Western countries are prejudiced toward the Asian culture. Some Westerners have a deep-rooted impression that China is a poor, backward and ignorant country. However, China's excellent performances in the international arena have gradually helped people learn the truth about China. Similarly, increasing transcultural communication will open up our culture to the Western world. By that time, they will understand that the "Chinese dragon" has nothing to do with the evil "Western dragon," but is a dragon representing the rich Chinese culture and the Chinese nation's spirit of self-improvement. In my opinion, it's better to reveal the true cultural significance of the "Chinese dragon" by effective actions than to abandon it.

Jiang Lei (The Beijing News): At a time of globalization, the cultural and material products of nations will be exposed to others, waiting for their acceptance and recognition. At the same time, we must admit that every nation is unique in its birth and development. The unique historical culture is the root of every nation and also where the national cohesion lies.

Given this fact, not many countries are ready to change their cultural symbol, and the change of any historical and traditional national symbol is likely to result in confusion in national identity.

The totem of the Chinese dragon has been used for thousands of years, making itself an important part in the Chinese' cultural life. For the Chinese nation, the dragon represents justice, peace and harmony and is related to beautiful things and high values, rather than violence. It's true that the dragon is a symbol of power, but this is not a destructive power but rather constructive and positive.

China is a traditional agricultural country and the dragon means rainfall, so important for the country's agricultural production. When it is introduced to the rest of the world, the significance of the dragon is further enhanced in that it means protection and support for the whole world. As for the Chinese nation, to continue to use the dragon totem and try to create more popular forms of this animal is likely to strengthen national cohesion and also encourage the nation to take part in world affairs in a more constructive spirit.

Yu Deqing (China Times): The point is not whether we need a dragon or not in the process of designing new national symbols, but the cultural psychological makeup we have as the nation opens to the world. The Chinese nation's worship for the dragon is reflected in the fact that all Chinese around the world call themselves "descendants(5¥Œ) of the dragon." This is actually a recognized identity of the whole nation, which comes into being after thousands of years of development. The Chinese nation's love for the dragon will never change subject to the will of Westerners.

It's surprising that those who argue "the dragon can no longer symbolize China" are Chinese, instead of Westerners. In my opinion, their rejection of the dragon actually is a denial of their own cultural and national identity. This is not showing "blind faith in foreign countries," but a subtle reflection of the impact of Western cultural hegemony on the Chinese culture. Therefore, as long as the West-oriented cultural values retain a dominant position, no changes in the Chinese culture are able to eradicate their prejudice, even if the change is made catering to the Western taste.

The creation of a new symbol for China is not West-oriented cultural reform. The work should not be based on the Western cultural values and standards, but must conform to traditional Chinese cultural values. Western culture does not represent the cultural values of the whole world, but it essentially serves the Western world's power system and national interests. The future prosperity of the Chinese culture does not depend on catering to Western cultural values, but on exploring its own uniqueness.

Xie Hongjun (hlj.rednet.com): The history of the dragon acting as the "spokesman" of the Chinese culture or even the whole nation is almost as long as the nation's history. However, we know clearly that such a super powerful animal as a dragon that can speed across the sky and bring good luck does not exist on earth at all. Like totems in other old civilizations, the dragon is a product of the ancestors' fight against natural forces, reflecting human beings' reverence to nature. Ancient China was a hinterland agricultural country where people totally depended on nature for their living. At that time, droughts were unconquerable enemies and thus the "dragon king" was worshipped by the Chinese ancestors to bring about rain. Nevertheless, no matter how powerful the "dragon king" is and how the dragon totem is deeply planted in the Chinese culture, the dragon in essence is a cultural hallucination based on folk superstition.

The Western attitude toward the dragon is also a reflection of their cultural psychology. It's hard to say whether the dragon should be respected or hated. To enshrine the "dragon king" as a God is a traditional custom in China, but at a time of globalization, this is no longer an issue limited to a single nation. For example, it's hard for Chinese products that bear trademarks unpopular in Western culture to grab a big market share in the Western world. It's true that the dragon has already taken root in Chinese culture and thus is unlikely to be removed overnight, but it seems better to leave it where it is and let time decide whether it should exist or not.

The Chinese like to call themselves "descendants(5¥Œ) of the dragon" and expect good luck from the dragon, but we know the Chinese nation's success in survival and prosperity does not depend on the "dragon king." Some people suggest replacing the dragon with pandas as the symbol of China. I'm afraid such an endangered species is unable to take on this big mission. Without worship for animals, the Chinese nation and the country will not be hurt; without the dragon as the national symbol, we are still descendants(5¥Œ) of our great ancestors.

Jin Lixin (professor at the Shanghai International Studies University): People's worship for the dragon, which symbolized emperors in Chinese history, inevitably led to people's worship to monarchic power and even tolerance to cruel rule. Throughout thousands of years of feudal autocracy, the reverence to the dragon exerted a negative impact on the national character of the Chinese people: suffering without protests or complaints. The fact that the "dragon king" will ensure a good climate only when it has received enough sacrifices and respect implies autocracy by the dragon.

Unlike the eagle in the United States and the bear in Russia, the dragon is not a real animal that can be found on earth. The worship for this fancied animal reflects the nation's lack of an explicit spiritual idol.

Leung Man Tao (Southern Metropolis News): Since the business community began to pay attention to the effect of branding, corporate identity is becoming more and more important and even countries and government departments now display their values and cultures to the public in visual languages.

The symbol of a nation is its outside appearance. To create a new symbol, there must be new political style and fundamental changes in the national culture. Without these two factors, any change of the symbol is meaningless.

The design of a national symbol must be based on the support and recognition of its own citizens, as only in this way can the symbol fully reflect the character and taste of the nation. The design should not mean to impress foreigners, but to strengthen the national cohesion.

Even the most ancient and oldest symbols can mean new things. The question lies in whether the nation has sufficient imagination, whether it has the courage to break through the old and bad practices and rules and whether there are able people to carry out the work.