Why is the dragon a symbol of the Chinese nation?

In China, the dragon is a mythical animal, representing Yang in the world view of Yin and Yang, and it is the symbol of the nation and the symbol of the royal family. Some people think that this is the image formed by the totem of various clans after the ancient Yanhuang unified the tribes in the Central Plains. Legend has it that it can be hidden and revealed, ascend to the sky at the vernal equinox, dive deep at the autumnal equinox, and make clouds cause rain.

The dragon is great because it is respected by all Chinese people. The dragon is nothing, because it is only a spirit, not a substance.

Emperors of all dynasties claimed to be dragons, and they also decorated their utensils with dragons. Dragon was worshipped by the ancestors of China as the ancestor god, and was generally respected as "dragon". People in China often call themselves "descendants of dragon".

The dragon has become a symbol of China, the Chinese nation and China culture. For every Chinese descendant, the image of the dragon is a symbol, a mood, and a flesh-and-blood emotion! The names "descendants of the dragon" and "descendants of the dragon" often make us excited, energetic and proud.

Extended information:

In China, dragons have experienced four major stages of development: totem worship, deity worship, the combination of dragon worship and emperor worship, and the combination of Buddhist naga dragon worship and loong worship.

In the stage of totem worship, some ancient tribes in China regarded dragons as totems as their ancestors and symbols. According to historical documents and related legends, the dragon (originally snake) was originally the totem of Fuxi clan, and later became the totem of Taijue (Tai Hao) tribe. Taiyi tribe is one of the most important origins of dragon totem worship.

In the stage of worship of gods, agriculture and animal husbandry gradually formed, and religious beliefs also developed, from a relatively simple totem worship to polytheism. Dragon totem worship has also developed into dragon god worship. People deify dragons and regard them as water gods and rainbow gods.

after the dragon was deified, it was combined with the worship of emperors. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the great reunification of China required a corresponding great god to integrate the beliefs of all localities and nationalities, and the worship of dragons was combined with the worship of emperors.

The ancient emperors in China described themselves as the incarnation or son of the dragon god, or as people protected by the dragon god, and established their authority with the help of the dragon, gaining people's universal trust and support. In this way, the dragon gained a more prominent position and played a very important role in the development of loong culture.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Dragon