After listening to the old ghost's words, I thought of a familiar scene: every time I celebrate the New Year's holiday, when I see the lion and dragon dances on the street, will it also be affected by this? At first, I didn't understand the meaning of this kind of activity, but when I heard the old ghost say this, I seemed to be inspired by something.

So, I said to the old ghost, "Well, you're doing well. At least the origin of China's dragon culture is realistically told. ”

When the old ghost heard that I had affirmed him, he smug himself and said, "That's right, if you want to talk about it, it's practical." ”

After speaking, the old ghost glanced at the old ghost.

As soon as Lisa heard my evaluation of the old ghost, she didn't ≦ the old ghost when she looked at her▼, "ans▽≦m willing. Say: "What do you mean by 'realistic'?" Isn't what I'm saying realistic? ”

The old ghost saw that she was about to fight with him again, so he quickly changed the subject, and he said to me: "Boss, don't just listen to us, you can also talk about it." ”

Since the old ghost mentioned it, I can't shirk it, so I turned my face to look at Duoduo. Coincidentally, Duoduo was also looking at me at this time, and we were no strangers to this topic. Because, not so long ago, oh no, I should say more than 10 years ago, we talked about this topic and we were unusually unanimous.

However, we are not interested in the dragon itself, but in its offspring. Because of how the dragon came about, this is impossible to verify at all. Its offspring, however, is a very interesting topic.

The dragon is a kind of supernatural animal in Chinese legends that is good at change, can generate clouds and rain, and benefit all things. It is the chief of all the scales and insects, and the head of the four spirits (dragon, phoenix, unicorn, and turtle).

Duoduo and I looked at each other and smiled, both wanting each other to speak. However, they did not speak. When the old ghost saw our demeanor, he knew what it meant, and said, "Ah. The two of you represent one opinion, and anyone can say it! ”

When Duoduo heard the old ghost's words, he nodded approvingly and said to me: "Then you can talk about it, you are studying history, and you should be more professional than me." ”

Since Duoduo said so. I didn't have to excuse myself, so I said, "I may be going to disappoint you, but I'm not talking about the dragon itself, but about its descendants." Would you like to hear it? ”

When the old ghost heard me say this, he said with a little disappointment: "Damn, do you not know how to speak or do you not want to speak?" ”

"No!" I say.

"Alright then, then 'Son of the Dragon'!" The old ghost reluctantly accepted my topic, and said, "Something is better than nothing, let's talk about it." I've heard it before. But it's really innumerable, and today is a lesson. ”

Hearing the old ghost say this, Qian Cheng and Lisa, who were on the side, also nodded in agreement. As soon as I saw that everyone had a desire to listen, I felt the urge to explain. So he said to everyone, "Okay, then I'll give you a show!" ”

I deliberately cleared my throat and said, "As the saying goes: a dragon gives birth to nine sons, each with its own good." The so-called 'dragon gave birth to nine sons' does not mean that the dragon happened to give birth to nine sons, this is just a saying. It's just in traditional Chinese culture. 'Nine' is used to indicate a lot, and it has a supreme position. Nine is an imaginary number. It is also a valuable number, so it is used to describe the dragon. The reason why it is said that 'dragons give birth to nine sons' is just to pick a more typical one. The sons of dragons are not dragons, and they are all different.

The saying that 'dragons give birth to nine sons' has also been around for a long time, but there has been no unified and fixed statement about which nine animals are. It was not until the Ming Dynasty that various theories appeared. Historical records such as Li Dongyang and so on.

The nine sons were:

The eldest prisoner cow is one of the nine sons of the dragon. Legend has it that the ears of the prison bull with the body of the dragon head and snake are very good, and they can distinguish the sound of all things. He loved music all his life, and he often squatted on the headstock to enjoy the music of plucked strings. Therefore, the headstock is engraved with its posthumous image. This decoration has been used today, and some of the precious huqin heads are still engraved with the image of a dragon head, called the 'dragon head huqin'.

This musically gifted dragon son not only appears on the Huqin of the Han nationality, but also appears on the dragon head Yueqin of the Yi nationality and the three-stringed qin of the Bai nationality. As well as some pianos of the Tibetan and Mongolian ethnic groups, there are also engraved images of prisoner cows raising their heads and opening their mouths.

The second child is yazi, with a dragon body and a jackal head, a strong personality, brave and good at fighting, and a thirst for killing and fighting. Always holding the sword in the mouth, glaring angrily, the common carved on the knife ring, the hilt of the sword swallowing, in order to increase its own powerful power.

As the saying goes: 'The virtue of a meal will be repaid, and the grievances of the eyes will be repaid.' 'Jairwood became the embodiment of evil.

It is good for killing, so the ancients often carved it on the swallow where the blade of the sword meets the handle, which adds to the intimidating power. It is not only decorated on the weapons of famous generals on the battlefield, but also used in a large number on the weapons of honor guards and palace guards, so as to appear more majestic and solemn. Because the emperors all believed that Jairus could overcome evil and protect their own safety.

Lao San mocks the wind, which not only symbolizes auspiciousness, beauty and majesty, but also has the meaning of deterring demons and eliminating disasters. But the mocking wind itself is a collection of disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and celestial flames are all forces that mock the wind.

Legend has it that the mocking wind is the heart of Pangu, and its shape is often used on the corner of the temple as a mocking wind decoration on the roof corner. Architecturally, the placement of the mocking wind makes the shape of the whole palace both strict and varied. So as to achieve the harmony of solemnity and vividness, the unity of grandeur and exquisiteness, it adds a layer of mystery to the towering palace.

The fourth eldest Pu Lao, one of the nine sons of the dragon. When it was hit, it roared loudly, acting as a beast button for the beam of the bell to help it sound far and wide.

The fourth child of the legendary dragon gave birth to nine sons, and liked to roar, so people put it on the bell. It is said that it lives on the beach, but it is very afraid of whales, and if they attack, it will scream in fear. Therefore, people made the wooden pestle into the shape of a whale to make the bronze bell particularly loud.

The old five slenders (suan'ni), shaped like a lion, like smoke and easy to sit. Therefore, the image generally appears on the incense burner, and then swallows smoke and exhales smoke. Ancient books record that it is a fierce beast that can eat tigers and leopards like lions, and it is also the meaning of the mighty beasts.

Lao Liuyun (bixi), also known as turtle, baxia, and filling. It looks like a turtle and is good to bear, has teeth, and can carry three mountains and five mountains. Its back is also burdened with heavy objects, and it is mostly decorated on the base platform and wall of stone tablets and stone pillars, which are spiritual birds and auspicious beasts. Li Dongyang said that it is the eldest of the nine sons.

Bi'an, also known as the charter, is the name of the legendary beast. Shaped like a tiger, the fox is the seventh. It's litigious. But it is powerful, and the tiger-shaped decoration on the upper part of the prison door is his posthumous image.

Lao Ba Negative Tuan (fuxi), generally to the top of the stele. Negative like a dragon, ranked eighth, good life, the dragon on both sides of the stele is its posthumous image.

The history of the monument in our country is long. Informative. Some of them have simple shapes, the stele body is smooth and bright, and the light can be recognized; Some are exquisitely carved, the words are postured, and the pen is vivid; There are also famous poems and stone carvings, which are popular and famous for thousands of years. And the negative is very fond of this kind of shining artistic brilliance of the inscription, it is willing to turn into a pattern of Wenlong to set off these literary treasures, the stele base is decorated more elegant and beautiful. They coiled around each other, and seemed to be slowly wriggling. Matched with the base of the base, it is even more spectacular.

The old nine mantis kiss/owltail (chiwen/chiwei) is generally considered to be the ninth son of the dragon. He likes to look around, and is often arranged on the roof ridge of a building, making an open-mouth swallowing ridge shape, and has a sword to fix it. The mantle is water-based, and it is used as a thing to ward off evil spirits to avoid fire. ”

I counted these nine divine beasts in one go, and I let out a long breath. Because one for each speaker. I always have the corresponding image in my mind. The reason why I remember it so clearly is because it was a trip with Duoduo. There are carvings of these things in this spot. At that time, we also spent a day studying the differences between each other. In addition, there are detailed records in it, which makes me know it very well.

The old ghost said, "Wait a minute, let me wisp, a little too much!" ”

After speaking, the old ghost took care of himself and meditated on something. After a while. He said to me, "All right, you go on!" ”

I continued: "There are also orders from Li Dongyang in the Ming Dynasty: the eldest sting, the second fang, the third Pujiao, the fourth one, the five taotie, the six baxia, the seventh eye, the eight swords, and the nine peppers.

Here, there are several that are the same as the former, but in a different order. But that's not the point, the point is on a few things that haven't been seen. For example: 饕餮 (taotie), 蚣蝮 (gongfu), pepper picture.

Gluttony, a ferocious and gluttonous beast in legend. Ancient bronzes were often decorated with the shape of its head, which was called gluttonous patterns. Legend has it that he was also one of the nine sons of the dragon. 'Gluttony' is a mythical beast in ancient Chinese legends, and its biggest feature is that it can be eaten! It's a lot like an old ghost. ”

When the old ghost heard that I stepped on him, he immediately shot back: "Fuck your uncle!" ”

I ignored him and continued, "Gluttony is an imaginary and mysterious monster. This monster has no body, only a large head and a large mouth. Very greedy, eat whatever you see, because you eat too much, and finally get strangled to death. Therefore, it is also a symbol of 'greed'.

Gongfu, according to legend, is one of the nine sons of the dragon, and has a good nature. The favorite water located next to the bridge is often decorated on the top of the railing of the stone bridge. It is carved into the shape of a beast with a bridge pillar and dripping water on the building, and it is the guardian saint of the ancient bridge. Many bridges are carved with pit pit vipers, and the shape is very beautiful.

Jiao Tu, the youngest of the nine sons of Longsheng, is commonly known as 'Lao Yu'. Shaped like a snail mussel, it is good and closed. The most disgusted by others entering its lair, generally in ancient times, is its image.

In addition, there are also theories that include the cockroach, the unicorn, the roar towards the sky (犼), and the pixiu as one of the dragons.

螭 (chi), or '螭首'. The legendary dragon gave birth to one of the nine sons, a dragon without horns. Ancient buildings or utensils, handicrafts are often used as decorations with its shape, a large mouth, and a belly that can hold a lot of water. It is mostly used for the decoration of drainage outlets in buildings, called 'mantle head scattered water'. Some say that it is a 'dragon genus', 'dragon son' or 'female dragon', that is, a female dragon. Its ancestors were 'born of strange air in the mountains and forests', with yellow color, no horns, and beast shape.

Qilin, also known as 'Qilin', abbreviated as 'Lin'. The mythical beast in ancient Chinese myths and legends is said to live for 2,000 years. It is recorded in many ancient Chinese books, and it is called the 'four spirits' together with the phoenix, turtle and dragon. It is the mount of God, with a gentle temperament, does not hurt people and animals, and does not trample on flowers and plants, so the ancients called the unicorn 'benevolent beast, rui beast'.

The male is called the unicorn, and the female is called the unicorn, which is collectively called the 'unicorn'. It is an auspicious beast, symbolizing peace and longevity. Because of their profound cultural connotations, unicorns and pixiu are made into various ornaments and ornaments for wearing and placing in the home in traditional Chinese folk etiquette, with the intention of praying for blessings and blessings.

The unicorn is the head of the dragon, the body of the horse, the tail of the ox, and the scales of the fish. The unicorn has a single horn, the lin has no horns, the mouth can spit fire, and the voice is like thunder. Its comprehensive scope is not as extensive as that of dragons and phoenixes, but its fame is not small. In ancient China, the unicorn was used to symbolize auspiciousness. Legend has it that this beast will only appear in the peaceful and prosperous times, or when there are saints in the world, and it will also be used as a horsetail.

There is a folk saying that 'the unicorn sends a son', and the legend says that the unicorn will bring sons to people and make the family prosperous. Legend has it that Confucius's mother had a unicorn before she gave birth to Confucius. During the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He's fleet sailed to East Africa and brought two giraffes back to Beijing, which were considered unicorns by the people of the time. Ming Chengzu used this auspicious omen to show the greatness of his governance.

犼 (hou), commonly known as 'roaring at the sky or roaring towards the sky'. Legend has it that he was the son of the Dragon King and had a habit of watching. Shaped like a rabbit, the tips of the ears are long, only a little more than a foot long. But people generally call it 'stone lions', and they often stand on the tables and rooftops. The dragon on the top of the Huabiao pillar (that is, roaring towards the sky) roars at the sky, which is regarded as uploading the will of heaven and sending the people's feelings.

Pixiu (pinyin: pixiu) is also known as Tianlu:

The dragon's head, the body of the horse, and the feet of the lin, are shaped like a lion, and the coat is gray and white, and it can fly. A ferocious beast in legend, the origin of which is varied. In Chinese tradition, there is the custom of 'pixiu', which, like the dragon and lion, has the effect of driving away the evil spirit of the place and bringing joy and good luck.

Fierce and mighty, Pixiu likes to suck the essence of monsters and transform them into wealth, and it is responsible for patrolling the heavens to prevent demons, demons, plagues, and diseases from disturbing the heavens. It can swallow all things and never leak it, so it has the implication of eating the wealth of the Quartet. And the heart of the protector is particularly strong, and it has the effect of attracting wealth and blessings, and avoiding evil in the town.

There is also a saying that it was the ninth son of the dragon, and in ancient times people often used Pixiu as the name of the army. Legend has it that Pixiu violated the rules of heaven, and the Jade Emperor punished him for only feeding on the wealth of all directions, swallowing all things without pouring, and he could attract wealth and accumulate treasures, only entering and not leaving, and his magical powers were special. Many Chinese now wear Pixiu jade products, and it is precisely because of this.

Therefore, the folk generally use the unicorn to live a long life, and use the pixiu to attract wealth, town houses, and ward off evil spirits. ”

I said that my mouth was dry, and I finally finished talking about it.

When the old ghost heard this, he hurriedly reached out and touched the jade Pixiu hanging around his neck, and said, "Pixiu, Pixiu, you must ward off evil spirits for me, help me eat the wealth of the Quartet, and make me a rich man!" (To be continued......)