Legend of the dragon's children

As an Asian student, I always want to introduce to international friends about Asian cultural history.
Although I have to say is that many famous historical and cultural sites in Vietnam as well as in China or other countries like Japan or Korea do not really help travelers. Cultivate deep understanding of culture.

It's like I visited famous cathedrals in Europe, to famous temples, cultural buildings in Italy, or Greek temples in Athens,
The stories of Greek myths, goddesses, gods of Athena, Zeus  or the sun god Apollo, these stories help me understand more about European culture, the beauty of the temple. The ruins that speak straight out are nothing but the big pillars.

But it is the myths that are heard, the very interesting and interesting explanations about the patterns and decorations that make them beautiful and provide useful knowledge about places.

 In Asia, especially in Vietnam or China, there are many well-known landmarks, and most are temples and shrines (similar to Europe with its palaces, castles and churches). )

So I made the essay to help Erasmus students to exchange in Asia in general and Vietnam in particular have a little deeper understanding of temple architecture in Asia.

In folk lore of Asian countries,
the dragon is an important mascot symbolizing power, for the power of nature.
I used to go to many places in Europe, while in Europe, dragons represent the power of power, just as in Asia, it also represents something formidable, into the often attached European dragon With fire, while Asian dragons are attached to water.
Why, one reason is that in Asia, countries like Vietnam or China, wet rice farming has long been important and associated with the people.

In Asia, the region of Vietnam, such as heavy rainfall, floods as well as frequent droughts. In addition, Vietnam also has to bear many storms every year.

That explains why water is so important to the Vietnamese people, and obviously the divine animal whose powers are worshiped as dragons must have an impact on water.

To a certain degree, each river represents a dragon, for example, the Cuu Long River (Nine Dragons River) in southern Vietnam is actually the Mekong River, and the biggest river in South-east Asian, after entering Vietnam, the Mekong divides into seven small streams into the sea.

No. 9 is a sacred figure for the Vietnamese people, such as Cuu Dinh (Nine Tops), Cuu Long River, (Nine Dragons River), Cuu Trung Dai Palace (Palace of Nine clouds Sky).

Similarly, our ancestors created a story about the dragon.
The story is called: The dragon's children.


 The dragon has nine children with completely different shapes and hobbies. The dragon's children are used by the people as decorative objects in places, objects with different special implications.
The legend of the nine children of the dragon

1, Bị Hí   - The Dragon Turtle (Love weight)

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

 He is the first son of the dragon - mascot shape turtle, dragon head. Being extremely powerful, withstanding heavy weight, often carved ornamental for pedestals for stone pedestals, stone columns, stone stele ... He love weight that is the reason why he is being used as the turtle which always carries heavy staff on his back.

 
2, Li Vẫn (Dragon Fish) (Hate fire)

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

the second child of the dragon, is a dragon head, wide mouth, short body like fish. Legend has it still enjoy the scenery and often help people kill fire should be carved as decorations on the roof of the ancient palaces, temples, temples ... implied fire brigade, protect the peace of the building.
He hates Fire; he will stop any fire that he sees. That is the reason why he is placed on the top of the roof for protecting the building from fire.
 
3, Bồ Lao - Love Song

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

The third child of the dragon, a large-scale mascot, are often cast on a bell with the desired ring tone molded. He loves music and powerful sound, so he is always standing on the top of Asian Bells so whenever the bells ring, he can hear it.
 
4, Be Ngạn - Dragon Tiger (Love Justice)

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

He is the fourth child of the dragon, tiger-like, fangs long and sharp, with great power. Legend has it that ritual is very rational and talented for justice when there is injustice, so the reed is often placed at the door of the prison or the way, implying that the offender is offended and reminded every People should live honestly.

In general, he loves Justice and Equality so in order to keep justice and fair, he is living in the door of jail.
 
5, Thao Thiết - Dragon Treasure box (Love Foods)

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

The fifth dragon, the mascot has big eyes, wide mouth, strange shape. The appetite of insatiable appetite, molded on the utensils of eating, imply to remind eaters not to eat but to become impolite. Thao Thiet is looking like a box of treasure, he loves eating and saving things.

He is at the temple to warn people do not eat too much or literally greedy.
 
6, Công Phúc - Love water

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

The sixth of the dragon, the water hyphen, should be engraved as a decorative object in works or means of water transport such as bridges, water channels, dams, docks, boats ... with the wish to blessed Always touching, managing, managing the water serving all peoples.
 
7, Nhai Xế - Chains (Love Violence)

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

The seventh of the dragons - mascots with aggressive temperament, often rage and sabotage, often carved on weapons such as knives, hammers, swords, beams ... The strength and courage of warriors in battle. He loves violence and killing stuff, so he is usually placed in the weapons, however he is also brave and curious so please do not hate him.
 
8, Toan nghê – Dragon Lions - Love quiet (Love quiet)

http://laodong.com.vn/du-lich-kham-pha/bi-mat-9-dua-con-cua-rong-291778.bld

He is like a Dragon lions; He loves Quiet and the air of smoke. Considered to be molded as decorative objects on incinerator incense burning, meaning the desired aroma of incense is always radiant.
 
9, Tiều đồ - Love Sleeping

He is a lazy mascot, often curled up to sleep, not interested in having a stranger enter his territory. The tag is engraved on the door, in place of the handle when open, implying a deterrent to strangers to intrude to protect the safety of the landlord.
 
In Hanoi, there are many temples and pagodas that you can visit and after reading my story of nine dragon’s children. I think you could some home understand more about Vietnam culture of Dragon.

However, there is one interesting that I want to share with you.

In Hanoi, there is one very famous temple which I have been there many times; it is a must-see place in Hanoi called the Temple of Literature.

There are 82 stone statues in Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Grotto honor the names of those who passed the doctoral examinations under Le and Mac dynasties are the relics of the most valuable relics.

These are the "stones of history" representing the culture of education and the pride of Vietnam's studious traditions.
Each of the stelae of the Doctor is engraved with Chinese writing inscriptions containing much historical information.

A typical brewing posture consists of: The headline of the examination (the connection between the brow of the beer and the journal) in the year of the examination, praising the reigning king, the names of officials participating in the examination; How to organize the examination; the names and birthplace of the candidates.

Stone Steles in Temple of Literature.

The interesting thing is that most of tourists and Vietnamese call them the Turtle Steles. However from me, I believe that the turtle stelae is actually Bị Hí   - The Dragon Turtle – The first born son of the Dragon.

That is not just my personal opinion but also my scholars have told the public that thing.

http://disanthegioi.cinet.gov.vn/ArticleDetail.aspx?articleid=60763&sitepageid=276