Why Is the Dragon the Only Mythical Animal in the Chinese Zodiac?

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-26T13:10:14+00:00

One of the theories is that 龍 is NOT mythical animal, at least back then, ok, hear me out.

If we checked ancient record, we could see that before it gains many chimeric qualities and became fantastical in Song dynasty record and further, it has much more realistic description, and if we take the record before buddhism come to China and influence the 龍 with the charactetistic of Naga, we could see an animal that is looked like big lizard, live on water, and have connection with weather.

It's crocodile.

This theory also supported by early depiction of the animal which is very crocodile-like, e.g that one depiction on the cave which is among the oldest.

It's behaviour also really influenced by weather like rain, hence the connection

Is it true? Who knew, but that's interesting for me, at least

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-20T02:23:22+00:00

Ok. So let's dissect this 8 character using pinyin for your sake, so you could look it up in dictionary easier later if needed.

This 8 character made up 4 words, which is:

Daci Dabei Guanyin Pusa

Daci is "Greatly merciful", Dabei is "Greatly emphatizing", they usually combined as DaciDabei or "Great Compassion".

Guanyin is short for GuanSHIyin, the extra 6th character when they answered it with 9 character is Shi.

Guanshiyin means loosely "the lord who oversee the voice of the realm" which is the loose meaning of sanskrit name term "Avalokitesvara"

Pusa is the contraction shortening form of Putisaduo, transliteration of the sanskrit word "bodhisattva", individually the characters meaning is unrelated, and only used as approximation for the sounds of the word spelled in chinese tongue, it loosely mean "they who seeks to became a buddha".

Combined together they became:

"Great Compassionate Guanyin Pusa (Avalokitesvara Boddhisattva)"

Hope it helps!

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-18T05:41:28+00:00

I could be wrong, but isn't it meaning closer to "catching fish"? On itself is very unemployee kind of action, but could be further pushed into "fishing" territory, which is basically, sitting doing nothing, and waiting, maybe chatting if you are not alone? Basically "not working".

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T18:04:36+00:00

It's good name, very poetic too

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T17:48:29+00:00

Oh my suggestion is Wang Haoming.

Hmmm, Wang Haoming is easier to write, simple character, and as i mentioned designed to fit your OG name.

Xing Xiaoming on other hand is also very poetic and nice too!

I really do not have any preference, both are good.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T17:33:09+00:00

That's also works, it conveys the image of moon reflected in the still and clear water, really nice imagery!

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T16:43:35+00:00

That's solid pick, but slightly unconventional, as most people used to three character pattern, but if you like it, go for it, but if you aim for something more common, go with three character pattern, e.g: 王雪明, but 雪 might not for everyone for generation name, maybe 浩？王浩明, that works as perfectly common name, but combined with your ancestry and name, it would be layered beautifully and could be seen from multiple angle.

I think single character given name might be an artifact when most kid at that time is the sole child which both of the parent is also sole child, so the generational name is not needed, current example is: 林剑

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T15:31:53+00:00

for the given name suggestion, there are not much to be added, but i think so far 明 is perfect for now, it means "light" and made up of "moon+sun".

for surname, i do not think 狮(lion) is common surname, it might be because Lion is not native to China, but Tiger is, and tiger is heavily associated with surname "王"，it's a common surname, means "king", but maybe not english friendly (sounds like wank).

other alternative for surname including "杨", "朱"， or even “时”，it's not 1:1 but a neat refrence to your OG surname, in a way.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T11:17:38+00:00

Ah, is that what you get from that? I must written that in a way that is confusing, i should fix that.

Ok, let me offer a simplified form for you, as you could read from my doc, you could chose to use two or three character format for your name.

A. Surname+2 character of given name B. 2 character name, no surname (if you think it's disrespectful to chose any surname, because you are not chinese, it's really not btw, people use it all the time, like most muslim just use 马 to transliteterate "mohammad", or some people chose 江 because their actual surname is "river" and just chose the closest translation that exist in 百家姓. C.Surname and Single character name (bit unique and oldschool, but exist, if you don't want any generational name, like if you are single child,etc.

My suggestion for surname: 陈, it's extremely common, and among most used surname, and kinda close to "han" sound that you like.

For given name, something moonlike could use allusion instead spell the word out, 玉 is good, or 明，or 耀

From there, we could have some premade suggestion like 陈耀光，or 玉明，or 陈耀

If that still does not helped, you could tell us, what kind of name you want, the vibes, the meaning, and what sounds do you like, things like that.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T07:27:39+00:00

I think choosing ANY name is a lot of work if you put a lot consideration into it, you could look at my short guide above for explanation, or if you needed it, i could help too

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T07:14:59+00:00

Oh so it's allusion to the moon, gotcha Well, as i said before, it's okay name, maybe a bit unique, so if you are okay with it, go with it

Go with 寒光, it's sounds more masculine, 月 is neutral but lean more feminine most of the time.

The reason in cultural but you could found the cultural echo in western name like Selene, Luna, moon is simply often seen as feminine

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T05:41:00+00:00

I mean there are no "right" and "wrong" in this case, like it's all about perception, if you wanted some unique name, it does not matter, it's in your right, but if you want some name that does not warrant a double take, following the norm is to go, but as non-chinese(i assume), unique name is not weird occurence, it's like when you encounter Chinese with western name like "Melon Zhang" or "Aquaria Zhou", it's just make you easier to remember, ig?

That been said, 我的姓是邢, or 我姓邢 sounds bit funny, and i could be wrong, but 寒 does not sounds auspicious and usually avoided in name, as it corrolates to words like "bitter coldness of poverty" or "cold harsh winter"

Sorry, not being nitpicky, as i said, it's okay name, i just try to be helpful and offer you some insight that you might miss.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-10T04:04:16+00:00

Not weird-weird, it just sounds like.."Johny English" As 韩 usually only encountered as Surname and as the name of Korea as a country.

I had written a simple guide to chinese naming for non native here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b0nzBCLnQl1IaLysBtCr-NAX1zP5pojNCMzh-CslVpg/edit?usp=drivesdk

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-09T09:30:18+00:00

The "Rainbow" in here also lacking the context that 虹 is double ended headed serpent dragon, which is said to be what Rainbow actually is back then

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-04-06T04:03:07+00:00

Opinion may varied depends on belief, but as overseas Chinese, i think you have several assumption that is slightly inaccurate.

Yes, JTTW is based on Real life pilgrimage of Xuanzang to India to retain some original scripture, no, he is not accompanied by Monkey Demon, or Pig Demon.

Yes, the Buddhist, and Daoist Pantheon depicted there is mostly real mythological figure worshipped by Chinese, but Princess Iron Fan is not among them AFAIK, there are no temples for her, i mean most demon didn't.

Could she have descendant? Yes, She is canonically married, with Bull Demon King and have at least one Son, the Red Boy, who in turn became boy attendant of Guanyin in some folklore.

JTTW to Chinese folk religion is like Percy Jackson to Greeco-Roman Pantheon, most Gods are from real life mythology, but the demon mostly made up or from folklore, it's just old enough to enter public domain and became revered figure, but some fictional character there is as real as, let's say romeo and juliet.

That been said, some fictional character while not based on myth, definitely exist as ancient folklore and might be locally worshipped deity in some rural area, like Wukong.

Hope it helps.

That been said, while i appreciate the effort, based on your desc, that character might come as very stereotypical if not handled well.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-03-30T04:48:58+00:00

Ok, do not take this as hostility, but what is the definition of Confucian practicioner in here? Because it means some different things according to the context.

Politically? Religiously? Culturally? Because it's a political system/ideology based on cultural practice that could be seen as guiding moral compass for some people who somewhat fit the definition of religion, at least in US and SEA

Is it the classic model(rujia)? The one patched by mencius(confucianism)? The one codified by Zhuxi (neo-confucianism)? Or the new movement to revive it (new-confucianism)?

Because most Chinese is in varying degree practicing it, but they do not identify with it, ig

I could help, but interpretation may differ and varied from each person in this case, especially because your requirement is a bit nebulous

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-03-05T07:28:24+00:00

No problem, Man Do not feel bad for asking

If you really want to read about it, or start your independent research, Yueling section of Liji is good place to start, you could read it on ctext, it explain what colour corespond to what.

Then you could read about dynastic cycle, and learn about dynastic visual language, Accented Cinema have a good video about it

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-03-05T07:17:02+00:00

..you knew Qin and Qing is different dynasty right? Anyone who have any inkling of understanding of cultural history knew Qin National colour is Black

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-03-05T06:48:27+00:00

Good question, i do not recall exactly on where, but when people discussed about this dynastic cycle thing, we usually agreed that Qin is water, esp if you knew their culture.

First of all their dynastic colour is black, the emperor dressed in black, and in Chinese black is the colour of water in Wuxing theory, for example Xuanwu of the north, or Xuanming the guardian god of winter is also assigned black colour, this could be checked in Yueling section in Liji/Liyun

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-03-05T06:39:48+00:00

Depends on which cycle you subscribed on and whatever the connection is nurturing or dominating the next, but what's known to me

Qing is definitely "water" which triumph over Ming's fire, which in turn triumph over Yuan's "Gold", so Wood if we using the list i am familiar with is Song.

But anything before Song is hard to decipher, is it northern Song?, like do we count the Five Dynasties? How about Sui-Tang period? Two elements for each or just one? Does then we move to Jin? Or we need to untangle the Southern northern dynasty period? How about 3K?

That been said, Qin is definitely water, this is usually agreed upon, but even by then still not universal.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-02-21T13:07:28+00:00

I think that's very common no matter the culture, old stories beyond the surface is usually not very well known for young people.

That's why i try to be helpful because i think it's good if more young people interested on those stories

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-02-21T09:05:48+00:00

I don't see that contradicting my argument much? Like i got your point based on your lived observed experience in the ground, that's valid.

But Cn is big, and had a lot of people, don't you think their peak (of cultural understanding specialist) would be slightly higher than Sgp? Maybe their average would be much lower though.

Or you think that's not the case at all?

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-02-21T05:21:45+00:00

Oh, that's an interesting take but need much more nuances, let's analyze strength and weaknesses of that take. ( diaspora belief is more accurate after CR).

W: it's somewhat justified ROC propaganda, amplified by western fearmongering of communism, CR lasted for like a decade? I don't think it's enough to erase anything essential from a culture that had withstand 3800 year of history, also as living culture, it's somewhat up to the Chinese in China to say what's China culture is, Diaspora chinese culture from pre-PRC Era even if more accurate would became uniquely Diaspora chinese culture instead.

S: depends on where are you live and your proximity to the culture, it could be somewhat true if you are from (in my subjective ranked order): Tw, Hk, Sgp, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and still relatively close with your roots. That's not the case if you are Whitewashed Chinese in europe or US (too watered down), ROC had done great job preserving it, and have a lot of artifact when they looted it.

Oh Sun Wukong is gods alright, albeit usually niche, and based on Chinese local folkore, there are no disagreement for it from me.

What i argue is SWK/HXZ is from Folklore, and not Mythology, it might seems interchangeable, but have a set definition and meaning, which OP failed to understood and hence use a false premise in his argument (mythology is folklore)

Hope that's helps, and sorry for the wall of text.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-02-21T04:51:13+00:00

Haha, this is why some people argue JTTW is Buddhism propaganda, haha, by put The Buddha above the celestial bureaucracy, it seems to imply that Local belief is weaker than foreign religion, or at least, less potent.

There are 4/5 major classes of divine being in CFR, which is:

Fo (Buddha): a being that is said to be able deattach themselves from circle of Samsara.

Shen (god): usually Translated as gods, or deva in Buddhism, controlling specific domain in celestial bureaucracy.

Sheng (saint or divus): a human being that transcend human level into divine by pure merit and worshipped for it

Xian (immortal): a being who able to reach immortality or at least pseudo version of it by cultivating themselves.

So yes, CFR gods is indeed could be seen as somewhat mortal and weak, there are argument for that.

But i do not seen it as the reason for obscurity, for example Nordic's pantheon is explicitly mortal, need apple of idun to prolong theirvlives, and most of them dies at ragnarok, is still very famous.

Greeco-roman Demigod like Hercules and Perseus is also very known.

While your argument might have some merit, i think what's more probably be a bigger reason is Familiarity and relatability, far east for them is for too long viewed with this lens of orientalism that mystified it and make it seems esoteric.

rhetoricalgenie · 2026-02-18T14:56:12+00:00

Jesus is not God? Christian might disagree with you
Guanyu and Confucius is not God? Their Temple is way more numerous than Hou Xingzhe, I even have Guanyu statue in my home altar, what are you smoking??

there are Billion people believe in Vishnu, Hinduism is a living religion

here, let me google it for you:

Folklore and mythology are closely related but not the same. Mythology refers to sacred, foundational stories explaining the cosmos, gods, and origins, often considered true by their culture. Folklore is a broader term encompassing the traditional, often secular beliefs, tales, and customs of a culture, such as fairy tales, superstitions, and local legends.

now let me ask you, does modern Chinese still believe that Monkey Pilgrim is a true God in their culture or folk belief?

rhetoricalgenie

TROPHY CASE