THE YEARS OF THE Dragon

[icymist]

For a mythical creature, the dragon boasts a real history.

From dragons drawn in China 5,000 years ago to Puff the Magic Dragon to the dragon of Cheyenne Mountain, this beast has lurked in the human imagination for centuries.

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What the dragon myths mean is as ever-changing as the dragons themselves. In Asia, dragons often symbolized power and vitality, a symbol many emperors in China used to represent themselves.

In Europe, most dragons were malevolent, a dangerous creature deep in a cave that must be slayed by the hero to gain a great treasure.

Master myth collector Joseph Campbell discussed dragons with Bill Moyers in their book “The Power of Myth.” He concluded that the European dragon, sitting in his cave on a hoard of gold that he’ll never use, represents the part of us that keeps us from getting the most out of life, the part of us that must be slayed.
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