Public Lectures at the IOM RAS:

«Image of dragon in Chinese culture»

February 7, 2024 (Wednesday) at 17:30

Lecturer—Anthony E. Terekhov (Candidate of Sciences (Ph.D.) in History, Researcher at the Department of the Far East, IOM RAS)

Location: Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, RAS (Green Hall)

Dragon imagery is an important part of Chinese culture. Dragon appears as a river deity, a rain deity, a guardian deity, an intermediary between Heaven and people, the first scaly creature, an auspicious or inauspicious omen (depending on circumstances), a symbol of male (yang) principle in nature, a symbol of female and male (yin and yang) harmony, one of the key feng shui concepts, the guardian spirit of the East, the guardian spirit of the Center, one of the four sectors of the sky, one of the twelve zodiac animals, a symbol of a great man, a symbol of supreme power, a symbol of Chinese culture and China as a whole. The lecture will examine the origins of dragon imagery, different versions of its genesis, transformations that it underwent over many centuries of Chinese history, and its role in philosophy, religion and politics of traditional China.

Everyone welcome!