Chinese Mythology: The Long (Dragon) Has Nine Sons

In traditional Chinese culture, nine means extremely many. One theory says that it does not mean that theLong has given birth to nine sons, but refers to an imaginary number in general, which is also a noble number.

龙Lóng生shēng九jiǔ子zǐ ， 每měi个gè儿ér子zi都dōu有yǒu自zì己jǐ的de特tè点diǎn和hé爱ài好hào 。

The Long had nine sons, each with their own characteristics and hobbies.

老Lǎo大dà囚qiú牛niú ， 喜xǐ欢huān音yīn乐yuè ， 常cháng蹲dūn在zài琴qín头tóu欣xīn赏shǎng 。 因Yīn此cǐ ， 琴qín头tóu上shàng常cháng刻kè有yǒu它tā的de形xíng象xiàng 。

The eldest, Qiu Niu, loved music and often perched on the head of a qin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) to enjoy it. Therefore, his image is often carved on the head of a qin.

老Lǎo二èr睚yá眦zì ， 好hào斗dòu喜xǐ杀shā ， 它tā的de形xíng象xiàng装zhuāng饰shì在zài刀dāo环huán 、 刀dāo柄bǐng和hé龙lóng吞tūn口kǒu上shàng ， 增zēng添tiān武wǔ器qì的de威wēi力lì 。 这Zhè些xiē装zhuāng饰shì常cháng见jiàn于yú沙shā场chǎng名míng将jiàng和hé宫gōng殿diàn守shǒu卫wèi者zhě的de武wǔ器qì 。

The second son, Ya Zi, was combative and loved killing. His image adorned the rings and handles of knives and the mouths of Long-swallowing hilts, adding power to the weapons. These decorations were commonly seen on the weapons of famous generals on the battlefield and the guards of palaces.

老Lǎo三sān嘲cháo风fēng ， 形xíng似sì兽shòu ， 喜xǐ欢huān高gāo险xiǎn之zhī地dì ， 常cháng出chū现xiàn在zài宫gōng殿diàn的de殿diàn台tái角jiǎo上shàng 。 它Tā不bù仅jǐn象xiàng征zhēng吉jí祥xiáng ， 还hái有yǒu威wēi慑shè妖yāo魔mó 、 清qīng除chú灾zāi祸huò的de寓yù意yì 。

The third son, Chao Feng, resembled a beast and loved high and dangerous places. He often appeared on the corners of palace roofs. He not only symbolized good luck but also had the meaning of deterring demons and eliminating disasters.

老Lǎo四sì蒲pú牢láo ， 形xíng似sì盘pán曲qū龙lóng ， 喜xǐ欢huān大dà声shēng吼hǒu叫jiào 。 洪Hóng钟zhōng上shàng的de龙lóng形xíng兽shòu钮niǔ就jiù是shì它tā的de形xíng象xiàng ， 敲qiāo钟zhōng时shí让ràng鲸jīng鱼yú形xíng状zhuàng的de木mù杵chǔ撞zhuàng击jī它tā ， 声shēng音yīn响xiǎng彻chè云yún霄xiāo 。

The fourth son, Pu Lao, resembled a coiled Long and loved to roar loudly. The Long-shaped knob on a large bell was his image, and when the bell was rung, a whale-shaped mallet would strike it, causing the sound to echo through the clouds.

老Lǎo五wǔ狻suān猊ní ， 形xíng似sì狮shī子zi ， 喜xǐ静jìng好hǎo烟yān火huǒ 。 佛Fó座zuò和hé香xiāng炉lú上shàng的de脚jiǎo部bù装zhuāng饰shì就jiù是shì它tā的de形xíng象xiàng ， 也yě出chū现xiàn在zài明míng清qīng石shí狮shī或huò铜tóng狮shī的de项xiàng圈quān上shàng 。

The fifth son, Suan Ni, resembled a lion, loved quiet, and enjoyed fireworks. His image decorated the feet of Buddhist seats and incense burners and also appeared on the collars of stone lions or bronze lions during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

老Lǎo六liù霸bà下xià ， 又yòu名míng赑bì屃xì ， 形xíng似sì龟guī ， 喜xǐ欢huān负fù重zhòng 。 碑Bēi座zuò下xià的de龟guī趺fū就jiù是shì它tā的de形xíng象xiàng ， 象xiàng征zhēng着zhe长cháng寿shòu和hé吉jí祥xiáng 。

The sixth son, Ba Xia, also known as Bi Xi, resembled a turtle and loved to carry heavy loads. The turtle pedestal under a stele was his image, symbolizing longevity and good luck.

老Lǎo七qī狴bì犴àn ， 又yòu名míng宪xiàn章zhāng ， 形xíng似sì虎hǔ ， 好hǎo讼sòng有yǒu威wēi力lì 。 狱Yù门mén上shàng部bù那nà虎hǔ头tóu形xíng的de装zhuāng饰shì就jiù是shì它tā的de形xíng象xiàng ， 也yě出chū现xiàn在zài官guān衙yá大dà堂táng两liǎng侧cè ， 维wéi护hù公gōng堂táng正zhèng气qì 。

The seventh son, Bian An, also known as Xian Zhang, resembled a tiger and loved to argue but had great power. The tiger-headed decoration on the top of a prison gate was his image and also appeared on both sides of the grand hall of an official residence, maintaining the dignity of the court.

老Lǎo八bā负fù屃xì ， 似sì龙lóng形xíng ， 喜xǐ欢huān文wén学xué 。 石Shí碑bēi两liǎng旁páng的de文wén龙lóng就jiù是shì它tā的de形xíng象xiàng ， 它tā甘gān愿yuàn化huà作zuò文wén龙lóng图tú案àn ， 衬chèn托tuō传chuán世shì文wén学xué珍zhēn品pǐn 。

The eighth son, Fu Xi, resembled a Long and loved literature. The Long carvings on both sides of a stele were his image, and he willingly turned into Long patterns to complement the famous literary treasures handed down through the ages.

老Lǎo九jiǔ螭chī吻wěn ， 又yòu名míng鸱chī尾wěi 、 鸱chī吻wěn ， 龙lóng形xíng的de吞tūn脊jǐ兽shòu ， 喜xǐ欢huān吞tūn东dōng西xī 。 殿Diàn脊jǐ两liǎng端duān的de卷juǎn尾wěi龙lóng头tóu就jiù是shì它tā的de形xíng象xiàng ， 用yòng它tā来lái镇zhèn邪xié避bì火huǒ 。