GrandTrinity Posted October 3, 2007 Modern Taoism frequently talks about the dragon force. However, where does Lao Tzu talk about that, if at all? True, words are said to matter little - but can this connection be drawn? I believe Confucius labeled Lao Tsu as a dragon after they met. Where can we find other connections between dragons and lao tsu if at all? Or is the dragon a modern fantasy of religious/organized taoism exclusively? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gendao Posted October 4, 2007 I've seen some of the more ancient depictions of Chinese dragons and they look simpler and more simply snake-like. I find the cross-cultural spiritual significance given to serpents very interesting: Kundalini is envisioned as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine. The caduceus is a pair of coiled serpents. The serpent told Adam & Eve the truth about the gods in Genesis.. Perhaps..these symbolize our reptilian past...hisssss! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cameron Posted October 4, 2007 Dude I was walking around Best Buy and went to use the bathroom and written in large black ink on the bathroom stall were the words LAO. Also written were several large penises. What does it mean? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eric23 Posted October 4, 2007 Dude I was walking around Best Buy and went to use the bathroom and written in large black ink on the bathroom stall were the words LAO. Also written were several large penises. What does it mean? Don't tap your feet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mat black Posted October 4, 2007 I've wondered about dragons and exactly who/what hey are ever since being taught some dragon gong forms from a dragon gate lineage master. The dragon forms feel waaaaaayyyyyy different to any other forms, even forms taught by the same master. When he performs them, i can feel the qi comming into me - just from watching him. I'm gonna ask Master Tao this weekend what the dragon is and what it represents - i think it's something like the highest state of virtue and purity, yang energy etc????? In any case, major powers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taomeow Posted October 4, 2007 Modern Taoism frequently talks about the dragon force. However, where does Lao Tzu talk about that, if at all? Laozi was a new kid on the block when taoism was already thousands of years in existence. Chinese dragons are definitely not a modern invention, and are unlikely to be just a fantasy. Perceiving them is a special ability (like many other perceptions that require cultivation in order to kick in and manifest), but those who have learned to perceive them have discovered that they are multiple and ubiquitous. Some are smaller than worms -- they might hide in the folds of your clothes! -- while others are thousands of miles long, and still others, of human scale, have served emperors as advisers and even held official posts as ministers, governors and the like. The Chinese actually call themselves "the people of the dragon." There's many layers of meaning to this statement -- just like the dragon itself is comprised of many different parts of widely dissimilar animals -- this symbolizes, among other things, the unified China that was put together out of widely dissimilar parts that ultimately fit into a dragon-like empire. The emperor is also thought of as a dragon. The mountains -- they are definitely dragons, and most unfortunate events in China's history are traceable to a road, a major construction, and the Great Wall especially, "breaking the spine" of some of these dragons. "Dragon force" is all kinds of things... Chinese dragons are like people (or cats) in that no two of them are exactly alike. There's "dragon force" that some Chen stylists, e.g., will equate with "peng," the spiral force of good taijiquan. There's also dragon force similar to the evolutionary aspects of Kundalini, the energy of spiritual mutations. There's dragon force that will cause your rice to fail to cook properly if you upset the Kitchen Dragon. Oh, it's truly inexhaustible... I love this subject. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lino Posted October 4, 2007 Dude I was walking around Best Buy and went to use the bathroom and written in large black ink on the bathroom stall were the words LAO. Also written were several large penises. What does it mean? A Chinese female friend told me that Cantonese is written like a little picture. Look at the third character and use your imagination Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
clearclouds Posted October 5, 2007 (edited) I remember a show on CCTV last year sometime that was interviewing a Jade expert talking about the evolution of the dragon in chinese art, specifically in relation to the totems that it came from in jade like the hongshan pig-dragon. There are a lot of theories, but basically they can be seperated into three as far as I can see at the moment. That the dragon is a purely mythological creation of mankind, perhaps from prehistory man finding dinosaur fossils and the like. A zoomorphic creature that represents all powers of the animal and 'spiritual' kingdoms combined. That the dragon is a specific shen, a force/being that can only be viewed by advanced Masters. That the characteristics of the dragon creature is the most apropriate type of creature to represents specific forces with specific functions. That their fluid like nature can best represent the shen of Nature with its constant changes. Often associated with water, but also with the transformations of sky or 'heaven'(tian). Also I recall that it was said that even the word for dragon in Chinese, Long, could be a homophone for the sound of lightning to ancient people as in llooooonngggg..looonggg.*cue sound of rolling thunder* Anways, there's a whole Electric Universe theory bunch (proponents of the major force in the universe being electricity rather than gravity) that have a whole different theory. They basically propose that dragons originally came from observations in the prehistory sky of plasma phenomena. When the earths electric field was more active due to planetary alignment/galactic currents.. here's one of their articles LINK.. also the below link gives you a tiny % taste of what they are talking about, video of a solar storms effect on the aurora: watch those dragons roll! food for thought at least --CC Edited October 5, 2007 by clearclouds Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrandTrinity Posted October 6, 2007 So dragons likely predate Lao, eh? Then why didnt he talk about them? What is his relationship. It is very interesting that the chinese call themself the people of the dragon. Meanwhile, in the west, we seem to demonize the dragon! I also have practiced dragon qi gong and it was incredibly different than other forms. It was sort of more sexual and firey and involved self massage tapping...very interesting. The dragon is seen as the phallis sometimes, even the jade gate too! It is a very strange topic!!!!!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
