Rare sitting dragon sculpture in Harbin's museum

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The dragon is an ancient totem, worshipped in China for thousands of years. The animal can be found in various styles of art throughout Chinese history, but a sitting dragon is rare, giving the brass dragon sculpture in Harbin a unique distinction.

This is perhaps the most treasured piece of the Heilongjiang Provincial Museum. This brass dragon is 19.6 centimeters high and weighs just over 2 kilograms.

The sculpture dates back to the Jin Dynasty, between 1115 to 1234. The magnificent beast has a dragon’s head, a dog’s body, a kylin’s back and a lion’s tail. The unique pose makes it stand out among so many dragon sculptures.

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“Its head is raised, mouth open, and eyes smiling, showing an air of confidence. It’s sitting there, with its left foot raised on clouds. It looks as though it's flying somehow. It’s vividly carved,” said Yang Haipeng, Vice Director of the History Department of Heilongjiang Provincial Museum.

The dragon was unearthed in 1965 near the Huining Mansion, in the Jin Dynasty Imperial Ruins in the city of Harbin. A local farmer found it by chance.

The farmer discovered the sculpture while digging a cellar. He wrapped it in his clothes and took it home,” said Guang Boyang, curator of the Jun Shangjing History Museum.

When the farmer realized it was brass, not gold, he just put it beside the window. But a few years later, he was unnerved when the dragon whistled whenever the wind blew.

“He was scared and realized that the dragon should not stay in his home. Then the local cultural relics department heard about it. The government took it and preserved in the museum,” Guang explained.

CGTN Photo

According to Yang, the whistling happened when the wind blew into the hollow mouth of the statue. She said this sitting dragon represents the spirit and characteristics of the Nyuzhen, an ancient northeast minority who founded the Jin Dynasty.

Yang also noted “Most Chinese dragons’ claws are believed to be like phoenix claws. But the Nyuzhen people said their dragons’ claws came from gyrfalcons. ”

The Nyuzhen used gyrfalcons for hunting. The bird represented bravery and wisdom in their culture.

Atop the dragon’s head are three locks of hair, inspired by the horses the Nyuzhen could not live without. The floating mane indicates that the dragon sits on the clouds flying.

In ancient China, the mythical beast represented imperial power and auspiciousness. Its combination of many animals carries the meaning of union.

CGTN Photo

“The Chinese are a big family, a union of different ethnic minorities. The Chinese dragon is also a union of many elements. The development of its image along the centuries is actually a representation of the nation’s progress,” said Wang Lewen, Vice President of Culture and Tourism Institute of Heilongjiang University.

More than a work of art, the sitting brass dragon is a representative of the culture and history of Heilongjiang.

A giant reproduction, 9.9 meters tall and weighing 9.9 tons, sits in the Acheng area of Harbin, blessing the people and place there.

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