Folkrealm Studies
  • Folkrealm Studies
    • Eskimo Folktales: The Red Skeleton
    • Paiute Mythology: The Legend of the North Star
    • Scottish legends: The each-uisge
    • Scottish legends: The Cu Sith
    • The Last Song of Thomas the Rhymer
    • Legendary places: Dozmary Pool. Bodmin Moor, Cornwall
    • Legendary places: Wishing Wells
    • Mystery, Murder and Magic at the Rollright Stones
    • Joseph of Arimathea
    • Chalice Well, Glastonbury, Somerset
    • The Glastonbury Thorn
    • Victorian mysteries: Spring-heeled Jack
    • Brutus of Troy, first King of Britain
    • Beowulf - Hero of the age
    • The Mermaid of Blake Mere Pool, Staffordshire, England
    • A legend of the white hare
    • Sunken Bells: The Legend of the Kentsham Bell
    • Dartmoor folklore: Vixiana the Witch of Vixen Tor
    • Origins of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
    • Japanese folktales: The stonecutter >
      • Japanese folktales: The Bamboo cutter and the Moon-child
    • Russian folktales: The Fool and the flying ship
    • European Folktales: The Hunter and the Swan Maiden >
      • To love a Swan Maiden
      • The Swan Maiden's challenge
    • German Fairy Tales: The Six Swans
    • The Evolution of Christmas
    • Introduction to Chilote mytholgy >
      • Chilote mythology: The Royal Family of the Sea
      • Supernatural beings in Chilote mythology
      • El Caleuche: The ghost ship of Chilote folklore
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  • Welsh mythology
    • Welsh legends: The Afanc of the River Conwy
    • Welsh legends: The Lady of Llyn y Fan Fach
    • Welsh legends: Mereid of Cantre’r Gwaelod
    • Welsh legends: King March's ears
    • Welsh legends: The birth of Taliesin
    • The Legend of the Church of the White Stag
  • Cornish folklore
    • Cornish legends: The tasks of Jan Tregeagle
    • Corineus, first Duke of Cornwall
    • Jack the Giant-killer fights Cormoran the Giant
    • Cornish legends: The Mermaid of Zennor
    • Cornish Folklore: The Witch of Treva
  • Lost Worlds
    • Lost worlds: The town beneath Kenfig Pool
    • Lost Worlds: The drowning of the city of Ys
    • Lost worlds: The drowned Russian city of Kitezh
    • Lost worlds: Cantre’r Gwaelod of Wales
    • Lost worlds: El Dorado
    • Lost worlds: The sunken realm of Tyno Helig
    • Lost worlds: Semerwater
    • Lost worlds: The town beneath Lake Bala
    • Lost Worlds: The Hidden Cherokees of Pilot Mountain
  • Folkrealm Tidings

The Importance of the Dragon in Chinese Culture

1/11/2015

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Dragons in Chinese legend

The dragon has played an important part in Chinese culture for thousands of years and is central to many myths, legends and traditions. This article briefly looks at how the dragon evolved to become such an essential part of Chinese culture.

In China from the earliest of times the dragon has been regarded as a lucky creature, bestowing fortune and blessing upon the lives people.   There is an ancient tradition that the Chinese people are descended from the dragon and it is a belief that still found deeply rooted in Chinese culture and the thinking.   Unlike western societies where dragons are often seen as evil, the Chinese people revere the dragon for its majesty and gravity and for its beneficial properties.  Read more
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The Legend of the Storks of Alsace

1/11/2015

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The Storks of Alsace

The region of Alsace in France has long been associated with storks.  These great birds are a spectacular sight in flight and a source of curiosity and wonder nesting on the roofs and chimney tops of many buildings and chimney tops around the region.  They almost disappeared from Alsace but a successful breeding program helped to re-establish their numbers.

Louis the Pious

There is a legend associated with them that goes back to 817 when Louis the Pious, who was the son of Charlemagne the great emperor decided to split his lands between his three sons. However, Louis was not a firm man and his second wife persuaded him to revoke his original decision and make her own son the heir.  Louis son’s rebelled and waged war upon their father.  Read more
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How the Dragon Dance Originated in China

1/11/2015

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Colorful and spectacular!

The Chinese Dragon Dance is an extremely colorful and spectacular event that is traditionally performed at Chinese festivals around the word today. This article looks briefly at how it originated and evolved into the spectacular performances we see today.

A Divine Beast

In ancient Chinese culture the dragon was revered and venerated as a divine beast.  It was regarded as auspicious creature that brought good luck and enhanced the well being of people.   It became the symbol of honesty and decorum and was thought to control the waters of the earth especially rivers and the rainfall.  Read more
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The Legendary Salamander

1/11/2015

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PictureSalamander in the fire - Public Domain
Myth and reality

Salamanders have long held a significant place in the folklore and mythology of many different countries around the world.  Fantastic powers and attributes have been bestowed upon them giving them a place in mythology, alchemy, heraldry and popular culture that is perhaps surprising, for what in reality is a rather small,  humble creature.

The real salamander is a very different creature to the one of legend so how did it come to be given attributes that makes it a popular emblem on the Coat of Arms for Royalty, nobility, insurers, local authorities and many other organizations?

Most of the popular myths are believed to originate from the European species, the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra), which hibernates in hollow, decaying logs of wood during the winter months.   With wood being the main fuel in ancient times this may explain their sudden appearance amid flames when a fire is lit or replenished with a salamander inside.    Woken abruptly from hibernation, or sleep, the natural reaction would be to make a quick escape giving the mistaken appearance that they were born, or generated from fire and flame.  Read more
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Photos used under Creative Commons from trenchdroid, ferjflores, jarnocan, johan wieland, Muffet, Gwydion M. Williams, AlicePopkorn2, beggs, USFS Region 10