The descend of the dragon...

[Foah]

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Hi all,

has anybody seen the descend of the dragon yet? Or is there even anybody who faces it, right now? I would envy you.......

Quite recently I saw a report on TV about it. I´m excited to see who knows about it.

Michael
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"Ho ho!" said the clown

[Hoadong]

Hi Michael,

Dragons are legendary creatures from the myths of worldwide cultures. In the West, the dragon is the symbol of the worst. Therefore, to yield the dragons means to fight the badness. In the West art, the dragon images are created upon the ferocious, fierce and furious image. On the contrary, the dragon is the symbol of the best in the East. The dragons are synonymous with the best, the luck, and the gold, etc. In Vietnam, many pagodas and communal houses are decorated with the dragon images.
Legendary creatures - these kinds of dragons you only can see on movies and fine arts.

However, there are some reptiles which are called “dragons” in the real life. For example, there is the Komodo dragon, a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. Or in Vietnam, there is the land dragon (Rồng đất). If you want to see these dragons you can come to Indonesia and Vietnam.

Hoado
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Hoadong

[Foah]

Hello Hoado,

Thank you for the explanation of the dragon´s meaning for the Asian culture. Often when there are reports about Asia here dragons are shown. Atmost they are quite colourful or even golden. Hence, they can´t have any bad attitudes for you.

What I meant was that I have seen a report on TV about the Ha Long Bay. In that report Ha Long was translated as it meant the "descending dragon" and the pictures they showed were very beautyful. According to the meaning of the dragon for your people I´d say the name for that bay was well chosen. That´s why I claimed that I envy people who can see this very nice landscape. It´s also acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/9945354

What´s the misery at it, I have been hardly 50 km far from that nice Bay (Hai Phong) last year, I haven´t seen it. I not even had a clue that it exists.

As for the Komodo lizards we are told here better not to face them............according to another TV-report they´re supposed not to be golden and after you have met them, incidentally, you could lack more than just an arm or a leg. However.

Michael
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"Ho ho!" said the clown

[Hoadong]

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Hi Michael,

Thank you for your reply.
Sorry that in my last message I did not get your question about the “descending dragon”. I thought you asked about the dragon in general, and whether anybody has seen it. It is good that you have explained the context you have made the question, and this helped me to understand your last message.

It is right that “Ha Long” in Vietnamese means “descending dragon”, and it was called Ha Long (Descending Dragon) at the end of the 19 century. It is one of the most beautiful places in my country. The pity is that you did not visit Ha Long last year when you have been hardly 50 km far from the bay. Ha Long and Sapa are the places which most of the tourists have chosen to visit first when they have been to the North of Vietnam.

I have been to Ha Long two times. Its poetic scene was really amazed me the first time I visited it. However, Ha Long has not been kept very well. Last year when I came back to Ha Long, the environment was in low keep. The beach was not clean enough to swim, though the government and the Ha Long province have tried to preserve it by the policy given. Ha Long has many beautiful islands with different images. Fortunately, the islands, which far from the land still are very beautiful, and most of them have kept their unique beauties.

If you come to Vietnam again, do not forget to visit Ha Long, Sapa and the other beautiful places in my country.

Hoado
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Hoadong