Page 188 - China's Renaissance in Bronze, The Robert H.CIague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900

black snake and tortoise of the north [44]. Dragons are usually considered
symbols of the yang, or male, forces of the universe, the y/n, or female,
forces represented by the phoenix. During Ming and Qing, the five-clawed
dragon (long) served as the emperor's insignia, so that many works des-
tined for the palace bear the emblem.
The pairing of dragon and pearl seems to represent a combination of
elements from two separate traditions, the dragon from Chinese mythol-
ogy and the pearl from Buddhist iconography. The pearl derives from the
Buddhist cintamani, or wish-granting jewel (Chinese, ruyi baozhu), that is
held by a number of Buddhist deities, including the Bodhisattvas Ruyilun
Kuanyin (Cintamani-cakra Avalokitesvara) and Dizang (Ksitigarbha). The
cintamani is thus not a pearl in the strict sense of the term, but a talismanic
jewel that symbolizes transcendent wisdom and can grant every wish. The
flames surrounding the jewel symbolize its magical powers. Expanding
upon Buddhist tradition, Chinese lore maintains that the magical jewel is
obtained not only from the relics of a Buddha, but from the dragon-king
of the sea or from the head of the mythical hybrid creature known as a
makara. 22 The motif of dragon and jewel thus associates the dragon with
knowledge and supernatural powers; as an imperial emblem, it associates
those attributes with the emperor.
Dragons of various types ornament Neolithic painted pottery and
Bronze Age ritual vessels. The distant ancestor of the slender, scaled,
serpentine creature with long neck and tail that we recognize as the
Chinese dragon first appeared during the late Zhou or Han period. 23 Linked
with water, especially with rain for the nation's crops, the dragon is usually
presented amid clouds and is often shown striding above cresting waves.
The earliest pairing of dragon and pearl is difficult to pinpoint, but the
association perhaps began in the Tang, as suggested by the placement of
the dragon in relation to the hemispherical knob on the backs of some
Tang-dynasty bronze mirrors; the popularity of the motif soared in the
Yuan period, perhaps along with the then newly introduced bajixiang and
babao motifs, respectively, the Eight Auspicious Emblems and the Eight
Treasures [see discussion, 20]. Favored as a subject for painting on paper and
silk during the Tang and Song dynasties, the dragon has been among the
most prominent motifs in the decorative arts since the Song, the imperial
five-clawed dragon, often shown with the flaming pearl, predominating on
pieces made for the palace in the Ming and Qing. Carved stone architectural
elements within the Forbidden City bear the same motif.

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