Giant Lizard Theater

This post isn't exhaustive by any means or absolutely authoritative.

It's just some thoughts I've gathered from here and there on the traditional mythological reptiles of Asia worth noting, comparing and contrasting them.

Let's start with the basic ones:

The ever-familiar Tatsu or Ryu of Japan.

Recognizable by its three toes, like most of the creatures we'll be mentioning, they are wingless and snake-like creatures with small clawed legs and a horned or antlered head.

These beings are associated with large bodies of water, the clouds in the skies or the heavens in general. The Ryu are often far more slender and fly less frequently than those in the traditions of Vietnam, Korea, or China.

The Yong of Korea can be recognized typically by its four toes.

It is connected to water and agriculture as bringers of rain and clouds. Many are said to reside in rivers, lakes, oceans or deep ponds inside mountains.

Politically, the Yong represents the Emperor. The Yong are usually depicted as benevolent. They possess a very specific number of scales: 81.

According to some sources, there's some numerology involved making the numbers 9 x 9 lucky and significant.

In China, the equivalent creature is the Lung, and there are several complex stories and heirarchies related to the Lung.

Featuring 4 or 5 toes and 118 scales, the Lung have several different variations including (but not limited to):

Tianlong (天龍) or Celestial Dragon.

Shenlong (神龍) or Spiritual Dragon, controller of the weather.

Fucanglong (伏藏龍) The Dragon of Hidden Treasures, guarding precious metals and jewels buried in the earth.

Dilong (地龍) Controlling rivers, Dilong is also considered the Earth Dragon. Dilong spends springtime in heaven and autumn in the sea.

Jiaolong (虯龍), the mighty Horned Dragon.

Panlong (蟠龍) is the term for the Coiling Dragon who dwells in the lakes of Asia.

My personal favorite is the Huanglong (黃龍)or Yellow Dragon - a hornless dragon regarded for its scholarly knowledge.

And then there are the four Dragon Kings (龍王) - each rules over one of the four seas.

And in Vietnam, we find the Rồng or Long, who also feature four or five toes, but also occasionally breathe fire. Quite a difference, actually.

Within Vietnamese tradition, there is a belief that they are the descendants of a Rồng who married a fairy.

This is interesting to me as we compare it to the stories the Lao tell about being descended from a giant Nak that lives in the Mekong River.

Or the myths of the Naga people who believed for centuries they were descended from snake-like dieties of old. And we shouldn't forget the various Hmong legends of the Zaj.

This is all quite a contrast from Judeo-Christian connections of the serpent to the expulsion from Paradise.

Just some interesting things to ponder for the night.

The Beats, Rhymes and Rice Tour

Giles Li, Kiwi and Bao Phi just announced their new upcoming Beats, Rhymes and Rice tour for 2007-2008.

A unique show of Asian American male poets, more details will be posted about show dates, but if they come to your city, it's a definite must-see.

Pipaashaa: Extreme Thirst 9/6-9

I've also posted this up at APA Buzz http://apabuzz.blogspot.com/ already, but:

Pipaashaa, Extreme Thirst is an artistic response to the steady eradication and contamination of natural resources by aggressive industrialization, from the point of view of some of the most vulnerable populations in society.

Created in collaboration with leaders from the Environmental Justice Education and Advocacy Collective and other internationally renowned artists, Pipaashaa is a story of the desire to live amidst loss and strain, articulating the deep ache of struggling communities and the dream of an alternative context.

September 6-9, 2007Thurs.-Sat. at 8pm,Sun. at 7pm

Post-show discussion Fri. & Sat.

Tickets: $18, $17 (students and groups of 10)
Pre-order tickets by calling the Southern @ 612.340.1725

The Southern Theater is at: 1420 Washington Ave. S, Minneapolis.

photo: V. Paul Virtucio

Twice The Rice: RIP

http://twicetherice.wordpress.com, one of the best blogs for the last 2.5 years on the TRA experience from the perspective of *gasp* a real TRA, has called it quits. Thanks for all of the great posts TTR- there are many classics worth revisiting among them! We have no doubt however, that we'll spot them around in many other fun and amusing corners of the web within minutes.