Feilong (mythology)

''Feilong'' (; lit. "flying dragon") is a legendary creature that flies among clouds in Chinese mythology. Feilong is a proper name, and is often used as a title for other ideas and objects.

Word

The Chinese dragon name ''feilong'' combines ''fei'' or "fly; flying; hover; flutter" and ''long'' or "dragon". This loanword is pronounced as Japanese ''hiryū'' (), Korean ''biryong'' (), and Vietnamese ''philong''. The inverted ''Longfei'' was an era name (396–399 CE) during the Later Liang Dynasty.

The (121 CE) '' Shuowen Jiezi'', the first Chinese character dictionary, uses ''feilong'' to define ''da'' (written with 2 dragons) "flying dragon; appearance of a dragon in flight".

Early references

Chinese classic texts frequently mention ''feilong'' "flying dragons". The examples below are roughly arranged in chronological order, although some heterogeneous texts are of uncertain dates.

Yijing

The (5th–3rd centuries BCE) ''Yijing'' "Book of Changes" first uses ''feilong'' to symbolize a ''daren'' "great person; accomplished person". ''Qian'' "The Creative", the first hexagram, says, "Nine in the fifth place means: Flying dragons in the heavens. It furthers one to see the great man." The "Commentary on the Decision" (), explains, "Because the holy man is clear as to the end and the beginning, as to the way in which each of the six stages completes itself in its own time, he mounts on them toward heaven as though on six dragons." And the "Commentary on the Images" (), says, "'Flying dragon in the heavens.' This shows the great man at work."

Many later texts, such as the '' Zuozhuan'', '' Shiji'', and '' Hanshu'' histories, quote this "Flying dragons in the heavens" from the ''Yijing''.

Hanfeizi

The (3rd century BCE) ''Hanfeizi'' (,) quotes Shen Dao contrasting ''feilong'' with ''tengshe'' "ascending/floating snake" to explain the Legalist concept of ''shi'' "political power; strategic advantage".

Shen Tzu said: "The flying dragon mounts the clouds and the ''t'eng'' snake wanders in the mists. But when the clouds dissipate and the mists clear, the dragon and the snake become the same as the earthworm and the large-winged black ant because they have lost that on which they ride. Where men of superior character are subjugated by inferior men, it is because their authority is lacking and their position is low. Where the inferior are subjugated by the superior, it is because the authority of the latter is considerable and their position is high.

Ames notes this Shen Dao quotation "is very close both in wording and in substance to" the ''Shenzi'' () fragment, and "indeed, it could conceivably be an expansion and elaboration on it."

Lüshi Chunqiu

The (c. 3rd century BCE) encyclopedic '' Lüshi Chunqiu'' ( "Music of the Ancients",) uses Feilong "Flying Dragon" as the name of a music master for the legendary ruler Zhuanxu

The Sovereign Zhuanxu was born at Ruo River and lived at Kongsang. Then he ascended to become a Sovereign who was truly a match for Heaven. When the winds true to the eight directions circulated, they made sounds like ''hya-hya'', ''tsied-tsied'', and ''tsyang-tsyang''. The Sovereign Zhuanxu, being fond of these sounds, ordered Feilong to compose music in imitation of the Eight Winds, naming them "Supporting the Clouds" and using them in the worship of the Supreme Sovereign. He then ordered the [] water-lizard to lead them as singing master, so the water-lizard reclined and, using his tail to beat his belly, made the sound ''bung-bung''.

Zhuangzi

The (3rd–2nd centuries BC) Daoist ''Zhuangzi'' (1) describes a ''shenren'' "holy person" riding a ''feilong''

He said that there is a Holy Man living on faraway Ku-she Mountain, with skin like ice or snow, and gentle and shy like a young girl. He doesn't eat the five grains, but sucks the wind, drinks the dew, climbs up on the clouds and mist, rides a flying dragon, and wanders beyond the Four Seas. By concentrating his spirit, he can protect creatures from sickness and plague and make the harvest plentiful.

Chuci

The (3rd–2nd centuries BCE) ''Chuci'' uses ''feilong'' in two poems. The ''Li Sao'' "On Encountering Trouble" says,

Harness winged dragons to be my coursers; Let my chariot be of fine work of jade and ivory! How can I live with men whose hearts are strangers to me? I am going a far journey to be away from them.

The "Goddess of the Xiang" mentions ''feilong'' twice.

North I go, drawn by my flying dragon, Steering my course to the Dong-ting lake: My sail is of fig-leaves, melilotus my rigging, An iris my flag-pole, my banner of orchids. Gazing at the distant Cen-yang mooring, I waft my magic across the Great River. ... The stream runs fast through the stony shallow, And my flying dragon wings swiftly above it. The pain is more lasting if loving is faithless: She broke her tryst; she told me she had not time.

Huainanzi

The (2nd century BCE) '' Huainanzi'' uses ''feilong'' in two chapters.

"Evolution of Animals and Plants" (,) mentions ''feilong'' with ''yujia'' "winged excellence", '' fenghuang'' "phoenix", and ''luan'' "a legendary phoenix-like bird; simurgh".

Winged Excellence gave birth to Flying Dragon. Flying Dragon gave birth to the phoenix (''fenghuang''). The phoenix gave birth to the simurgh (''luan''). The simurgh gave birth to ordinary birds. Feathered creatures in general are born from ordinary birds.

Edward H. Schafer first translated ''luan'' as simurgh "a giant winged creature in Persian mythology".

"Generalship and the Prevention of Anarchy" (,Tr. Morgan 1933:196.) describes Daoist movement with the animal metaphors of ''luan'', '' qilin'' (instead of ''yujia''), ''fenghuang'', and ''feilong''.

The movements of the Tao-inspired are like a spirit's emergence and a demon's action, unexpected and sudden, like the sudden shining of the stars and their sinking into darkness again; like the rising of the fabulous bird ''Luan'', and the excitation of the ''Lin'', like the flight of the phoenix or the ascension of the dragon.

Baopuzi

The (c. 320 CE) Daoist ''Baopuzi'' by Ge Hong mentions ''Feilong'' "flying dragon" and uses it as a graphic variant for the draconic mountain spirit ''Feifei'' "fly fly".

''Feilong'' occurs describing a Daoist ''xian'' "transcendent; immortal" (6), "When my eyes have square pupils and my ears grow from the top of my head; when, driving a flying dragon and riding a cloud of good fortune, I shall mount above the darted lightning and reach Lighted-from-below, how will you be able to interrogate me? If you see me, you will then cry out that it is a heaven or an earth deity, or a strange sort of man. It will never occur to you to say that I am something produced by mere study!"

''Feifei'' occurs with '' kui'' "a one-legged demon" in a list of ''shanxiao'' "mountain spirits" (l7), "Another is like a dragon, variegated in color and with red horns, the name being Fei-fei. Whenever one of these appears, shout its name, and it will not dare harm you."

Other texts

''Feilong'' occurs in many additional contexts. Carr cites two examples. The ''Xijingfu'' "Western Metropolis Rhapsody", by Zhang Heng (78–139 CE), used ''feilong'' as an alternate name for the mythical bird called ''longque'' "dragon sparrow". ''Bicheng'' "Collection of Notes", by Jiao Hong (1540–1620 CE), described the ''feilong'' as having "a dragon's head, phoenix's tail, and multicolored patterns", and equated it with the wind god ''Feilian'' .

Proper names

''Feilong'', ''Hiryū'', and ''Flying Dragon'' commonly occur in names.

Chinese ''Feilong'' (flying dragon) is also used to name:
*Feilong, a jumping kick in martial arts
*, a British-built gunboat in the Guangdong Fleet
*Fei Long (FL), a family of Silkworm missiles (e.g., the C-101)
* Fei-Long, a video game character in the ''Street Fighter'' series
*Fei Long, a tribe in '' Survivor: China'' television series
*FEILONG, call sign of China Flying Dragon Aviation
*Fei lung maang jeung () or '' Dragons Forever'', a Hong Kong action cinema
*Yang Feilong (), a 3rd-century ruler of Chouchi
*Fu Feilong (), a 4th-century deputy of Fu Pi
*Ling Fei-long (), a character in the ''Dragon Fist'' manga
*Liu Fei Long (), a character in '' Target in the Finder'' manga

Japanese ''Hiryū'' (flying dragon) names:
* Hiryū, a Japanese aircraft carrier
*Hiryū, a type of Mitsubishi Ki-67 medium bomber
*Hiryū, a chess piece in Dai shogi
*Hiryū no ken () ''Flying Dragon'', a video game
*Hiryū002, a train in ''The Galaxy Railways'' anime series
* Strider Hiryu, a video game character
*There is a minor My Hero Academia (a manga and anime) character named Hiryu Rin. He is from China and his Chinese name is Feilong Lin.

English has additional Feilong "Flying Dragon" names.
*'' Feilongus'', a genus of pterosaurs
*''Feilongshania'', a genus of trilobites
*Flying dragon or '' Draco volans'', a species of Agaminae gliding lizards
*''Flying Dragon'', a sculpture by Alexander Calder

References

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Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Feilong (Mythology)
Chinese dragons
Mythological monsters