Some of you who practice Yongchun White Crane Kung Fu will be aware that a few of the movements refer to a 青龙(qīnglóng) – in class we generally translate this as Green Dragon. The Green Dragon Emerges from Water, the Green Dragon Rolls in Water. But why Green – and why, for that matter, a dragon?
As usual, it seems quite likely that something has been “lost in translation” – especially as the names were given to the movements back in the Ming Dynasty – so I went down a Green Dragon “rabbit hole”, and here are the results of my research.
So firstly, the Colour
The Chinese character 青 (qīng) does not refer to, specifically, green. Rather it describes a more vibrant, living colour and more of a range of colour which is blue / green, and we might be more accurate to use the word Azure to translate it. The same character can be used to cover green hills, blue sky, or an Azure Dragon. So really our Dragon is Azure, and the adjective implies blue-green or even blue-black.
But when we use the word Azure, it also now encompasses the cosmological and symbolic quality of the Dragon far better than the word green. It isn’t leafy green, but rather vast, coiling and atmospheric.
Ming Dynasty relevance
Travelling back in time to the end of the Ming Dynasty, when Yongchun White Crane Kung Fu was created by Fang Qiniang (roughly four hundred years ago), the term 青龙 would have meant something very different to literate martial artists, military officers and Daoist practitioners.
The Azure Dragon was one of the Four Constellations (or Symbols) along with the White Tiger, Vermillion Bird and the Black Tortoise. They described East, West, South and North, respectively, as well as Wood, Metal, Fire and Water, and Spring, Autumn, Summer and Winter.
To them, the Azure Dragon would have encompassed the concepts of East, Spring, and Wood. It would have also conjured up the image of a rising, unfolding force.
Chinese Military Reference
Further, The Dragon of the East would have represented, in military terms, the Vanguard of an army – the first issuing force – the unit that opens an engagement. It was used on military banners, formations and in tactical language. The Vanguard would have been made up of elite soldiers – their job would have been to meet the enemy in an initial exchange in order to seize the initiative, allowing the other units of the army to join battle advantageously and press this initial advantage, leading to eventual victory.
Why a Dragon?
Unlike the dragons of Western mythology (which tended to be evil, and needed vanquishing by knights in shining armour), Chinese dragons were helpful, benevolent and auspicious. They represented wisdom, power and good fortune, often appearing as divine wingless, serpentine creatures to aid humanity in some way.
In Ming Dynasty martial language, the dragon’s defining feature wouldn’t have been its claws, breath or wings, as we tend to think of dragons in the West, but rather its long, coiling, serpentine body.
What’s the relevance of the Water?
Notably, Chinese dragons also have a very strong relationship with water – they are thought to control watery phenomena, such as rain, floods and the sea. So a dragon in water is simply existing in its natural habitat.
A dragon submerged in water is hidden, subtle and, despite its benevolent nature, potentially lethal. It has no visible edges, its body is masked by currents, and its movement is perceived only after its effect.
So putting this all together
In Ming military and martial thinking, our Green Dragon movements begin defensively, never yield the initiative, and turn reception into dominance. All in one unbroken motion.
The waist movement coils and uncoils, much like the movements of the Dragon.
The Azure Dragon movements are circular, continuous and able to change role mid-motion. The movement is elastic, spring-like, and driven by tendons and fascia rather than muscle.
The opponent should sense only their loss of balance, structure or intent after it has happened.
And so, for those of you who know the movement, and have understood its application, I hope that this quick dip into the culture, language and history of just one movement in the Chinese Cultural Treasure which is Yongchun White Crane Kung Fu, helps to give you a feeling for why the Azure Dragon Emerges from the Water.
