THE CHINESE DRAGON BY L. NEWTON HAYES WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY FONG F. SEC, LL.D. 龍 THIRD EDITION COMMERCIAL PRESS, LIMITED SHANGHAI, CHINA 1923 INTRODUCTION The subject of this little book is of general interest to people who are acquainted with things Chinese. The dragon has played a large part in Chinese thought through four thousand and more years. Even in these days of the Republic it still fills an important place in Chinese life. The dragon is one of the most common ornamental designs in China and one meets it wherever one goes in this country. However, in spite of the significance attached to the dragon, very little has ever been written concerning it in either Chinese or English. Only a few general articles on this subject have been published in magazines, and the references to it in books are very brief. No independent study of the dragon in book form has been made in either of these two languages until now. The author is peculiarly fitted to undertake this piece of work. He was born in China and speaks the Chinese language as a native. Thus he has had the first-hand knowledge and the language to help him in his study. He has been studying on the subject of the dragon for fourteen years. In this time he has traveled over more than one half the number of provinces of China. The study is therefore not the result of a few month’s investigation, nor is it the product of research in only one city or province. The author’s acquaintance with the people and the language of China have made it possible for him to go to original sources and to study the subject from every angle. Perhaps the last word on the Chinese dragon is not yet said, nevertheless it is safe to say that this treatise is as complete as our present knowledge will permit. This little volume should be of value to all who are interested in China. This account of the dragon will not only be of value to foreigners, but it will also be such to Chinese. The author has made this study a hobby for many years and the result of his research is a splendid contribution to the literature on China. It would be a good idea for more people to take up the study of other phases of Chinese life in the same way and thus help to interpret China to the West. Fong F. Sec. May 9, 1922. PREFACE