The most recognisable archaeological finding in 21st century in China starts with this image of the dragon from Erlitou culture.
Turquoise Mosaic Dragon 绿松石龙形器
Bronze | Xia dynasty (21st – 16th Century BC) | Dimensions – L:64.5cm | Chinese Archaeological Museum Collection, Excavated at Erlitou site in Yanshi, Luoyang, 2002. 青铜 | 夏代（约公元前21世纪～前16世纪）| 身长64.5厘米 | 中国考古博物馆藏, 2002年洛阳偃师二里头遗址出土
A turquoise mosaic dragon was unearthed from Erlitou site. The representation of dragon is vividly rendered by curved body with curling up tail. Found along with the turquoise dragon is a bronze bell with a jade clapper inside.
The coexistence of dragon and bell in archaeological context is quite consistent with the records of 《诗经》”Classic of Poems” from the Western Zhou dynasty.
载见辟王，曰求厥章。龙旂阳阳，和铃央央。
诗经·周颂·臣工之什〔先秦〕1
Once can imagine the visual and acoustic splendours made by the colours of turquoise and bronze (before it oxidised) as well as the euphony of jade clapper striking against the bronze bell.
The Chinese Dragon 中國龍
As a result of the social and cultural integration initiated by the dynastic regime in the Central Plains, the images of dragon since the Neolithic Age were gradually standardised and unified, and finally institutionalised as the most representative symbol of royal house. (See my post of the Year of the Dragon)
The unearthing of this turquoise dragon has found the most direct and orthodox origin for the dragon image of the Chinese nation. This turquoise dragon unearthed in “the first royal capital of China” is considered the real “Chinese dragon”.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnote
- 译文及注释
译文
诸侯初次朝周王，求赐王朝新典章。蛟龙旗帜随风扬，车上和铃响叮当。马辔铜饰光灿灿，美丽饰物闪光芒。相率拜祭先王灵，孝敬祭品请神享。祈求神明赐长寿，保佑日子永安康，赐予幸福无穷量。文武兼备诸侯公，先王赐予你多福，使你事业永辉煌。
注释
载（zài）：始。
辟王：君王。指周成王。
曰：同“聿”，发语词。厥：其。章：典章法度。指车服礼仪之文章制度。《郑笺》：“此诗始见君王，谓见成王也。曰求其章者，求车服礼仪之文章制度也。”
龙旂（qí）：画有蛟龙图案的旗，旗竿头系铃。阳阳：鲜明。一说即“扬扬”，旗飘动飞扬之貌。
和：挂在车轼（扶手横木）前的铃。铃：挂在旂上的铃，一说挂在车衡上的铃。央央：铃声和谐。 ↩︎ - https://youtu.be/RiRTAUW_fwk?si=pETLxELutqmZOFRp, CCTV「尋古中國」2023/12/25, assessed 4 Sep 2025. ↩︎
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