This jade dragon was discovered in 1971. It’s 26 cm tall and, so far, the largest known jade dragon from the Neolithic – Hongshan culture. Hongshan culture is seen as one of the most important cultures for studying the origins of Chinese civilisation.
Jade Dragon 玉龙
Jade | Hongshan Culture (c.4700-2900 BC) | Unearthed at Saiqingtala, Ongniud Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 1971 | National Museum of China Collection. 玉器｜红山文化（约公元前4700年-前2900年）｜1971 年内蒙古翁牛特旗赛沁塔拉出土｜中国国家博物馆藏
The jade dragon‘s body is curled like a hook, with a vivid shape and exquisite carving, and it has been regarded as “China’s first dragon”. Dragon-like remains have been found in many Neolithic sites, either in the form of clamshell patterns, prehistoric paintings, or carvings/sculptures. 1
Researchers have put forward various hypotheses about this Neolithic dragon. The character “dragon” in the Oracle bone text of the Shang Dynasty and the jade dragon unearthed in the tomb of Fuhao both show that the dragon is a giant, horned, large-mouthed and curved mythical beast. The cultural relics that best meet these characteristics in the Neolithic Age should be this curled jade dragon in the Hongshan culture, which may be the original form of dragons.
Some of the earliest dragon artefacts are the C-shaped jade dragons 玉龍 (top) and pig dragon 豬龍 carvings (bottom) from the Neolithic Hongshan culture (c.4700-2900 BC). Hongshan culture is noted for its fine jade objects, often carved with animal themes and motifs.
Jade Pig-Dragon from Hongshan Culture 紅山文化玉豬龍
Jadeite | Late Hongshan Culture (c.3500-3000 BC) | National Palace Museum Collection. 玉器｜紅山文化晚期（公元前3500年-前3000年）｜国立故宫博物院藏
These dragons still possess the body of the snake with an animal heads, the most common being pig, horse, and oxen. These dragons have smooth bodies and most probably became divine items of worship because the Ying dragon 應龍 helped the Great Yu 大禹 tamed the floods.
About Hongshan Culture
The Hongshan Culture (c. 4700-2900 BC) was a significant Neolithic society in Northeast China’s West Liao River Basin, notable for early complex social structures, elaborate jade carvings (especially dragon and bird motifs), unique ritual sites like altars and temples (e.g., 牛河梁 Niuheliang2), and complex burial systems, marking a crucial stage in early Chinese civilisation and dragon worship. It is believed to have entered a proto-state civilisation stage around 5,800 years ago.3
It featured advanced jade craftsmanship, large ceremonial structures (altars, temples, burial mounds), painted pottery, and evidence of social hierarchy, establishing foundational elements for later Chinese culture.
Large quantities of carved jades were unearthed from tombs of the Hongshan culture. Most of the jades in Hongshan sites were in the form of stylised animals, such as the dragon in a coiled C-shaped form. The above piece is an undisputed masterpiece and is the earliest known depiction of a dragon in Chinese art.4
All photos from National Museum of China Aug 19, Jun 23, Nov 25 and Liaoning Provincial Museum Oct 2025, unless otherwise indicated.
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.
Footnotes :
- Jade Dragon 玉龙
Jade | Hongshan Culture (c.4700-2900 BC) | Unearthed at Saiqingtala, Ongniud Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 1971 | National Museum of China Collection. 玉器｜红山文化（约公元前4700年-前2900年）｜1971 年内蒙古翁牛特旗赛沁塔拉出土｜中国国家博物馆藏
玉龙驱体卷曲若钩，造型生动，雕琢精美，有“中华第一龙”的美誉。新石器时代很多遗址中都发现有类似龙形的遗存，或为蚌塑，或为彩绘，或为雕塑。关于龙的原型，研究者们提出过各种假说。商代甲骨文中的“龙”字和妇好墓出土的玉龙都显示，龙是一种巨头、有角、大口、曲身的神兽。新石器时代最符合这些特征的文物应属红山文化中的这种蜷体玉龙，它们有可能是龙的原始形态。Museum information card, Aug 2019 ↩︎ - Sites of Hongshan Culture: The Niuheliang Archaeological Site, the Hongshanhou Archaeological Site, and Weijiawopu Archaeological Site https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5804/ ↩︎
- Archaeological discoveries shed light on Hongshan Culture
Updated: Apr 3, 2025. https://govt.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202504/03/WS67f4d606498eec7e1f733ec4/archaeological-discoveries-shed-light-on-hongshan-culture.html, accessed 4 January 2026 ↩︎ - Terrible Beauty: The Dragon in Ancient and Tribal Art
APRIL 4, 2022. https://thesublimeblog.org/2022/04/04/terrible-beauty-the-dragon-in-ancient-and-tribal-art/, accessed 4 January 2026 ↩︎
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