| Longmen | |
|---|---|
 | |
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Other Name |
Dragon Gate |
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First Appearance |
Chinese Myth |
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Created by |
Unknown |
Origin[]
In Chinese mythology, Longmen (lit. 登龍門 "Dragon Gate") is located at the top of a waterfall cascading from a legendary mountain. The legend states that while many carp swim upstream against the river's strong current, few are capable or brave enough for the final leap over the waterfall. If a carp successfully makes the jump, it is transformed into a powerful dragon. The legend is so famous that throughout China, a common saying is that "a student facing his examinations is like a carp attempting to leap the Dragon Gate."
The Dragon Gate is located at the border of Shanxi and Shaanxi where the Yellow River flows through a cleft in the Longmen mountains, supposedly made by Yu the Great, who cut through the mountain.
According to one account, forceful water brought many carp down the river, and the carp could not swim back. The carp complained to Yu the Great. His wife, the Jade Emperor's daughter, explained to her father on behalf of the carp. The Jade Emperor promised that if those carp could leap over the Dragon Gate, then they would become mighty dragons. Thus, all the carp competed at a yearly competition to leap the Longmen falls; those who succeeded were immediately transformed into dragons and flew off into the sky.
The fish's jumping feature is set in such a proverbial idiom as "Liyu (Carp) jumps over the Dragon Gate" (鲤跃龙门) an idiom that conveys a vivid image symbolizing a sudden uplifting in one's social status, as when one ascends into the upper society or has found favor with the royal or a noble family, perhaps through marriage, but in particular through success in the imperial examination. The idiom is often used to encourage students or children to achieve success through hard work and perseverance.
Public Domain Appearances[]
All published appearances of Longmen from before January 1, 1930 are public domain in the US.
Notes[]
- The Longmen (Dragon Gate) myth was the inspiration for the Pokemon Magikarp and Gyarados.
- In the manga/anime series One Piece, the character Kaido's Devil Fruit, the Uo Uo no Mi Model: Seiryu, was inspired by the Longmen myth.