Chinadaily（中国日报）介绍 dragon 和 loong 的区别【龙_Loong

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Chinadaily（中国日报）介绍 dragon 和 loong 的区别

原标题：龙年的英文怎么说？Dragon 还是 loong？
CD君，微信公众号“CHINADAILY”，2024年1月29日，发表于北京

导读

　　龙年即将到来，龙的英文如何表述却依然有争论。是用西方人一直用的 dragon，还是用近一段兴起的新词 loong？这篇专栏分析了二者的根本不同，往下读找答案吧。

We will soon enter the Year of the Dragon. Or should that be the Year of the Loong? That is a question that has been a subject for debate in China, as some say there is a difference between the two in Chinese and Western mythology.

　　（我们即将进入 Dragon 年。还是应该是 Loong 年？这是一个在中国一直存在争议的问题，因为有人说这两者在中国和西方神话中是有区别的。【百度翻译，编者略有调整，下同】）

They point to dragons in the West being usually depicted as malevolent, fire-breathing creatures that hoard treasure and terrorize villages. Dragons they say are typically seen as symbols of chaos and evil, portrayed as antagonists in Western mythology and literature, and often depicted as malevolent adversaries to be vanquished by valiant heroes. These depictions hark back to the archetypal myths of the ancient Mesopotamian and Near Eastern cultures, in which dragon-like creatures, such as Tiamat in Mesopotamian mythology are forces of chaos and destruction that are confronted and ultimately defeated in a great battle.

　　（他们指出，西方的龙通常被描绘成恶毒的喷火生物，囤积宝藏，恐吓村庄。他们说，龙通常被视为混乱和邪恶的象征，在西方神话和文学中被描绘成对手，经常被描绘成恶毒的对手，被勇敢的英雄击败。这些描述可以追溯到古代美索不达米亚和近东文化的原型神话，在这些神话中，类似龙的生物，如美索不达米神话中的提阿马特，是混乱和毁灭的力量，在一场伟大的战斗中被对抗并最终击败。）

Such symbolic resonance can be seen in the enduring appeal of dragons in Western popular culture today where they are staples of fantasy literature, films, video games, and TV shows, often embodying a mix of awe-inspiring and fearsome qualities that put them at the heart of struggles between good and evil.

　　（这种象征性的共鸣可以从龙在当今西方流行文化中的持久吸引力中看出，龙是幻想文学、电影、电子游戏和电视节目的主要内容，往往体现了令人敬畏和恐惧的特质，使它们成为善与恶斗争的核心。）

In Chinese culture, loong are revered as symbols of power, excellence, and good luck, and they are often depicted as wise and kind creatures.

　　（在中国文化中，龙被尊为权力、卓越和好运的象征，它们经常被描绘成聪明善良的生物。）

The loong has been a central motif in Chinese culture for thousands of years, and its origins can be traced back to early Chinese civilization through mythology, folklore and religious beliefs.

　　（龙几千年来一直是中国文化的中心主题，其起源可以通过神话、民间传说和宗教信仰追溯到中国早期文明。）

Since loong were believed to have control over natural phenomena such as rain, storms and water, and were associated with the life-giving properties of water and the fertility of the land, loong became symbols of strength and good fortune, and they became associated with balance, harmony and the natural order of the universe.

　　（由于龙被认为可以控制雨水、风暴和水等自然现象，并与水的赋予生命的特性和土地的肥沃联系在一起，龙成为力量和好运的象征，它们与宇宙的平衡、和谐和自然秩序联系在一起。）

Representing auspiciousness, vitality and the power of nature, loong remain a revered and beloved symbol in Chinese society, reflecting the enduring significance of historical traditions in modern China.

　　（龙象征着吉祥、活力和大自然的力量，在中国社会中一直是一个受人尊敬和爱戴的象征，反映了中国现代历史传统的永恒意义。）

The differences in perception of the mythical creatures in China and the West are rooted in their different cultural values.

　　（中西方对神话生物认知的差异源于他们不同的文化价值观。）

Thus the answer to the question at the beginning is clear: Whether or not to use loong instead of dragon is not important. What is important is that as we enter a new lunar year people globally appreciate the cultural values embodied in such Chinese symbols as loong.

　　（因此，一开始问题的答案很清楚：是否用 loong 代替 dragon 并不重要。重要的是，当我们进入农历新年时，全球人民都在欣赏龙等中国符号所体现的文化价值。）

Reporter: Zhang Zhouxiang

　　【编后记】虽然作者最后有和稀泥之嫌，但是全篇文章写得非常好，值得转发和细读。（黄佶编辑配图，2024年1月30日）