The mythical fire-breathing dragon, one of the 4 holy animals in the Vietnamese folklores and legends, has a very significant place in the country’s culture. Appearing on almost all monuments in Vietnam - palaces, pagodas, temples, tombs and houses - the image of the dragon is deeply ingrained in the national tradition.
According to legend, the Vietnamese are descendants of the dragon, and when the monarchy was established, it became the symbol of the king.
Legend has it that the dragon Lord Lac Long Quan married fairy Au Co, and their union gave birth to 100 children and the Kingdom of Bach Viet. One day Quan said to his wife : "I’m a dragon and you’re a fairy. We can’t remain together."
Quan took 50 of his sons with him to the plains and coastal regions, while the others followed their mother to the mountains. The eldest son was crowned King of Lac Viet and named himself King Hung Vuong and Lac Viet was renamed Van Lang - an ancient name for Vietnam which was formed 4,000 years ago.
The dragon has been sleeping for too long, and is only recently emerging from many decades of conflict and returning to economic growth. It is now awake and ready to soar to greater new heights.
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