12" Glowing Meadow Green Lantern

In China, green is the symbol of growth and of harmony. It is associated with the spring, when plants burst back to life, producing a lush landscape of rejuvenation and life. Green is also associated with the element of wood and of the rain. It is considered the symbol of the dragon, a beast which the Chinese consider a wise protector of mankind; not the sinister and devious monster of Western folklore. The dragon is therefore much honored in China. Peasants would pray to dragons to bring and stop rains, and ask them for relief from droughts and floods. Dragons were supposed to have a pearl in their heads that let them fly and do magic. The dragon, it was said, could grow as big as the planet, or as small as a silkworm, and lore held that dragons disguised themselves as human beings to test people's generosity. It was traditionally an imperial symbol, because the dragon was considered to rule over beasts the way that the emperors ruled over the Chinese--some Chinese legends say that the early emperors were descended from dragons. The Chinese still call themselves "the Children of the Dragon" to reflect their connection to this majestic beast of legend. Enjoy this decorative green lantern and bring the enviable spirit of the dragon into your home today.