The Welsh Dragon: An emblem of independence
In Wales the Dragon is an emblem of independence.
The zodiac sign for this year, the dragon - or in Chinese the loong, has become a trending topic. This cultural symbol has very different meanings in different parts of the world. Historian Helen Fulton explains what the Red Dragon means in Welsh culture.
#ChineseNewYear2024 #YearofLoong
The zodiac sign for this year, the dragon - or in Chinese the loong, has become a trending topic. This cultural symbol has very different meanings in different parts of the world. Historian Helen Fulton explains what the Red Dragon means in Welsh culture.
#ChineseNewYear2024 #YearofLoong
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NewsTranscript
00:00 The dragon as a symbol is common to many countries and it's certainly in English literature,
00:06 it's used as a heraldic symbol for both English families as well as in Wales,
00:12 so it's not exclusive to Wales, but that particular shape of the red dragon that you
00:17 see on the Welsh flag and the colour, the red dragon, is very much belonging to Wales.
00:22 I think it probably means different things for different people, I mean different communities
00:27 interpret their emblems in different ways. I think for Wales it has that sense of being protective,
00:34 so it protects the country, but also that sense of independence that it represents the Welsh nation
00:41 as a nation that's separate from England or the rest of the United Kingdom.