Dragons

Dragons Through time, Dragons Around the World

Dragons did not emerge at the same time or in the same form around the world. But they are part of the folklore and legends of many societies.

Dragons are thought to have first appeared in China. A series of objects and works chronicle the dragon’s emergence and evolution through time and space.

The Riddle of the Dragon

How do you define an animal that doesn’t exist? What makes dragons different from other imaginary monsters? Although they come in many different forms, dragons seem to share certain common characteristics, no matter where they are found.

My Third Is a Peculiar Assemblage

When imagining monsters, humans draw on elements of nature that they combine and transform. The dragon is a classic example of such a hybrid bestiary. Its appearance is the result of combinations that vary based on its geographic origins and symbolic role.

They have seen the monster.

Throughout history, various “proofs” have fueled the legend of the dragon. Belief in dragons was widespread among authors of the past. Aristotle referred to them in Antiquity, and Marco Polo claimed to have seen them in his travels through Asia.

In the 16th century, curiosity cabinets exhibited chimeras as rarities of the natural world. Scientists later proved such displays to be fakes.

My Second an Amalgam of Air, Fire, Earth, and Water

Dragons thrive in any environment, and their mastery of the four elements magnifies their power. Sometimes they are said to live underground in mysterious caves or buried in the earth itself, leaving their mark on the landscape or triggering earthquakes. They are a force of nature.

In Asia, dragons are the airborne messengers between humans and the gods; while in the West, they represent Satan, the fallen angel who kept his wings. Ancient texts also describe them as breathing fire, even though this destructive power generally appears in more recent images. Lastly, water is a common theme for dragons of every variety, and they are often thought of as aquatic beasts that can bring rain, which is a source of life, but can also cause floods.

My First Is a Reptile

Reptiles instill fascination as much as fear and are a common theme in folk beliefs. The dragon’s appearance draws largely on the reptile world. Its name comes from the Greek word drakon, derived from the verb derkomai, which means “to gaze intensely.”

We also attribute it the penetrating gaze of the snake, whose eyelids are fixed and transparent. It was in the 19th century that the fossilized remains of large animals were first interpreted as belonging to the lost giant reptiles of old—the dinosaurs. Human imagination associated them with the legendary dragons that survived the Great Flood and took refuge in remote locations.

The Missions of the Dragon

The dragon has been given a wide range of missions. An ambivalent creature that is just as often benevolent as it is evil, it adapts to numerous situations. It plays a fundamental role as an intermediary between nature and civilization and between humans and the divine.

Creature of Fantasy

An interactive component of the exhibition lets visitors create their own dragon tale. Choose your character (prince, princess, or dragon) and watch as the story unfolds throughout the exhibition.

The exhibition presents dragons dreamt up by Guy Gavriel Kay, Bryan Perro, and Élisabeth Vonarburg, as well as pieces of decorative artwork adorned with the fabulous beast.

Source of Protection and Fear

Even today, the dragon remains an ambivalent creature. Although more associated with evil in the West, the dragon is seen as an essentially positive creature in Asia. In Bali, dragons are placed above cradles. In Europe, the frightening monster is used to drive away demons, notably on church doors.

In Antiquity, some soldiers carried a dragon-shaped standard known as a draconarius into battle to frighten enemies and protect the troops. The dragon thus became a military emblem.

Guardian of Treasure

It is said that dragons never sleep. Ever wary, the dragon jealously guards its often magical treasure. Some authors even claim dragons have a passion for gold.

Like many imaginary creatures, dragons have become appealing decorative motifs on valuable works of art. On jewelry, they also serve as symbols of protection.

Creator of the World

In ancient cosmogonies (or creation stories), giant snakes and dragons are often featured prominently. They are synonymous with chaos, from which emerge a tamer version of nature and all-powerful gods.

Maker of Heroes

Humans and demigods sometimes encounter menacing dragons that wreak terror around their lairs. They must defeat them to found or free a town, save a princess, or get their hands on wondrous treasure.

Bitter combat culminates in the demise of the dragon and a hero’s glory. Legends such as these represent various rites of passage. Most symbolize a person’s passage from one stage in life to the next, like a child’s journey into adulthood. “Dragon slaying” heroes abound in Greek and Oriental legends. They later became the models for other religions and literatures.

Embodiment of Evil

In Christianity, the dragon is known as the “ancient serpent.” It personifies the devil, the fallen angel. It is a central figure of the Apocalypse of St. John, which recounts the events leading to the End of Days.

The end of the world will come from the dragon, the silver-tongued seducer that leads its victims astray to swallow them up. Luckily St. Michael battles and slays the beast in an aerial duel. But the dragon of evil can also take root inside the human soul. The episode of the monster swallowing St. Margaret represents our own battles against our personal demons.

Marker of Seasons

In China and most Asian countries, the dragon is a symbol of life that represents nature’s rebirth after winter. Asian imagery often depicts it belching forth foliage to announce the coming of spring. On the rooftops of Chinese homes, the dragon faces east toward the rising sun.

The dragon is also believed to watch over the passing of time. According to the European tradition, the disappearance of the dragon marks the end of winter. Processional dragon puppets were paraded through towns during Rogation Days, an ancient rite to bless the fields and ensure a good harvest. This tradition has metamorphosed over the years into a carnival-like festival associated with the legend of St. George.

Incarnation of Power

The dragon’s magical strength and power caused kings and emperors to deify the creature and make it the emblem of their power. The dragon’s image became a symbol of recognition.

In the age of the first Chinese dynasties, the dominant tribes chose the animal—considered to be the embodiment of good—to assert their superiority. This distinction undoubtedly marked the origin of the imperial dragon, a symbol of authority.

Special Appearance by Amos Daragon

Bryan Perro, storyteller, theater director, and author of the immensely popular young readers series Amos Daragon (published by Éditions Les Intouchables), contributed to the Dragons, Between Science and Fiction exhibition, which opens May 9 at Musée de la civilisation in Québec City. He accepted the Museum’s invitation to write a story featuring his famous character Amos Daragon.

Throughout the exhibition, Amos Daragon invites visitors on a twelve-part adventure that starts with the birth and metamorphoses of the noble dragon Maelstrom and then leads us to discover the object of his new quest. This object will allow Amos to reunite Maelstrom with his savage and merciless brother in order to restore the balance between Good and Evil and the powers of Light and Dark.

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Consult the Québec City and Area website for information on lodging, restaurants, attractions, cultural events, and festivals in the Québec City area. The site also features special sections for conference planners, travel professionals, and the media.

La folie des dragons

Admirez les oeuvres des participants au concours!

All littles dragons sort by dragon's name

Bertrand, Claude

Meisels, Xavier

Payer, Rosanne

Meisels, Victor

Bernier, Bastien

Bernier, Cécilia

Gauthier, Isabelle

Gagnon, Rachel

Bernatchez, Line

Rouleau, Marie-Dominique

Ouellet, Brigitte

Roy, Stéphanie

La Rochelle, Nicole

Anctil-Bouchard, Laurence

Carrier, Amélie

Bourget, Mélanie

Desjardins, Victor

Figoli, Valérie

Langlois, Guillaume

McNicoll, Olivier

Bellemare, Éliakim

Éthier Figoli, Léa

Caron, Christiane

Bellemare, Guy

Bellemare, Marie-Ève

Samson, Susan

Thibault, Claudia

Cabana, Jade

Boucher, Gabriel (Gabou)

Desjardins, Chra et Mathis Gagnon

Nadeau, Alexandre

Blanchard, Annabelle

Perron, Daniel

Inkel, Julie

Chayer, Valérie

Nadeau, Sara-Ann

Guimont-Gilles, Sarah

Guimont-Gilles, Geneviève

Dumont, Gabriel et Alexis

Bédard, Félix-Antoine

Legendre, Brigitte

Legendre, Marie-Josée

Vallières, Camille

Béliveau, Annie

Fleury, Marie-Lise

Dion, Victoria et Alicia

Édith

Scalabrini, Lysanne

Scalabrini, Philippe

Gagnon, Xavier

Gagnon, Victoria

L.-Jean, Éva Maria

Antoine, Ève

Antoine, Andréa

Auger, Carole-Anne

François, Armelle

François, Maëlle

François, Enola

St-Onge, Samuel

Bolduc, Mathieu

Lavoie-Lochet, Sara-Ève

Beaulieu-Lavoie, Florence

Beaulieu-Lavoie, Charlotte

Beaulieu-Lavoie, Juliette

Roy, Kim-Anne

Belzile, Philippe

Belzile, Rémi

Lévesque, Caroline

Paiement, Ian

Auger, Mathieu

Pelletier, Audrey-Ann

Gagnon, Linda

Moreau, Richard

Carrier, Maïté

Crofton, Karen

Moreau, Jean-François

Vallée, Rachel

Auclair, Marianne

Pion, Laurie-Anne

Goulet, Caroline

Moreau, Phylippe

Moreau, Serynah

Roy, Nathalie

Rouillard, Meggie

Gosselin, Julie

Létourneau, Vincent

Paulin, Nancy

Bernier, Annie-Pier

Michaud, Mélina-Mégan

Couillard, Linda

Paquet, Jérôme

Fournier, Denise

Chabot, Johanne et Jérémiy Roy-Rhéaume

Baillargeon, Marielle

Jardin d'enfants Durocher

Poirier, Yanick

Morel, Claire

Cloutier, Roxanne

Cloutier, Simon-Olivier

Cloutier, Tony

Cloutier, Émile

Lacroix, Isabelle

Cloutier, Jacob

Pronovost, Hélène

Houle, Moïra

Cloutier, Emmy

Cloutier, Antoine

Lan, Tamira

Gosselin, Vincent

Roy, Léo

Gosselin, Samuel

Boivin, Félix

Dion, Aurélie

Guay, Johanne

Louissaint, Marline

Frève-Boucher, Victor

Frève-Boucher, Charlotte

Stea, Coralie

Stea, Marjorie

Hébert, Diane

Larose, Carmen

Gagné, Frédérique et Marianne

St-Pierre, Joannie

Cloutier, Marc André

Bisson, Youhan

Boies, Véronique

Boies, Sophie

Lambert, Natacha

Bélanger, Gisèle

Lessard, Mireille

Yu Yan Liu

C. Le François, Tristan

Classe de Stéphane Charest

Guérin, Caroline

C. Le François, Laurie-Rose

Auclair, Laurence

Tracy, Caroline

Classe de Chantal Beaudoin, 3e et 4e années

Dumas, Sophie

Bernard, Ann-Élizabeth

Jacques, Cynthia

St-Hilaire, Céline

Godbout, Thérèse

Bellavance, Julie

Bellavance, Lise

Bellavance, Lynda

Bellavance, Samuel

Bellavance, Corine

Bellavance, Mathieu

Bellavance, Alice

Bergeron, Marie-Pier

Bouchard, Maxime

Bernier, Daniel

Leroux, Érica

Pineault, Marie-Jeanne

Garneau, Amélie et Antony et Sébastien Vaillancourt

Desbiens, Charles

Légaré, Louise

Garderie chez Martine

Lebel, Louisette

Cloutier-Boucher, Guillaume

Brassard, Laurie

Pitre, Gaëlle

Paquet, Gaston

Paquet, Francis

Malenfant-Gilbert, Thomas

Rodrigue Marianne et Véronique Meloche

Boisvert, Simon, Francis Rodrigue et Vincent Rodrigue

Pelletier-Leclerc, François

Pelletier, Luce

Paquet, Gabriel

Côté, Valérie

Bilodeau, Laurie

Côté, Guillaume

Lavoie, Sylvie

Canning, Thomas

Arguin, Josée

Canning, William

Canning, Alexandra

Canning, Sean

Lagacé, Francine

Bédard, Martin

Desmeules, Sarah

Latulippe, Vincent

Lessard, Benoît

Lussier, Sandrine

Latulippe, Alice

Lessard, Julie

Roy, Marie-Pierre

Verreault, Mei-Li

Dupuis, Lise

Houle, Karine

Auger, Christian

Houle, Marie-Ève

Laflamme, Sarah-Jeanne

Bluteau Boilard, Érika

Bluteau Boilard, Cédric

Délégation Wallonie-Bruxelles

Lambert, Xavier

Massé, Eléonore

Lemelin, Cynthia

Brouard, Julie

Côté, Frédéric

Côté, Justine

Lambert, Clodie

Bherer, Guillaume

Cunningham, Steve

Côté, Benjamin

Racine Ethier, Émilie

O'Connor, Noëlla

O'Connor, Sarah

Brouard, David

Tremblay, Daniel

Brisson, Valérie

Deheusch, Carmen

Brisson, William

Perrier, Lise

Lauzon, Ginette

Drolet, Judith

Dussault, Marie

Bilodeau, Jacqueline

Roy, Ginette

Blanchet, Michelle

Bégin, Louise

Bernier, Simon

Martin, Céline

Cyr, Annabelle

Cyr, Marc André

École Le Goéland

Pagé, Catherine

Néron, Josée

Gaumond, Michèle

Carrière, Philippe

Néron, Josée

Bernier, Yolaine

Jackson, Josée

Dufour, Céline

Ya Poitras, Rosalie

Couture, Marie-Josée

Pelletier, Martine

Grenier, Julie

Gagnon, Samuelle

Pineau, Ariane

Bourget, Claudine

Tétu, Diane

Bergeron, Thérèse

Maranda, Arianne

Pineau, Chloé

Dorion, France

Larouche, Anne-Marie

Larouche, François

Poire, Manon

Landry, Pauline

Gagnon, Antoine

Vaillancourt, Florence

Carmichael, Marion

Vaillancourt, Alexandre et Emmanuelle

Tremblay, Christophe et Réjean

Godbout, Nicolas

Godbout, Élie

Pettigrew-Brouard, Caroline

Rouleau, Caroline

Barrette, Sonia

Brisebois, Claudette

Godbout, Samuel

Forgues, Valérie et Johanne

Forgues, Johanne

Forgues Boissonneault, Valérie

Nolet, Léa

Leroux, Joliane

Nolet, Édouard

Leroux, François

Leroux, Nicolas

Chabot, Raynald

Nadeau, Charles-Édouard

Lavoie, Anne-Sophie

Bilodeau, Sylvie

St-Gelais, Charles

Cayer, Marie-Josée et Bernier Charlotte

Bernier, Ève et Marie-Josée Cayer

Maltais, Rafaëlle

Boutin, Weena

Bordeleau, William

Tremblay, Caroline

Alain, Jacques

Déry, Martine

Alain, Nicolas

Alain, William

Nadeau, Victor-Olivier

Métivier, Thomas

Delorme, Jon

Delorme, Jon

Delorme, James

Hamel, Florence et Charlotte

Robitaille, Claire

Bernard, Camille

Delorme, Daphné

Bédard, Anne-Lilia et Marie-Ève

Boivin, Marie-Ève

Carbery, Michael

Bédard, Andréane

Leblanc, Josée

Joly, Megane

Joly, Karine

Lauzon, Zakk

Mathurin, Johnny

Belleau, Sébastien

Bouffard-Boudreault, Alec

Gauvin, Raphaëlle

Gagnon-Laborde, Sara

Lapointe-Belleau, Ariane

Fissette, Sandrine

Labossière, Serge

Drolet, Gabrielle

Labossière, Sarah Jeanne

Côté Lepage, Gabrielle

Gagnon, Marie Michelle

Delisle-Langlois, Elliott

Roberge, Marianne

Robitaille, Alexis

Savard, Suzie

Thivierge, Simonne

Boutet, Sylvie

Thivierge, Jeanne

Thivierge, Jean

Gousse, Anaïs

Beaulieu Laliberté, Aurélie

Gousse, Stéphane-Billy

Morissette, Léichu

Lachance, Alex

Lachance, Caroline

Michaud, Philippe

Michaud, François

Tremblay, Océane

Tremblay, Claudy

Boulianne, France

Merlano, Sébastian

Tremblay, Marie-Lou

Tremblay, Andréa

Paradis, François

Dufresne, Caroline

Dion, Caleb

Dion, Laetitia

Boisseau, Kim

Boisseau, Lise

Dumas Bourget, Samuel

Lortie, Murielle

Elfakrani, Rochdi

Beaulieu, Nathalie

Robichaud, Valérie

Abbate, Annalisa

Abbate, Raffaela

Roy, Thomas

Audet, Emmanuelle

Audet, Sara

Girard, Sylvain

Delaney Girard, Kelly Ann

Forcier, Francis (famille de)

Charrois-Durand, Cédric

Le Blanc, Maximillien

Bélanger, Renée

Bélanger-Bellefeuille, Élizabeth

Poulin, Catherine

Marion, Suzanne

Bélanger, Micheline

Trudel, Maxim-Ève

Barette, Maude

Trudel, Yan-Alexis

Vachon, Stéphanie

Larochelle, Marion

Larochelle, Mina

Jobin, Kevin

Bilodeau, Marilie

Gravel, Normande

Desbiens, Caroline

St-Pierre, Sylvie

Boutin, Roxanne

Boutin, Hélène

Rouleau Anne Marie

Boivin, Isabelle

Bernatchez, Amélie

Gauthier, Josée

Videau, Thomas

Gauthier, Maude

Nolin, Diane

Morin, Élyse

Guité, Steven

Delaney, Andrew

Thériault, Jessica

Létourneau, Ann-Sophie

Prémont, Alexandra

Prémont, Rachel

Tremblay, Réjean

Prémont, Stef-ann

Tremblay, Christophe

Marsolais, Nathaniel

Marsolais, Ariane

Chabot, Lucette

Van der Linden, Angela

Lachance, Jacob

Lachance, Gabriel

Dubois, Ann

Goulet, Félix

Bernard, Léo

Goulet, Ève

St-Hilaire, Amélie

Tremblay, Emeric

Tremblay, Samuel

St-Hilaire, Alexandre

Gaudreault, Jérémie

Delaney Girard, Kelly Ann

Gaudreault, Alexis

Bruhmuller, Mélodie

Céline Dion

Photo : Idra Labrie

Dion, Céline