Jade Dragon: The Origin of a Chinese Totem

In 1971, Zhang Fengxiang, a farmer in the Ongniud Banner in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region happened to dig out an “iron hook” while planting trees near his home. He immediately gave it to his four-year-old brother to play with. The child tied a rope to the artifact and dragged it along the ground for fun. Eventually, the “rust” on its surface chipped off to reveal the shiny and translucent jade underneath.It is China’s First Jade Dragon, one of the most representative artifacts of Hongshan culture and the earliest prototype of the Chinese dragon.