KOREA FOUNDATION

Since ancient times in Asia, dragons have been regarded as the most sacred of mythical animals. Even in Korea, dragons were considered divine creatures that symbolized the king. Vietnamese people refer to themselves the children of a dragon and grandchildren of a fairy. This idea originates from the country’s creation myth about Lac Long Quan, a descendant of dragons who married the mountain fairy Au Co. Their children were said to be the founders of the first dynasty of Viet Nam.

However, this is not Viet Nam’s only myth about dragons. The name of the immensely popular tourist site Ha Long Bay is made up of the words “ha” (meaning “descending”) and “long” (meaning “dragon”). This is derived from an ancient legend about a dragon that descended from the heavens to protect Viet Nam from invaders attacking from the sea. Although the beauty of Ha Long Bay is widely known, the landscape takes on a different appearance when one thinks about the meaning behind its name.

A country built upon legends of mystical dragons – perhaps the appeal of dragons is what lures so many visitors to Viet Nam.