Let's Use "Rung" Instead of Dragon... Debate Over the English Spelling of Yong in China

Chinese State Media and Online Platforms Gain Momentum Using 'Rong' Spelling
"Western Dragon Symbolizing Evil Differs from Chinese Yong"

As the year of the "Blue Dragon," Gapjin Year, begins, a claim has emerged in China that the official English spelling of the legendary creature "용" should be changed, drawing attention. On the 7th, Chinese media Yangtze Wanbao reported, "Voices online are gaining momentum to change the English term for '용' from 'Dragon,' which symbolizes evil, to 'Loong,' which brings good fortune."

Dragon sculpture in Beijing, China.
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The debate over the English spelling of 용 in China is not new. The background of this claim lies in the belief that the Western dragon and the Chinese 룽 are completely different. While the dragon, often depicted with large wings, is frequently a symbol of evil, the wingless 룽 is a symbol of good luck. Another difference is that dragons are represented in black, whereas 룽 is depicted in gold. Therefore, it is argued that translating it as 룽 is more accurate.

Especially with 2024 being the year of the Blue Dragon, the translation as "룽" has become noticeably prominent. China's state-run media CCTV's English channel CGTN translated the year of the dragon as "Loong Year" and the dragon dance as "Loong Dance" when reporting on an event on the 9th of last month. A survey conducted by a WeChat account showed that 9 out of 10 people chose 룽 over dragon.

The appearance of a dragon depicted in the West.

The argument that 룽 is a more accurate translation dates back over 20 years in academia. Huang Ji (黃吉), associate professor at the Communication Department of East China Normal University, argued in 2006 that 용 should not be translated as dragon. Furthermore, in 2015, members of China’s top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, reportedly proposed clarifying the English translation of 용. However, it is known that most Chinese textbooks still use the word dragon.

The spelling "룽" was first introduced in 1809 by a British missionary visiting China who translated the Analects. The first Chinese central processing unit (CPU), "Loongson," and the legendary action star Bruce Lee’s Romanized name (Lee Siu Loong) also feature "룽." Some interpret that the double "oo" in Loong resembles the eyes of a dragon, or that it better expresses the elongated shape of the dragon as a long vowel sound compared to the direct phonetic translation "Long."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.