Entering the field

Imagine that it is summer 2022; you are an average merchant who has invested every penny you have into launching a teashop in Tongliang, and you have a problem. After weathering the dual storms of economic uncertainty  and mental well-being during the Covid pandemic, you wish to bless your new shop with the most auspicious and attractive name. Fortune-tellers suggested incorporating the character “Dragon” (Long 龙) with the title to harmonize with the land that the Dragon King has basked in for thousands of years. 

The next day, taking this advice with a grain of salt, you set off from your neighborhood named Garden of Mt. Golden Dragon to stroll around the stately boulevards where high-end shops reside to see what others call their shops. Leaving behind the Peaceful Dragon Avenue, you pass rows of identical brownish-yellow-colored but gradually dilapidated residential buildings. Along the crowded pedestrians, you come across a succession of businesses with names such as  “Artistic Dragon Wooden Door Shop,” “City of Dragon Microfinance Company,” and “The Hotel Blessed by Dragon.” Dazzled by the myriad of local businesses embracing the character “dragon” in their names, you also spot the prevalence of dragon-themed logos appearing on the shop fronts. 

Puzzled, you wander to the People’s Public Park, where a monolithic red sculpture of a man harnessing a dragon stands. It is nearing 8:00 p.m. as darkness descends. Suddenly, a shrill sound of music reaches you. Tracing the sound to your left, you see a group of elderly performers line up and dance uniformly. The musical lyric they sing go:,

In the ancient East, there was a dragon named China. 

In the ancient East, there was a group of people who were all descendants of the dragon.

After strolling back home, as you recall the privately-owned shops, grand public monuments, and the music played in the park, a question lingers in your mind: “What is it about dragons such that they permeate every corner of the city of Tongliang?”

Although the story might seem like pure fiction, it is based on my recent fieldwork in my hometown, Tongliang, from 2023 to 2024. My research interest began during a casual summer family visit in 2022 when I was quickly captivated by the ubiquity of “dragon” references throughout public infrastructure, educational programs, and recreational activities. The magnitude of Tongliang’s local state’s efforts in infiltrating the dragon culture into everyday life was dazzling yet unsettling compared to any other cities in and outside of China I've visited.