Nicknames |
China has several different nicknames for different reasons; the 3 most popular being the Middle Kingdom, the Red Dragon, and the Sleeping Giant. |
The Middle Kingdom:
- Ancient China believed they were the center of the world.
- Thousands of years ago, people had no idea or understanding of Earth being round, the Chinese only knew that there was foreign people living all around them.
- They assumed that their country was in the middle of it all.
- The name "China" literally means "middle kingdom" in Chinese.
The Red Dragon:
- China is called the Red Dragon because dragons have a very powerful and positive meaning, especially the red.
- They are strong, noble, and gentle.
- It is said that being born in the year of the dragon is an honor.
- The year of the Dragon falls 5th in line of the Chinese Zodiac. Each year has an animal representing it according to a 12-year cycle. Some of the years of the dragon include 1988, 2000, 2012, and 2024.
- Red is the color of Communism and since China is still officially a Communist country, its flag and preferred color is red.
The Sleeping Giant:
- China is called the Sleeping Giant because it has not pressed politically (relating to the government or public affair of the country) outside of their borders.
- The nickname was given to China by Napoleon Bonaparte.
- In the second half of the 18th century, Jesuits (members of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic order) missions were very active in China. When Napoleon came to knowledge of this, he pointed at China on a map and said " There, is a sleeping giant. Let her sleep. For when she wakes, she will shake the world".