A rainbow appears in the sky above the sculpture of the Yellow Emperor as the sacrifice offering ceremony is held last year, an auspicious omen for the nation's prosperity. (Photo: China Daily) Photo Gallery>>>

    To ensure cohesion among the tribes constituting the nation, the Yellow Emperor gave up the totem of his own tribe, the bear, and adopted a new totem with characteristics of various tribes the dragon, featuring a snake's body, a fish's tail, lion's head, deer's horns and eagle's claws. Since then, the dragon became the common totem of the Chinese nation.

    The dragon pervades life in China, from the imperial to folk rituals, dragon dances in the north to the dragon boat races in the south. It has become the symbol of the nation.

    The Chinese people also call themselves the descendants of the dragon.

    Another reason that the Chinese call themselves descendants of the Yellow and Red emperors is that most of the Chinese surnames originated from them.

    The Yellow Emperor, who the "Historical Records" say was surnamed Ji, had 25 sons. The sons lived in different places and were given surnames according to the names of their residential areas.

    During the reign of the Five Legendary Emperors (2600 BC - 1600 BC), the surnames of the Yellow Emperor's direct descendants numbered 510, according to another historical account. A further 108 surnames were given to the descendants of the Red Emperor.

    Such family names have passed down to the present and been disseminated not only throughout the nation but also to many other countries and regions as well. No matter where they go, these families never forget they are the descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the Red Emperor.

    Recorded history of holding the sacrifice offering ceremony held on the third day of the third month of the lunar calendar every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Yellow Emperor dates back to the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC - 476 BC).

    (Source: China Daily)