Dragons have been part of Chinese culture since the late Neolithic era and remain a symbol of Chinese national identity up to today. This talk will use examples from the history of Chinese mythology, literature, art, and religion to show what dragons were thought to be and why they have continued to be so important in Chinese culture.

Daniel Fried is the Chair of the Department of East Asian Studies and is a scholar specializing in ancient and medieval Chinese literature and philosophy. His recent book, The First Print Era, tells the story of how a genuine print culture developed in China over the course of the eleventh century, four centuries before Gutenberg introduced the technology to Europe.