Dragon City is not Chinese. It is a popular mobile and Facebook game developed by the Spanish company Social Point, first released in 2012. While the game features dragons, which are prominent in Chinese mythology, the game itself has no Chinese origin or setting.
What Is Dragon City?
Dragon City is a freemium social game where players breed, raise, and battle dragons. It was developed by Social Point, a studio founded in Barcelona, Spain, in 2009. The game is available on Android, iOS, and Facebook, and it has been downloaded over 100 million times. Players build a floating island, fill it with habitats, and collect dragons of various elements—fire, nature, electric, ice, etc. The core loop is breeding two dragons to produce a new one, which may be a hybrid of the parents’ elements.
Why the Confusion with China?
The confusion likely arises from the strong association between dragons and Chinese culture. In Chinese mythology, dragons are benevolent, wise creatures associated with water, rain, and imperial power. They are symbols of strength and good fortune. Dragon City, however, uses a more Western fantasy dragon design—winged, fire-breathing, sometimes reptilian—though it also includes some Asian-inspired dragon designs. The game’s name and theme tap into the universal appeal of dragons, but the game itself is not set in China and does not draw heavily on Chinese mythology.
The Real Chinese Dragon Myth
In Chinese mythology, the dragon (long, 龙) is a divine creature that controls weather and water. Unlike the often evil or hoarding Western dragons, Chinese dragons are generally benevolent. They are associated with the emperor, who was said to be the ‘Son of the Dragon.’ The dragon is one of the twelve zodiac animals, and it appears in many festivals, such as the Dragon Boat Festival. There are different types: the celestial dragon (Tianlong) guards the heavens, the spiritual dragon (Shenlong) controls wind and rain, and the earth dragon (Dilong) rules rivers and seas. These myths are ancient, with dragon imagery dating back to the Neolithic period in China.
How Dragon City Differs from Chinese Myth
Dragon City is a game, not a mythology. It borrows the word ‘dragon’ but does not follow any specific mythos. The game’s dragons are categorized by elements and rarity, not by divine roles. For example, you can breed a ‘Flame Dragon’ and a ‘Sea Dragon’ to get a ‘Volcano Dragon.’ This is purely a game mechanic, not a reflection of Chinese mythology. The game also features a battle system where dragons fight each other, which is not a typical aspect of Chinese dragon mythology—Chinese dragons are not warriors but rather wise and powerful beings.
Common Misconceptions
- Misconception: Dragon City is a Chinese game because it features dragons.
Reality: It was made in Spain and has no Chinese cultural or mythological basis. - Misconception: The dragons in Dragon City are based on Chinese dragons.
Reality: They are mostly Western-style fantasy dragons, with a few Asian-inspired designs, but they are not drawn from Chinese mythology. - Misconception: Playing Dragon City teaches you about Chinese mythology.
Reality: It is a game about collecting and battling dragons, not a mythology lesson.
How to Play Dragon City
If you are new to the game, here are the basic steps:
- Build habitats: Each dragon needs a habitat that matches its element. Fire dragons live in fire habitats, etc.
- Breed dragons: Use the breeding mountain to combine two dragons. The result depends on the elements and specific dragons used.
- Feed and level up: Dragons gain experience by eating food, which you can grow on farms.
- Battle: In the Dragon Stadium, you can fight other players’ dragons to earn gems and trophies.
- Complete quests: There are daily quests and events that give rewards.
The game is free to play, but it has in-app purchases for gems, which speed up breeding and hatching times.
Dragon City vs. Chinese Dragon Games
If you are interested in games that actually use Chinese mythology, there are other options. For example, Age of Empires has a Chinese civilization, and Smite includes Chinese gods like Sun Wukong and Guan Yu. However, these are not exclusively dragon games. For a game that centers on Chinese dragons, you might look at Legend of the Dragon or Dragon Mania Legends, which also has some Chinese-inspired dragons. But note that none of these are strictly educational; they are games that use mythological elements for entertainment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dragon City made by a Chinese company?
No, Dragon City was developed by Social Point, a Spanish company. It was later acquired by Take-Two Interactive, an American publisher, in 2017.
Are there any Chinese dragons in Dragon City?
Yes, the game has a few dragons that are visually inspired by Chinese dragons, such as the ‘Chinese Dragon’ or ‘Imperial Dragon’ in some events. However, they are not based on specific Chinese myths and are just game creatures.
What is the difference between Chinese and Western dragons?
Chinese dragons are typically long, serpentine, wingless, and associated with water and weather. They are often wise and benevolent. Western dragons are usually large, winged, fire-breathing reptiles, often depicted as dangerous or evil. Dragon City uses mostly Western-style dragons.
Can I learn about Chinese mythology from Dragon City?
No, Dragon City is a fantasy game and does not teach mythology. If you want to learn about Chinese dragons, you should read books on Chinese mythology or visit cultural resources like museums or online encyclopedias.
Is Dragon City popular in China?
The game is available globally, but its popularity in China is limited because many Western games are not heavily marketed there. Chinese players have access to many domestic games that feature dragons based on Chinese mythology.
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