Dragon Li
Encyclopedia
The Dragon Li, also called Chinese Li Hua, China Li Hua, Li Hua, Li Hua Mau, Li Hua Mao (in pinyin
) and 狸花猫 (in Chinese character
), or simply Li Mao 狸猫 is a Chinese Cat breed originating from nascent Chinese folklore
and dynastic culture.
breed by way of the wild cat
subspecies, Chinese mountain cat (Felis silvestris bieti). While this theory is still somewhat controversial, it has also not been scientifically disproven, and is therefore widely accepted as the origin of this breed within established breeding sources in China. The Chinese character interpretation is based on a legendary description rather than a fully accurate contemporary portrayal of the Dragon Li, and as a result, the breed has been confused with that of the wild fox
by the Chinese. For this reason the literal translated characters for Li Hua Mao read as 狸 as in fox
(狐狸), 花 for flower
pattern, and 猫 for cat. This Chinese character description was and is based on what was believed to be the best interpretation before modern western feline terminology became the standard, i.e. a 'flower pattern' versus a tabby pattern.
Although Li Hua Mao is the more prevalent name for the breed in China, more recently, the name Chinese Li Hua and Dragon Li have been utilized internationally to reflect the symbolic nature of China relevant to the mythical Chinese dragon
.
(ACFA) were guests of the Cat Aficionado Association
(CAA) and judged the event.
In 2005 an ideal male example ('Needy') http://www.029pet.com/Html/cwjw/154200450.html presented by its owner Da Han, was shown and won its class as 1st place CAA champion per an official breed standard
. The event was judged by John Douglas Blackmore of the ACFA. In February 2010 the Li Hua was accepted for showing in the miscellaneous class with Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), and is now acknowledged as an officially recognized breed by CFA. Since gaining international recognition, and due in part to its limited availability, the Dragon Li / Chinese Li Hua has now become a focus of attention the world over.
In popular culture, the Chinese literary legend "Li Mao Huan Tai Zi" utilizes a Li Hua Mao as its central theme, and has more recently served as the basis for a China based television series. http://sensasian.com/product.php/en/V4906
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
) and 狸花猫 (in Chinese character
Chinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
), or simply Li Mao 狸猫 is a Chinese Cat breed originating from nascent Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore includes songs, dances, puppetry, and tales. It often tells stories of human nature, historical or legendary events, love, and the supernatural, or stories explaining natural phenomena and distinctive landmarks.-Folktales:...
and dynastic culture.
Physical characteristics
The Dragon Li displays a unique golden brown, broken mackerel (also known as broken striped) tabby pattern, distinctive ear tipping, large round almond shaped luminescent yellow/green eyes, and a strong full bodied stature reminiscent of its wild nature. The Dragon Li is valued for its unmistakable intelligence, an uncanny cognizance in relation to its surroundings, and its ability to interact perspicuously with humans.Origin
The eponymous Dragon Li is thought to be a natural self-domesticatingSelf-domesticating
Self-domestication refers to the process of adaptation of wild animals to humans, without direct human selective breeding of the animals. The term is also used to refer to biological processes in the evolution of humans and human culture.-In animals:...
breed by way of the wild cat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
subspecies, Chinese mountain cat (Felis silvestris bieti). While this theory is still somewhat controversial, it has also not been scientifically disproven, and is therefore widely accepted as the origin of this breed within established breeding sources in China. The Chinese character interpretation is based on a legendary description rather than a fully accurate contemporary portrayal of the Dragon Li, and as a result, the breed has been confused with that of the wild fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
by the Chinese. For this reason the literal translated characters for Li Hua Mao read as 狸 as in fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
(狐狸), 花 for flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
pattern, and 猫 for cat. This Chinese character description was and is based on what was believed to be the best interpretation before modern western feline terminology became the standard, i.e. a 'flower pattern' versus a tabby pattern.
Although Li Hua Mao is the more prevalent name for the breed in China, more recently, the name Chinese Li Hua and Dragon Li have been utilized internationally to reflect the symbolic nature of China relevant to the mythical Chinese dragon
Chinese dragon
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
.
Popularity
In 2003 the Dragon Li debuted as an experimental breed class in Beijing, China December 30, 2003 - January 6, 2004 http://members.shaw.ca/bjbelanger/China.htm Allbreed Judges Dolores Kennedy & Barb Belanger of the American Cat Fanciers AssociationAmerican Cat Fanciers Association
The American Cat Fanciers Association is an American non-profit organization formed with the intent of allowing for greater flexibility in the development of pedigreed cats....
(ACFA) were guests of the Cat Aficionado Association
Cat Aficionado Association
The Cat Aficionado Association, Inc. is China's largest registry of pedigreed cats and is recognized internationally in conjunction with American Cat Fanciers Association as the premiere pedigreed cat registering association in Asia...
(CAA) and judged the event.
In 2005 an ideal male example ('Needy') http://www.029pet.com/Html/cwjw/154200450.html presented by its owner Da Han, was shown and won its class as 1st place CAA champion per an official breed standard
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
. The event was judged by John Douglas Blackmore of the ACFA. In February 2010 the Li Hua was accepted for showing in the miscellaneous class with Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), and is now acknowledged as an officially recognized breed by CFA. Since gaining international recognition, and due in part to its limited availability, the Dragon Li / Chinese Li Hua has now become a focus of attention the world over.
In popular culture, the Chinese literary legend "Li Mao Huan Tai Zi" utilizes a Li Hua Mao as its central theme, and has more recently served as the basis for a China based television series. http://sensasian.com/product.php/en/V4906
External links
- The Messybeast.com Cat Breed List
- First Dragon Li exhibition", Cat Aficionado Association (CAA) website (30 December 2003)
- Chinese cat breeds", About Cats and Cat Breeds blog (6 October 2008).
- The first cat wedding in the world occurs in China", wcanews in Cats (24 December 2007).
- Dragon Li news article in Chinese", Baidu news (18 July 2006)
- Cat Realm - Breed Database
- Wocat breed database
- Li Hua Mao in China