{{Short description|Chinese parade dragon in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia}} {{Infobox animal | name = Sun Loong | image = SunLoong.jpg | image_upright = | caption = ''Sun Loong'', formerly the world's longest imperial dragon | othername = | species = dragon | breed = imperial parade | gender = | hatch_name = 新龍 | hatch_date = 1970 | hatch_place = Hong Kong | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = | occupation = | employer = | role = | years_active = 1970–2019 | known_for = | tricks = | awards = | title = | term = | predecessor = ''Loong'' | successor = ''Dai Gum Loong'' | owner = | residence = Golden Dragon Museum, Bendigo, Australia | parents = | mate = | children = | weight = | height = {{convert|100|m|ft|-1}} | appearance = | namedafter = | module = | module2 = | module3 = | module4 = | module5 = | website = | footnotes = }} '''''Sun Loong''''' ({{zh|s={{linktext|新|龙}}|t={{linktext|新|龍}}|p=xīn lóng|j=san1 lung4|l=New Dragon}}), derived from the Cantonese pronunciation of "New Dragon", is an imperial parade dragon that was used in the Bendigo Easter parade from 1970 through 2019. It was believed to be the longest imperial parade dragon in the world, measuring approximately {{convert|100|m|ft|-1}} long.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bendigochinese.org.au/about/dragons.html |title=BCA - Our Dragon Collection |publisher=Bendigochinese.org.au |accessdate=2013-08-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004232036/http://www.bendigochinese.org.au/about/dragons.html |archivedate=2013-10-04 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Kevin Murray |url=http://www.kitezh.com/texts/bendigo.htm |title=Bendigo's Year of the Dragon |publisher=Kitezh.com |date= |accessdate=2013-08-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Worthington |first=Brett |url=http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/73567/dragon-has-lived-a-long-life/ |title=Dragon has lived a long life |newspaper=Bendigo Advertiser |date=2012-01-04 |accessdate=2013-08-24}}</ref><ref name="facebook1">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/sun.loong/info?tab=page_info |title=Sun Loong 新龍 |publisher=Facebook.com |date= |accessdate=2016-01-20}}</ref>
''Sun Loong'' was used in the traditional Chinese dragon dance and superseded Bendigo's earlier ''Loong'' in 1970; ''Loong'' is heritage listed as it is believed to be the oldest complete imperial parade dragon in the world. On 21 April 2019, a new dragon named ''Dai Gum Loong'' made its debut at the Bendigo parade and took over the title of longest dragon at {{convert|125|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}}. Both ''Loong'' and ''Sun Loong'' are on permanent display at the Golden Dragon Museum in Bendigo.
== Origins == Dragons are an important part of Chinese culture. Large processional dragons have been used in Chinese festivals for over a thousand years. After Chinese came to Bendigo in the 1850s for the gold rush many settled and later, in the 1870s, the Chinese community began to participate in the annual Bendigo Easter Festival. In this parade the local Chinese brought their old dragon dancing traditions to Bendigo. The earliest documented appearance of the venerable dragon ''Loong'', approximately {{convert|60|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}} long, was in 1901;<ref name=BAdv-history>{{cite news |url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/6049242/the-history-of-the-chinese-dragons/ |title=From Loong to Dai Gum Loong: the journey of Bendigo's Chinese dragons |author=Cosoleto, Tara |url-access=limited |date=April 19, 2019 |newspaper=Bendingo Advertiser |accessdate=27 April 2020}}</ref> although a local newspaper printed photographs of a dragon in the parade in 1892,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cv.vic.gov.au/stories/a-diverse-state/dai-gum-san-big-gold-mountain/loongs-head-and-body/ |title=Loong's head and body |website=Culture Victoria |date=2016 |accessdate=27 April 2020}}</ref> Golden Dragon Museum officers believe this was not ''Loong''.<ref name=BAdv-history/> ''Loong'' was built in Foshan, China at the Sing Cheng workshop, which also built parade dragons for Los Angeles and Ballarat.<ref name=BAdv-history/>
[[File:Photograph of Sun Loong at the Golden Dragon Museum.jpeg|thumbnail|left|''Sun Loong'' on display at the Golden Dragon Museum]] Grand processional dragons became a big part of the Easter Parade. By the late 1960s, the 1901 dragon ''Loong'' was getting older and an effort to raise money for a new dragon began. The Loong 100, a coalition of local Bendigo businessmen, politicians, and the Bendigo Chinese Association, were instrumental in raising the money for the purchase of ''Sun Loong''. A traditional dragon maker was found in Hong Kong, the Lo On Kee (羅安記) owned by a man named Lo On (羅安). After ''Sun Loong'' was completed, it was greeted by and assumed the duties of ''Loong'' at the 1970 Easter Parade; at the time, ''Sun Loong'' was the longest imperial dragon in the world.<ref name=BAdv-history/>
''Sun Loong'' paraded before Prince Charles and Princess Diana during their royal visit to Australia in 1983. By 2009, planning for a successor to ''Sun Loong'' began; a vendor was selected in May 2018, and ''Dai Gum Loong'' was built between June 2018 and February 2019. After being blessed at Fuk Tak Temple in Shau Kei Wan,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/5884420/on-his-way-dai-gum-loong-blessed-ahead-of-move-to-bendigo/ |title=New Bendigo dragon Dai Gum Loong blessed in Hong Kong before move to Bendigo |author=O'Callaghan, Tom |date=February 4, 2019 |newspaper=Bendigo Advertiser |url-access=limited |accessdate=27 April 2020}}</ref> ''Dai Gum Loong'' traveled to Bendigo<ref name=BAdv-history/> and made his debut at the Easter parade on April 21, 2019, greeted by the 1901 ''Loong'' and peacefully assuming the duties from the 1970 ''Sun Loong''; all three dragons returned to their home in the Golden Dragon Museum, led by ''Loong''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/6081804/old-loong-welcomes-bendigos-new-dragon/ |title=Oldest imperial dragon Loong welcomes Bendigo's new dragon Dai Gum Loong |author=Cosoleto, Tara |url-access=limited |date=April 21, 2019 |newspaper=Bendingo Advertiser |accessdate=27 April 2020}}</ref> ''Dai Gum Loong'' is billed as {{convert|125|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}} long.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bendigoregion.com.au/explore-bendigo/dai-gum-loong |title=Dai Gum Loong |website=Bendigo Region |accessdate=27 April 2020}}</ref> Ringo Leung was selected to restore ''Sun Loong''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://zolimacitymag.com/the-cryptozoology-of-hong-kong-part-iii-dragons-and-their-evil-counterpart/ |title=The Cryptozoology of Hong Kong, Part III: Dragons and their evil counterpart |author=Potts, Billy |date=May 23, 2018 |magazine=Zolima City}}</ref>
== Size ==
''Sun Loong'' was originally over {{convert|200|ft|m|-1|order=flip|abbr=on}} long. Bendigo was very proud of the fact he was the longest imperial dragon in the Southern Hemisphere. However, in 1980, the Chinese community in Melbourne purchased ''Dai Loong'', a processional dragon they intended to be a metre or so longer than Sun Loong. In response, Bendigo ordered an extension for ''Sun Loong''. Following its inclusion, the dragon's official length has remained a secret. However, its approximate length is now {{convert|100|m|ft|-1|abbr=on}}<ref name="facebook1"/><ref name=BAdv-history/>
''Sun Loong'' has 6,000 silk and papier-mâché scales, and 90,000 hand-cut mirrors. James Lew, a 101-year-old Chinese elder, brought ''Sun Loong'' to life in 1970 by dotting his eyes with chicken blood.<ref>{{cite book |author=The Golden Dragon Museum |date=2010 |title=The 1880s Processional Regalia of the Bendigo Chinese Association |publisher=The Golden Dragon Museum |location=Bendigo |isbn=978-0-9808006-0-9 |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/152218866?q&versionId=165917201}}</ref>{{rp|33}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.goldendragonmuseum.org Golden Dragon Museum website] * [https://www.facebook.com/sun.loong Sun Loong's Facebook page.] * {{cite magazine |url=https://zolimacitymag.com/the-immigrant-dragons-how-australia-is-saving-a-hong-kong-tradition/ |title=Australia is saving a Hong Kong tradition |author=Potts, Billy |date=May 23, 2018 |magazine=Zolima City}} * {{cite magazine |url=https://issuu.com/bendigomagazine/docs/bgomag54_1-112/28 |title=ready to roar |pages=28–29 |date=Autumn 2019 |issue=54 |magazine=Bendigo |accessdate=27 April 2020}}
Category:Chinese-Australian history Category:Culture of Bendigo