The first image that comes to my mind when looking at the Dragon Returns to the Sea (龙归大海) would most
probably be that of a water-spattering dragon (水溅飞龙). But, I don’t think that such a
term exists in the Chinese dictionary. Haha.
So what exactly
comes to my mind is the spray of water created when the victorious dragon
returns to the sea. You must now be thinking: What nonsense are you talking about?
What would the dragon create besides a spray of water when it returns to the
sea?
Allow me to explain my thoughts. I’m sure you are familiar with the Chinese
folklore, A Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate (鱼跃龙门), in which a golden carp is said to turn into a dragon after leaping over
the Dragon Gate. There is this particular line that says: fishes and dragons
share the same roots, (the fish) turns into a dragon after leaping over the
Dragon Gate (鱼龙本是同种生，跃上龙门便成龙). Hence,
the golden carp tried all means possible to leap over the Dragon Gate in order
to turn into a dragon. Having done so, why does this free-spirited dragon want
to return to the sea now? Shouldn’t the carp love the endless blue sky and
enjoy the feeling of being a dragon?
This is because the dragon misses the sea! Even
the dragon does not forget where its happiness came from (饮水思源).
It is the limits of the sea that propelled the carp to turn into a
dragon exploring the boundless sky, and now it is its yearning for the depths
of the sea that draws it back to the ocean. This dragon returns to sea with a
victorious display of water— the spray of water created in the instant of the dragon’s return to the
sea is so spectacular that it astonishes the underwater world.
We must always remember where our happiness came from (饮水思源). I am grateful to Lotus on Water: for my first job in Singapore, for my first pay check, for my first dinner at a high-end restaurant, for my first branded bag… Whether you are drinking boiling water or warm water, you have to remember its source, as without this boiling water, you would not appreciate the comfort of the warm water. Like the sun and the moon, without the glaring sun, you would not appreciate the gentle moon.
We must always remember where our happiness came from (饮水思源). I am grateful to Lotus on Water: for my first job in Singapore, for my first pay check, for my first dinner at a high-end restaurant, for my first branded bag… Whether you are drinking boiling water or warm water, you have to remember its source, as without this boiling water, you would not appreciate the comfort of the warm water. Like the sun and the moon, without the glaring sun, you would not appreciate the gentle moon.
When we drink, we must think of its source and be grateful, as this is the fundament of humanity and also the spray of water created by your success. We must not forget our original intention, we must not be ungrateful, as even the dragon does not forget where its happiness came from and it decided to return to the sea.
-- Ruyi, Advisor Assistant
(Translated)
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