Longmen (mythology)

Jumping the falls print, folio from the Fang shi mo pu (方氏墨譜). It is a Chinese symbol of an examination.

In Chinese mythology, Longmen (lit. 登龍門 "Dragon Gate") is located at the top of a waterfall cascading from a legendary mountain. The legend states that while many carp swim upstream against the river's strong current, few are capable or brave enough for the final leap over the waterfall. If a carp successfully makes the jump, it is transformed into a powerful dragon.[1] The legend is so famous that throughout China, a common saying is that "a student facing his examinations is like a carp attempting to leap the Dragon Gate."

  1. ^ Lewis, Mark Edward (February 2012). The Flood Myths of Early China. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-8222-3.