Did you noticed, a visual symbols that represent Asia? The most answer is: Dragon and Yin Yang symbol. A Yin Yang symbols is Ok, because almost every people in Asia knew it, even Middle East Asians. Otherwise, Yin Yang symbol have a long story about Asians. The depth meaning of Yin Yang symbol has been understood by most Asian people, all because of widespread Taoism and Confucianism teaching. But, what about the dragon?, the dragon is different than Yin Yang symbols who have a depth meaning while dragon is just a myth creatures matter. From my viewpoint the dragon cannot represent the Asia and Asian people as visual device. Asia have a lot of cultures!.
The Origin of dragon itself as Myth Creatures rooted from china, to Korean Peninsula, until Japan. So, if you see the dragon symbol on every visual communication form, and the context is to say “Asia”, actually it refers to China. But why it’s so common to visualize “Asia or Asians” with Dragon? European have dragon too, but I ever seen those symbols used to identify Europe. Now, dragon symbol being a default symbol to represent Asia, and it’s overused.
My stupid answer why dragon is overused symbol to represent Asia is simple, because it’s cool. But that’s not the point. I think all because widespread of Chinese culture and Chinese people who live in outside china. They’re everywhere, from USA to Europe, from north-pole until south-pole. Not sure, if they are in Africa too. The point is Chinese carried this dragon as their identity because they’re live in outside their homeland. Otherwise, many Chinese people uphold tight their culture in wherever they are. Slowly, this culture and its identity leverage across the globe wherever Chinese people live in. Eventually dragon become most overused symbol to represent Asia (because Chinese coming from East Asia continent).
Sometimes, it’s ridiculous thing for me. As I stated above, Asia have rich culture as well as visual symbols. But, why just these two symbols have been chosen to represent Asia by most people even they’re not Asians? Why not to explore another symbol?. For example, if we put a boundaries to choose only animal or creatures as visual symbol to represent Asia—India have a king cobra, Thailand have an elephant, Indonesia have a Garuda bird, Arabian have a camel, Korean have a Tiger, etc.
I think, it is a challenge for me as new generation designer to have depth understanding about our own culture before we design something, so we can add a value as well as meaning to our artwork. Not just merely put visual element for nothing in our artwork. I’m not opposed one culture to another here, just giving my perspective on what’s happen now. The Chinese people have done a great work to incorporating their native culture into their Art and spread across the world with consistent identity. It’s time for us to do same as Chinese do, are we?