The Murals
Laura Blaker, an artist from Missoula, MT, paints the HuHot murals.
Do the murals on our walls actually mean something?? YES!
We're sure you've seen this famous mural in our restaurants...
The dragon mural was inspired by this ancient ancient Mongolian story....
In ancient times lived a king called Azur, who ruled the Kingdom of Kucha. He had divine magical power with which he could defeat poisonous vipers and subdue dragons.
At that time people traded gold, silver, and precious gems at the market. Surprisingly, one night all these treasures changed into charcoal. Several hundred families in the country lost all their wealth and were reduced to living in poverty.
King Azur had a son who had become a monk at an early age and had been a devout Buddhist ever since. As a result, he had become an Arhat, a Buddhist saint who has achieved enlightenment.
The king asked the Arhat about what happened to his people’s treasures, and the Arhat explained that this had been the work of the Dragon, whose head equaled in size that of a tiger. The dragon lived somewhere on the Northern Mountain and was hibernating at the time.
Upon hearing this, the king changed his clothes. Taking with him his sword he began his journey to the mountain. Quietly he arrived at the Dragon’s lair and was just about to kill him, when he had a second thought: “No,” he told himself, “if I kill this Dragon while he is asleep, who will know that I have supernatural magic powers?” So he shouted at the Dragon, who woke up startled and shocked.
Momentarily the Dragon changed himself into a lion. Just as quickly however the King had mounted his back to ride him. This enraged the Dragon, who belched forth fire so violently that it seemed as though a bolt of lightning had struck. Then, as Dragon, he soared up toward the sky and flew away with the King on his back. In no time at all they traveled ten li north of the city.
The King was not perturbed. He calmly talked to the Dragon: “If you do not surrender, I will cut off your head.”
The Dragon was afraid of the King’s magical powers and begged him: Please do not kill me!
I will gladly be your majesty’s mount. Wherever you like to go, I will gladly take you there.”
The King agreed, and ever since that time he rode that Dragon as if it were his horse.
Do the murals on our walls actually mean something?? YES!
We're sure you've seen this famous mural in our restaurants...
The dragon mural was inspired by this ancient ancient Mongolian story....
The King of Kucha
In ancient times lived a king called Azur, who ruled the Kingdom of Kucha. He had divine magical power with which he could defeat poisonous vipers and subdue dragons.
At that time people traded gold, silver, and precious gems at the market. Surprisingly, one night all these treasures changed into charcoal. Several hundred families in the country lost all their wealth and were reduced to living in poverty.
King Azur had a son who had become a monk at an early age and had been a devout Buddhist ever since. As a result, he had become an Arhat, a Buddhist saint who has achieved enlightenment.
The king asked the Arhat about what happened to his people’s treasures, and the Arhat explained that this had been the work of the Dragon, whose head equaled in size that of a tiger. The dragon lived somewhere on the Northern Mountain and was hibernating at the time.
Upon hearing this, the king changed his clothes. Taking with him his sword he began his journey to the mountain. Quietly he arrived at the Dragon’s lair and was just about to kill him, when he had a second thought: “No,” he told himself, “if I kill this Dragon while he is asleep, who will know that I have supernatural magic powers?” So he shouted at the Dragon, who woke up startled and shocked.
Momentarily the Dragon changed himself into a lion. Just as quickly however the King had mounted his back to ride him. This enraged the Dragon, who belched forth fire so violently that it seemed as though a bolt of lightning had struck. Then, as Dragon, he soared up toward the sky and flew away with the King on his back. In no time at all they traveled ten li north of the city.
The King was not perturbed. He calmly talked to the Dragon: “If you do not surrender, I will cut off your head.”
The Dragon was afraid of the King’s magical powers and begged him: Please do not kill me!
I will gladly be your majesty’s mount. Wherever you like to go, I will gladly take you there.”
The King agreed, and ever since that time he rode that Dragon as if it were his horse.
