| Chinese dragons are based on mythology that | | | | with water, it is a likely theory.The imperial |
| goes back thousands of years. In European | | | | dragon, called lung, is part of four animals |
| mythology the dragon has a negative connotation, | | | | considered to have spiritual power: the phoenix, |
| but in the Chinese culture dragons are benevolent | | | | unicorn, and tortoise. The dragon is the foremost |
| creatures that possess power, wisdom, and the | | | | of the four animals, and is considered to have |
| ability to bring good luck. The imperial dragon, the | | | | wisdom and power. It represented the emperors |
| lung, is one of the most common types. Dragons | | | | of China, who themselves were called dragons. |
| represented emperors in the imperial age, and | | | | Lung is believed to have evolved from the Indian |
| were believed to have divine powers. Dragons are | | | | dragonlike nagas, which were snakes with human |
| associated with water, perhaps reflecting the way | | | | faces that lived in subterranean water.Chinese |
| that the ancient Chinese viewed alligators during a | | | | dragon artIn Chinese art, the dragon is depicted in |
| flood. In Chinese art dragons are beautifully | | | | various vivid colors. However, the chiao type has |
| depicted in vivid colors. One of the most ancient | | | | a green stripe on its back, yellow sides, and a red |
| forms of dragon art in China is jade sculpturing, | | | | belly. The lung type is either green or gold, with |
| some of which date back 5,000 years, including a | | | | short and long spines on its back and tail.Lung |
| statute that is 26 cm long. Chinese dragon are still | | | | dragons have nine main characteristics: a |
| depicted in art, and the dragon is continues to be | | | | camel-like head, deer-like horns, hare-like eyes, |
| revered as a creature that brings prosperity and | | | | bull-like ears, iguana-like neck, frog-like belly, |
| abundance, and the ultimate symbol of good | | | | carp-like scales, tiger-like paws, and eagle-like |
| luck.The Chinese today believe that the dragon is | | | | claws. It also has large canine-like teeth on the |
| an extinct animal. Some experts believe that the | | | | upper part of its jaw, and long whiskers (probably |
| dragon mythology stems from how the ancient | | | | believed to be used for moving at the bottom of |
| Chinese viewed the alligators during a flood | | | | muddy water). |
| season. Considering that dragons are associated | | | | |