by Cean Burgeson

Created on: December 09, 2011

The dragon is a legendary and mythical creature in Chinese culture. Dragons are portrayed in Chinese art, architecture, and throughout their lore. Many temples and historical buildings feature dragon iconology. In China, the dragon symbolizes power and potency. It is also a symbol of strength and good luck, and is often traditionally associated with the Emperor. In addition to being a strong character in Chinese myth, the dragon appears in Chinese proverbs. Today, the dragon remains a symbol of China and Chinese culture, as well as a main decorative figure.

 
Dragons have been a part of Chinese mythology for thousands of years. Its exact origin is not certain, but dragons have been found within Chinese culture dating back to the fifth millennium B.C. from the Yang Shao culture in Henan. Ancient Chinese believed that dinosaur bones they unearthed were actually dragon bones. Fossils and bones were even used for traditional medicines because they were believed to have belonged to dragons.
 
One Chinese myth surrounds the first legendary Emperor of China, Huangdi, who used a snake for his coat of arms. According to the myth, every time he defeated a group of people he incorporated their emblem into his own. This is why the dragon sometimes appears to have the features of other animals. Myths say that the dragon has nine anatomical resemblances, according to Han Dynasty scholar Wang Fu: The head of a horse or camel, the tail and neck of a snake, horns of a stag, eyes of a demon, belly of a clam, scales of a carp, claws of an eagle, soles of a tiger, and ears of a cow. Upon his head he has a lump called a chimu which he must have in order to fly. In some depictions, the dragon has bat-like wings, in others he has none. According to Chinese mythology, the dragon can fly regardless of the presence of wings.
 
Chinese dragons were believed to have 117 scales; 81 were of the yang essence, and 36 or the yin essence. In the yin and the yang, the dragon is the yang and his yin is the mythical Chinese Phoenix. The dragon is also seen this way in art and other depictions. If the dragon carries a flaming pearl beneath his chin, it can symbolize wealth, good luck, and prosperity. It is bad luck, however, to depict a dragon facing downwards, as he cannot ascend skywards.
 
The powers of the dragon are many. He can disguise himself as a silkworm, or become as large as the universe. He can fly in the sky or swim in the water. A dragon can form clouds, turn into water,

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