- Asian Dragons - Chinese Dragon
- Oriental Dragons - Ancient China Dragon -
Chinese dragons are also physically concise
-- 117 scales, of which 36 are imbued with Yin energy and 81 with Yang
energy. They are also equipped with exactly 5 claws in each hand and
each foot. Since the reign of Emperor Kao Tsu during the Han Dynasty (206
B.C.), a dragon depicted with five claws is considered the emblem of imperial
power in China. According to Chinese legend, the farther a dragon travels
away from China, the more claws it loses. This explains why dragons from
other Asian countries have less than five claws. A little to the north,
the Koreans have lived for centuries with their own distinct set of beliefs.
But they are also bound by a common Asian symbol. In Korea, dragons are called yong, and there are three main
types: Yong is the most powerful and protects the sky. Yo is hornless and
lives in the ocean. Kyo dwells in the mountains on Earth.The Korean dragon
has the head of a camel, the horns of a deer, the eyes of a rabbit, the
ears of an ox, the neck of a snake, the belly of a frog, the scales of a carp, the claws
of a hawk, and the feet of a tiger. Like the Chinese, Koreans also believe
the original Asian dragon originated in their homeland, where it was born with 81 scales lining
its back and four claws in each hand and each foot. According to legend,
a yong traveling to the West or South would grow an extra claw -- thus, Chinese dragons have five claws. As it travels to the East or North it loses a claw, thus dragons from Japan would have three claws.
Dragons in Japan are similar to their Chinese counterparts. Known as
tatsu or ryu, Japanese dragons are also national symbols and the insignia
of the royal family. According to Japanese lore, a single female dragon
spawned nine young dragons -- and like the Chinese, each of the nine
became distinctive sub-types, reigning in heaven, the seas, and all points
of the Earth. However, Japanese dragons are more serpent-like and have
the ability to alter its size at will, or become invisible.
Tatsus are also identifiable by their three claws. Chinese beliefs
maintain that since the dragon has traveled so far away from China,
they have lost all but three claws in Japan. But in Japan, the original Asian
dragon is native to their country, where it was born with only three
claws. According to the Japanese, dragons traveling away from Japan would
grow extra claws. Regardless of the region of origin, Asian dragons
are usually depicted in the colors blue, black, white, red, or the ever-popular
yellow. Often, they are shown bearing a pearl in their mouth, under their chin, or
in their claws. This pearl symbolizes the power that enables the dragon
to ascend to heaven. A beloved figure, dragons are not only a symbol of identity, but also the essence of Asia. Chinese Dragon: Chinese dragon
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