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CHAPTER 1
Dragons of the World
Timeless
The shadows of creatures dark against the night.
They are silent, moving swiftly through the skies.
Hulking forms of dragons flying through the twilight.
Ageless beasts,
they call out,
the song of times long gone and times to come full on their breath.
Many have sought these guardians of time.
In their memories is all knowledge of past and present.
Ageless are these creatures and long are their memories.
They alone hold the key to all that was and all that will be.
Their voices fill the air,
timeless reminders.
What is a dragon? In modern times the concept of the dragon has become extremely stereotyped. What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word dragon? Most likely it will be the winged, fire-breathing terror of European myth. But that is not all a dragon can be.
When looking at creatures that could possibly be considered dragons, what does the culture that the creature comes from say about it? Does the culture consider it a dragon? In many cases, snakes and dragons are intertwined in the mythos of a culture. Dragons such as wurms can be reminiscent of giant snakes. Some, such as pythons, are giant snakes. In other cases dragons and lizards are intertwined. Drakes are dragons that lack wings and look just like giant lizards.
So how do we tell what is a dragon and what is not? Below is a list of traits and attributes that the myths and legends of the world grant dragons. If your creature in question has one or more of them, then chances are you would be safe calling it a dragon.
* reptilian in looks or behavior
* avian traits such as feathers
* utilization of fire or poison as a natural defense
* being associated with water
* having control over natural occurrences such as the weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, and so forth
* being the guardian of something, be it treasure or knowledge
* magickal or supernatural abilities
* being able to fly, with or without wings
* shapeshifting ability
* being viewed as a god or a servant of the gods
Dragons in Asia
Among the Chinese and the Japanese cultures, dragons are a most potent symbol of the beneficent, rain-giving powers of the gods. They are symbols of power, royalty, and sovereignty. Among the Chinese, the dragon is one of the four great protective beasts of the country, along with unicorn, the tortoise, and the phoenix.
Asiatic dragons in general have snake-like bodies, horse-like heads, and four paws with three to four great curving claws apiece. Descriptions by the scholar Wang Fu, during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220) grant them the horns of a stag, the head of a camel, the eyes of a demon, the neck of a snake, the belly of a clam, the scales of a carp, the talons of an eagle, the feet of a tiger, and the ears of an ox. Asiatic dragons were said to have a total of 117 scales. Of these scales, 81 of them are believed to be imbued with yang energy — the active, dominant, masculine force. The remaining 36 scales are imbued with yin energy — the passive, accepting, feminine force.
Many Asiatic dragons have the ability to change shape as well, turning to human form or a more mundane animal form such as a bird or a fish. Dragons turned human or animal are always exquisite specimens of the species. Humans and other animals may also turn into dragons through various means. In a myth we will look at later, a young boy swallows a dragon pearl, and so becomes a dragon himself. Mages and sages may spend a lifetime seeking the means to turn into one of these great and wise creatures. The Dragon's Gate, located on the Yellow River in China, is a place where fish may be changed into dragons.
There are differences between the male and female Asiatic dragons. Males tend to have more rigid and unruly manes, horns that are thinner near the head and thicker near the outer parts, and are often depicted with clubs in their tails. Females, on the other hand, tend to have nicer, balanced manes, horns thicker at the base and more tapered at the top, and are depicted with fans held in their tails.
The dragon's voices are said to sound like the sweet jingling of bells. Depending on the age and type of dragon, the Asiatic dragons may or may not have wings. Some dragons lack them completely and some do not gain wings until they are fully mature. These dragons can, nevertheless, fly by floating in the air using magic. Dragons may have what the Chinese call a chi'ih-muh, a natural looking bump on their foreheads that facilitates wingless flight. Dragons that do not have the chi'ih-muh carry a wand called a po-shan that serves the same function. A good example of an Asiatic style dragon lacking wings is Falkor, the Luckdragon of The Neverending Story. Falkor also has the bell-like voice of the Asian dragons. Many Asiatic dragons get part of their power from a pearl called a "pearl of wisdom" or "dragon jewel" that they keep tucked under their chins, under their tongues, or embedded in their foreheads.
Chinese Dragons
Dragons have always played an important part in Chinese culture. China's Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne and wore Dragon Robes.
The dragons that adorned the Emperor's robes sported five toes instead of the usual four. These dragons were called shen-lung or Imperial Dragons. According to myth the first Emperor was the dragon-god Yu. The ordinary people of China even refer to themselves as the Children of the Dragon or the People of the Dragon.
The Chinese Dragon Dance, used today for luck and prosperity and performed during the Chinese New Year, originated as a ritual to encourage rainfall, as dragons were the masters of the rains and waters. Another important Chinese holiday to feature dragons is the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, during which dragon-shaped boats are raced on all of the country's waterways. This festival is a nation-wide prayer for a good harvest to result from the rains sent by the dragons. Even today, full-fledged belief in dragons exists in China. A good example of this is evident in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong, where an apartment complex built near a mountain was created with a hole in the center to allow the dragon who was said to dwell on the mountain an unobstructed view of the ocean. This was done in the hopes of keeping the dragon's goodwill.
Chinese dragons (and most other Asiatic dragons) live for millenia and undergo many changes throughout their lifetimes. A Chinese dragon is not considered fully mature until it reaches the age of 3,000 years. A baby dragon is hatched from a brilliant, gem-like egg that was laid some 1,000 years before. The newly hatched dragon resembles nothing so much as a very large water snake or eel. When it attains the age of 500 years, the hatchling dragon will gain a head similar to a carp. During this stage, the youngling dragon is known as a Kiao. At the age of 1,500 years, the young dragon will have grown four stubby legs with four claws on each paw, an elongated head and tail, and a profuse beard. Now it is called Kiao-lung. By the time two millenia have passed, the dragon will have gained horns and a new name, Kioh-lung. During the final millenium, it will grow wings. At the age of 3,000 years, the fully grown dragon is named Ying-lung. When most people today think of Chinese (or Japanese) dragons, these last two forms are the ones that readily come to mind.
Types of Dragons
Ch'i-lung: These dragons are stuck at the Kiao-lung stage. They lack horns and are tri-colored, being red, white, and green.
Dragon Horse: Dragon horses look like horses but have a dragonesque head and scales instead of fur. Some dragon horses can fly, though none have wings. Most, however, are water dwellers. These creatures are considered divine messengers. A dragon horse is said to have emerged from the Yellow River and gave the Emperor a circular diagram representing the Yin-Yang. A dragon horse is also said to have emerged from the River Lao and revealed the eight tri- grams of the I-Ching. In the anime series Inuyasha, the wolf demon Sesshoumaru travels in a chariot pulled by a two-headed dragon horse.
The Dragon Kings: The five immortal Dragon Kings dwell under the sea in elaborate crystal palaces. One Dragon King is the overall chief, and each of the other four represent one of the Four Cardinal Directions: North, South, East, and West. Their names are Ao Ch'in, Ao Jun, Ao Kuang, and Ao Shun respectively. The Dragon Kings answer to the Jade Emperor, who tells them where to distribute the rains. According to legend, the Dragon Kings are 3–5 miles long with shaggy legs and tails and whiskered muzzles. Their slinky, serpentine bodies are covered in golden scales. It is said that when the Dragon Kings rise to the surface, waterspouts and typhoons are created, and when they take to the air, massive typhoons result. Only the exceptional were chosen to meet with the great ocean sovereigns. The Dragon Kings play a major role in the 16th century Chinese folk legend Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en, in which the Great Sage Equalling Heaven (also called Son Goku or the Monkey King) terrorized the Dragon Kings before being captured and trapped underneath the Mountain of Five Elements. The Dragon Kings show up later in the story to assist Goku in his trials attempting to protect the T'ang Priest Sanzang. In addition to the four oceanic Dragon Kings, there were a few others. Lung Wang is the fifth Dragon King and the master of Fire. Pai Lung is yet another of the Dragon Kings. He is very unique, because he is all white.
Fe-lian and Shen-yi: These are rival dragons. Fe-lian is a Wind god, and he carries a bag of Wind. He is a grand troublemaker and is watched over by Shen-yi, the Great Archer. Fe-lian and Shen-yi serve as balances to one another.
Fu-T'sang Lung: The Fu-T'sang Lung are subterranean dragons. They are guardians of great wealth and great wisdom. The Fu-T'sang Lung are also called treasure dragons, and the best modern example of them is found in the emblem for the popular Mortal Kombat game and movie series.
Golden Dragon Yu: Yu is a great golden dragon with a wonderous mane and five claws on each paw. According to the myth, Yu is the dragon that became the first Chinese Emperor, and he is the symbol of the Emperor of China. He is also seen as a symbol of rebirth.
Gou Mang and Rou Shou: These are two of China's cosmic dragons who serve as messengers to the gods. They are ti'en- lung dragons. Gou mang is said to bring good fortune and is a herald for the coming of spring. Rou shou brings bad fortune and heralds the coming of fall.
Great Chi'en-Tang: The master of all River Dragons, he has flaming red scales and a fiery mane. Chi'en-Tang is 900 feet long.
K'uh-lung: These dragons are not born from jeweled eggs. Rather, they are created from seaweed. The K'uh-lung, similar to many other types, are stuck at the Kiao-lung stage of the draconic life cycle. They have webbed feet that are more flipper-like than foot-like. They are entirely aquatic and do not fly.
Lei Chen-tzu: This dragon is a great, green dragon with wings. He also has a boar-like head complete with tushes. Lei Chen-tzu did not begin life as a dragon. He was the son of Lei, the Thunder Dragon, born from a clap of thunder. He was born as a human, but upon eating two magickal apricots, transformed into a dragon. Lei Chen-tzu is often used as a symbol of righteousness and heroism.
Li-lung: The Li-lung are the benevolent dragons of earth, wind, and water. These dragons are said to ascend into the heavens in the forms of typhoons or waterspouts.
Lung: The Lung or "Horned Dragons" are the most powerful of the Chinese dragons even though they are completely deaf. They have the power to call the rains and control the clouds. In art the Lung is depicted with its head pointing to the south and its tail to the north. These dragons are associated with the east and with the sun.
Lung-wang: The lung-wang is a chimeric dragon creature with the body of a human and the head of a dragon. It is associated with the Element of Fire.
Pai Lung: This dragon is another of the Dragon Kings. He is quite unusual in that he is a white dragon. Pai Lung was born of a human mother through a virgin birth. He has dazzling white scales and is a fully matured dragon.
P'an-lung: The P'an-lung are stuck at the Kiao-lung stage of draconic development. They, unlike other types of dragons, can not fly. They do not have wings, a chi'ih-muh, or a po-shan.
Pa Snakes: The Pa are huge, serpentine dragons lacking any limbs or wings at all. The favorite food of the Pa are elephants, so they are most likely found in areas where elephants dwell. When they eat an elephant, they do not spit out the bones for three years!
P'eng-niao: These bird-dragons are rare in Chinese myth. They have the head of a dragon and the wings and lower body of a bird. In some cases, they may have a completely serpentine body with feathered scales, bird-like wings, and bird-like legs and feet.
Pi-hsi: This chimeric dragon is Lord of the Rivers. Pi- hsi has the shell of an armored tortoise and the feet, tail, and head of a dragon. A modern representation of this dragon shows up in the Final Fantasy game series as the giant Adamantoise enemies.
Shin-lung: These are the azure-scaled dragons that bring the winds and rains for the benefit of mankind.
T'ao T'ieh: This is one of the oldest known Chinese dragons. The T'ao T'ieh has one head but two bodies, each with its own tail and set of hind-limbs. This sixlegged dragon reperesents gluttony and is used on dishes as a subtle deterrent to being greedy at the dinner table. T'ao T'ieh is one of the creatures featured in the PlayStation 2 game Culdcept.
Ti'en-lung: The Ti'en-lung are the guardians of the celestial palaces of the gods.
Ying-Long: These dragons are rather unique. They have fur instead of scales and usually have feathered wings. Nall and Ruby from the Playstation games Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue are good examples of Ying-long dragons.
Yu-lung: The Yu-lung has a fish body and a dragon- like head. Yu-lung are considered very lucky and are often used to represent success in passing exams.
Japanese Dragons
For the most part, Japanese dragons resemble Chinese dragons in appearance and growth. Japanese dragons tend to be more serpentine, however, and they have only three claws as opposed to the four or five on the Chinese dragons. Japanese dragons are the natural enemies of the kitsune, or fox spirits.
Types of Dragons
Fuku-ryu: These are dragons of luck. They end life in the kiao-lung phase, but can fly nonetheless, using the means listed previously for the Chinese dragons. Falkor of The Neverending Story is a fuku-ryu.
Han-ryu: The han-ryu is a multi-colored dragon that is a cousin of the Chinese Ch'i-lung. It is over 40 feet in length. This dragon, so go the legends, will never reach heaven no matter how hard it tries.
Tatsu: These dragons are said to be descended from a primitive variety of three-toed Chinese dragon. The tatsu are more closely linked with the sea than with the rains, as Japan is less likely to suffer from devastating droughts.
Ka-ryu: The Ka-ryu is among the smallest of the Japanese dragons. They have fiery red scales and end their growth in the kiao-lung phase.
Kiyo: This is a dragon that was once a human. It is a symbol of power and vengeance.
Tobi-tatsu: This dragon is serpentine, having a dragon head and the feathered wings and lower body of a bird. Sound familiar? The tobi-tatsu are related to the p'eng-niao of China. These dragons are similar to the amphiteres of Europe and the plumed serpents of the Americas. Another name for these dragons is hai-ryu.
Ri-ryu: These dragons can attain full maturity culminating in the growth of wings. Beyond that, they do have one feature that makes them different from other dragons we have gone over; the ri-ryu have exceptional sight. They can see much farther and with even greater clarity than other dragons.
Ryo-Wo: This is another Japanese Dragon King. It is in charge of the Tidal Jewels, which control the tides of the world. Ryo-wo is credited with giving jellyfish their shape. It's palace beneath the sea is called Ryugu.
Sui-ryu: This is one of the Japanese Dragon Kings. It has attained the full maturity of dragonkind and is in charge of all the rains. For this it is also known as the Rain Dragon.
Ukasima Dragon: This is a great white-scaled dragon that dwells in the Ukasima Lake at Yama-shiro, near Kyoto. It is said that every 50 years the dragon ascends from the lake and takes the form of a golden songbird, or o-goa-cho. The dragon's songs, however, bring only sadness and misery to the land and are reminiscent of the mournful sound of wolfsong. The sight or sound of this creature is a portent of disaster and ill fortune. The Ukasima Dragon is usually a herald for severe drought. The last reported sighting of the o-goa-cho was in April of 1834. Widespread famine and an outbreak of the plague followed this last sighting of the Ukasima Dragon.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Oberon Zell Presents Dragonlore"
by .
Copyright © 2006 Ash "LeopardDancer" DeKirk.
Excerpted by permission of Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
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