Chinese Dragon Types
There are nine types of Chinese dragons, also regarded as the Oriental Dragons. You should also note that nine is a very lucky number to the Chinese. These are: the horned dragon, the celestial dragon, the spiritual dragon, the winged dragon, the dragon of hidden treasures, the coiling dragon, the yellow dragon, and the dragon king. Each of these dragon types has a special attribute to them.
The Horned dragon is also know as Lung. They are the most powerful of the Oriental Dragons and are completely deaf. They how the power to produce rain, too. It should also be noted that the head points South, and the tail points North. In addition, they are a symbol of the East and the sun.
The Celestial dragon protects the mansions of the gods to the Chinese, and the Spiritual dragon creates rain and wind for mankind. The Dragon of Hidden Treasures helps keep watch over concealed wealth, and the coiling dragon lives in the water, primarily lakes and deep, deep waters. The yellow dragon is especially important, for this dragon emerged from water and aided the Emperor Fu Shi by showing him writing.
The Dragon King is really four dragons, and these dragons keep watch over the four main seas. They were honored and respected, for they were the ones the Chinese went to if there was little or no rain. The four lived in the North, South, East, or West waters.
Eastern dragons were revered and honored as demi-gods. Why? They were the primary source of rain, which the Chinese viewed as essential to life. Furthermore, dragons could cause dangerous floods if they were not satisfied.
The only fears that Chinese dragons had were simple. Dragons feared tigers, perhaps due to the fact that they were the "opposites" of each other (in the Chinese Zodiacs). Other fears include beeswax, silk died in five colors, the lien tree, iron, and the still unknown wang plant. Why did they fear them? Well, Chinese believe in balance, like the Yin Yang. For all good, there must be bad. For all brave, there must be some fear. Each fear has an element:
Fire - beeswax (lights the candle)
Earth - wang plant
Water - silk (flow of silk)
Wood - lien tree
Metal - iron (made of man)
All - silk died in five colors, meaning all the elements
Most of the Eastern dragons could also shape shift. They could take the form of different creatures, such as beasts or man. Whensoever they did this, they were always the most beautiful and kind of all the species.
In turn, other animals, including humans, could become dragons. Mainly through magic, people could turn into one of these amazing beasts. One story is of a man studying the magics to change into a dragon. Another has it that a boy swallowed a dragon pearl and transformed into one.
There is also the Dragon's Gate, where fish can take the challenge to become a dragon. They must swim against torrents of water and clear a huge leap, and if they complete this they can become a dragon themselves. This gate is located in the Yellow River at the border between the Shensi and Shansi providences. The transformation from fish to dragon is said to be instantaneous. In addition, the dragons are said to rise from this gate in to the skies in the spring and descend into the waters in autumn.
All Chinese dragons are said to have one hundred and seventeen scales total. Eighty-one of these scales are "yang", or the active, dominant, moving force. The other thirty-six scales are said to be of "yin", or the passive, recessive, accepting force. This is said to keep the dragon in balance.
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