Dragons From Different Parts of the World

By: Rachel BoxerPeriod A/1

March 30, 2011

Table of Contents

• Chinese Dragons• Japanese Dragons• Korean Dragons• Contrasting the Japanese,

Chinese, and Korean Dragons

• Vietnamese Dragons• Anglo-Saxon Dragons • The Dragon in Beowulf

• Nine types:– Tianlong

• Celestial Dragon • Ruler of the dragons • Protects the heavens and homes of the deities

– Shenlong • Spiritual Dragon• Controls the weather

– Dilong• Earth Dragon• Controls rivers

– Fucanglong • Underworld Dragon• Guards metals and jewels buried in the ground

– Jiaolong • Horned Dragon• Is the mightiest of all dragons

– Yinglong • Winged Dragon• Only dragon with wings

– Panlong • Coiling Dragon• Dwells in the ocean

– Huanglong • Yellow Dragon• Hornless dragon• Known for its knowledge

– The Imperial dragon • Dragon King• Four honored dragons • People went to them when there was no rain• Each dragon rules over either north, south, east, or west

Chinese Dragons

Chinese Dragons Continued

• Chinese dragon is the ultimate symbol of good fortune.

• Ancient Chinese texts described the Chinese dragon having deer antlers, a camel’s head, rabbits’ eyes, a snake’s neck, a crocodile’s belly, eagle claws, buffalo ears, tiger paws, and carp scales.

Japanese Dragons

• A very famous dragon is Yamata no Orochi who has eight heads and eight tails.

• Modern popular culture describes dragons as having healing magical energies. They can also fly and possess the power of anthropomorphism.

• Japanese people believe that dragons bring wealth and good fortune.

• Japanese dragons are called Ryugu in Japanese mythology.

Japanese Dragons Continued• Types and Famous Dragons:

– Tatsu dragons • Represents spirituality and imperial power

– Sui-Riu dragons• Brings rain to the island of Japan

– Han-Riu dragon• Tallest of all dragons• Measures up to 40 feet long• Reaches the heavens

– Ri-Riu dragon • Possesses unusually keen eye-sight

– Ka-Riu dragon • Smallest of all dragons• Is red

– Fuku Riu dragon• Brings luck to the people

– Hai-Riyo dragon • Has a bird-like shape • Evolved out of Chinese mythology

Korean Dragons

• Korean dragons are benevolent beings. • They are usually linked with water and agriculture. • In Korean mythology and art, the symbol of the

dragon represents the emperor. • Korean dragons have long beards and are

wingless. • It is believed that Korean dragons have a camel's

head, a rabbit’s eyes, a serpentine’s neck, a frog’s belly, and a tiger’s feet.

Korean Dragons Continued

• Three types: – Yong• Powerful sky dragon

– Yo• Hornless ocean dragon

– Kyo• Mountain dragon

Contrasting the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean Dragons

• The feet– Chinese dragons have five claws.

• Chinese people believe that when the dragons fly away, they lose toes. – The farther the dragons fly, the more toes they lose.

– Korean dragons have four claws.• Koreans believe that when the dragons leave Korea going to China, the

dragons gain toes.• They also believe that when the dragons leave Korea headed toward

Japan, the dragons lose toes.– Japanese dragons have three claws.

• Japanese people believe that when the dragons fly away, they gain toes.– The farther the dragons fly, the more toes they gain.

Vietnamese Dragons• Dragons are a very

important and are a sacred symbol.

• The Kinh people had a myth that all people descended from dragons.

• The Vietnamese dragons are the symbol of the Yang representing life, growth, universe, and existence.

• Tran Dynasty lasted from 1225-1500.• The Vietnamese dragon symbolizes the martial

arts because the Tran kings descended from Mandarin commanders.

Vietnamese Dragons Continued

Tran Dynasty

Anglo-Saxon Dragons

• The Saxons, Angles, and Jutes had a flag that they called the White Dragon Flag.

The Dragon in Beowulf

• In other translations of Beowulf, the dragon is classified as a fire-drake. – Drakes do not have wings; therefore, they cannot fly. – There are two types of drakes: cold-drakes and fire-drakes.

• Cold-drakes are white or light blue and breath snow and hail. • Fire-drakes are red and breath fire.

The Dragon in Beowulf Continued

• The dragon Beowulf fights has wings, breathes fire, and is 50 feet long.

Bibliography • http://dragonsinn.net/east-2.htm • http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215373/History/SymbolforAll.htm• http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0215373/History/HistoricalEvolution.htm• http://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/more_chinese_dragons.php • http://www.polenth.com/myth/essbeo.html • http://www.whitedragonflagofengland.com• http://www.draconian.com/whatis/whatis.htm • http://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/japanese_dragons.php • http://www.mapsofworld.com/japan/japanese-dragon.html • http://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/korean_dragons.php • http://www.dragonorama.com/oriental/korean.html• http://www.dragonsinn.net/korea.htm • http://draconian.com/dragons/vietnamese-dragon.php • http://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/vietnamese_dragons.php • http://www.blackdrago.com/easterndragons.htm

Bibliography Continued• http://www.elfwood.com/art/n/a/nadiasultan/beowulf_dragon.jpg.html • http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.yoyogames.com/extras/image

/name/san1/501/13501/dragons.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.yoyogames.com/games/5645-alien-walker&usg=__i2nbEtsw5l5vA-RqleK3hi7etn4=&h=725&w=583&sz=85&hl=en&start=21&zoom=1&tbnid=SXsTBE_okf2FaM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=131&ei=yEyOTcbNJMXi0gHvoYS4Cw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddragons%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GZAZ_enUS418US418%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D577%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C439&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=131&vpy=232&dur=894&hovh=250&hovw=201&tx=115&ty=157&oei=t0yOTY7PFc6BtgfX4O26DQ&page=2&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:10,s:21&biw=1345&bih=577

• http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mtroy.com/images/dragon.jpg&imgrefurl=http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00718/index_files/page0009.html&usg=__tkK8X-qayQsk-3iHKa24grLRfCU=&h=551&w=679&sz=114&hl=en&start=71&zoom=1&tbnid=rnGkuEaHk_7esM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=181&ei=pending&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddragons%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GZAZ_enUS418US418%26biw%3D1345%26bih%3D577%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=155&oei=t0yOTY7PFc6BtgfX4O26DQ&page=4&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:71&tx=94&ty=5