Dragon: The Heart of Chinese Culture

Many believe that the dragon originated with the Yellow Emperor, Huang Di who reigned in the years 2696 - 2598 B.C. and is considered the ancestor of all Chinese people. His original coat of arms featured a snake and each time he defeated another leader, he would add the symbol of that person's coat of arms onto his own. That is why the Chinese dragon is made from a number of other creatures. His body is a snake; he has fish scales and tail; deer antlers; his face is that of a gilin (yet another mythical animal); demon eyes; and four eagle talons. Combining all these features together creates an impressive Chinese dragon picture. They were able to fly, some say as a result of pursuing a magical flaming pearl that they chase in order to become airborne.

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Chinese dragons symbols of yang, the creative, active force. symbol of success and prosperity. the number 9 is associated with the dragon and considered lucky. That happens to be my lucky number and the number 8 is a close second.

Product Description: From beneath the hood of his intricate armor, a horned dragon inspires heartfelt fear with his malicious stare. Removable swords are a chillingly accurate miniature version of the mighty weapons wielded by history's fiercest warriors. A crest fit for a king, ready to mount on the wall or door of your own castle! Polyresin with pewter swords. 8 5/8" x 2" x 9 1/2" high.

Although we usually associate the dragon with Chinese culture, other Asian nations also claim him as their own. This has led to a debate as to how many toes he has. There are conflicting stories. One belief is that the Chinese dragon has five toes but as he walks across the earth, the farther away from China he gets, his toes start dropping off. For that reason he can only go as far as Japan, otherwise he would have no toes left. Official historical documents say that the Chinese dragon had four toes and the Imperial dragon had five. Whatever interpretation you accept, it is clear that toes play an important part in dragon-lore.

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Dragonology:
The Complete Book of Dragons
(Ologies)

Editorial Reviews: From Booklist
Gr. 5-8. Purportedly a facsimile of an original book published in 1896, this is a handsome, dryly tongue-in-cheek volume about "the proper study of the dragonologist or student of dragon lore." Replete with large foldout pages, small inset foldouts, and maps showing dragons as indigenous to most parts of the world, the book covers everything from dragon habitats, physiology, and behavior to finding, tracking, taming, and flying them. The pages are sturdy and have an antique look about them, as do the plentiful, mostly full-color illustrations, some of which were contributed by Helen Ward. Appendixes provide advice on setting up a dragonology lab, useful spells and charms, and a history of dragonologists and dragon slayers. There are also ads for equipment, such as the "famous" Draco dragon-whistle, and some practical advice: to wit, wearing special, heat-protective clothing when approaching dragons. All in all, a delightful treatment for readers fascinated by dragons. Sally Estes
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