Eastern Dragons

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Recommended: A Comparative Study of Chinese and Western Dragon Culture

Dragons don’t only represent the darkness in man. Eastern dragons are a prime example of the things man sees as good. The first good thing of mankind that dragons represent is compassion. Eastern dragons are frequently represented as being caring and compassionate. In the story of Tchang’s pearl, a dragon that had transformed into a serpent gave it’s magical pearl to Tchang in gratitude for running an errand for him (Niles 73). Other legends tell of dragons that angered the gods in order to help man, gave man the gift of knowledge, and also dragons who gave man the written word (Mooney 40-1). The compassion of Eastern dragons is their most prominent trait. While Western dragons have no recorded deeds of compassion, they do help in representing …show more content…

This is an aspect that both the Eastern and Western dragons represent. In the East, dragons are the symbol of royalty. The Imperial Dragon is the symbol of the Chinese Emperor, who is also known as the True Dragon. The Chinese dragon can be seen all around the royal palace, and even in the coat of arms (Mooney 43). The Japanese dragon is used in the exact same way as the Chinese dragon. They represent the emperor, the army, and anything to do with the gods (45). Western dragons are commonly seen on royal coats of arms, usually supporting the shield. A well known example of a dragon representing royalty can be seen in the legends of King Arthur. King Arthur’s coat of arms bears the symbol of a dragon, and his soldiers armor traditionally has a dragon emblazoned on it (Warren). The idea of ruling over others is an idea that intrigues most men, so representing that superior position with a superior being is a no brainer. Dragons represent power and superiority, so it’s no surprise that we use them to represent royalty and …show more content…

In Chinese lore, the dragon was one of the only creatures able to reach Buddha when he called all the creatures of the world to him (Niles 63). Similarly, in Japan dragons are closely associated with Buddha. In Japanese lore, dragons traditionally reside in bodies of water near temples (Mooney 45). Our desire and fascination with heaven is shown in the close relationship that dragons have with the gods. The great, powerful, and benevolent dragons having the capability of reaching heaven makes heaven and the afterlife seem that much more magical a thought to us. The idea of associating dragons with both sides of the afterlife makes them seem more powerful and untouchable by human

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