Dragons of Asia
Dragons from Asian cultures contrast from those found in European and Western cultures. They are revered rather than feared, and often take the form of gods, deities, and various omens. They are powerful and wise beings, taking responsibility for the rain and water of the Earth.
Dragon Dollars
The Republic of China Tibet Silver Flying Dragon Coin, silver, circa 1916, numismaclub.com
Dragons often appear on coins and currency in China. When next to a phoenix, the dragon represents the male with Yang energy, and the phoenix represents the female with Yin energy. It is believed that their union is of upmost importance. They were also used as good luck charms. As such, it was common to give them as gifts at parties, use them in crafts, or keep them in a pocket. The coins can also be found in circulation in Japan and Korea. The coin was inspired by the Spanish dollar after being introduced in the sixteenth century. The coins are often made of silver or bronze.
Dragon Boat Racing
Photographer: AKS.9955/Wikipedia
Kambojika Putta Khemara Tarei from Cambodia
Dragon boat racing can be found as far back as the Greek Olympics. The race is founded in religious traditions and has many ceremonial aspects to it. In China and other parts of Asia, it is dated back to roughly two thousand five hundred years ago, as part of a way to venerate and praise the dragon King, their deity who had control over water. The races are held during the Summer Solstice, when the Sun and Dragon are said to be at their most powerful state. The boats usually hold twenty two people, twenty of them being rowers, one steering, and one drumming. The drummer indicates the speed the people at the paddles need to row, and is considered the heart of the boat. Dragon boat racing is still held in many places today, and can be watched by any and all who attend.
Jade Dragon Ship
Photographer: Artfiberglass.com
jade Dragon Boat, Jade, 78 inches, Sweet Home, Oregon
Dragon Ships are traditionally carved of jade, usually the green variant but can also be found in yellow. They may also be found in ivory, but those are not as common. The boats vary in size from a small one story boat to large boats with three or even four stories. They include chains trailing from the middle mast to both the front and hind end of the boat, those parts being the head and tail of the dragon respectively. They are commonly gifted as a wedding or anniversary gift, especially for an anniversary of thirty five years. It is considered good fortune, and is still a part of Chinese tradition today.
Qilin / Kirin
A qilin statue in Beijing's Summer Palace/wikipedia
Known as the Qilin in China and the Kirin in Japan, this hoofed creature is sometimes known as the "Asian Unicorn" due to it's similar appearance to Unicorns. They have the head of a dragon with dear-like horns, sometimes having two and other times having only one. They have the body of a horse, ox, or deer with scales and a lion's tail. During the Ming-Era, a giraffe was gifted and mistaken for or Qilin. The earliest record of Qilin can be found as far back as the fifth century. The ritualistic QIlin dance ranks third in importance, just behind the Phoenix and Dragon.
The Dragon King
"Takenouchi no Sukune Meeting the Dragon King of the Sea", dated 1875–1879, Japan, bronze and glass, 137 x 102 x 66 cm
Photographer: User:FA2010/Wikipedia
The Dragon King can be found in Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese religion and folklore. He is the king of the four seas and the dragon which preside over them. The Azure or Blue-Green dragon named Ao Guang resides in the East Chinese Sea, and represents the East and Spring. The Red Dragon, Ao Qin resides in the South Chinese Sea and represents the South and Summer. The Black Dragon, Ao Shun or Ao Ming, resides in Lake Baikal and represents the North and water. Lastly, the White Dragon, Ao Rung resides in Qinghai Lake and represents Autumn. The Yellow Dragon does not have a cardinal direction or body of water to reside in, and represents the incarnation of the Yellow Emperor. The Dragon King is seen as the personification and king of all dragons, and controls all being of the sea.
Ukiyo-e Art
Utugawa Kuniyoshi
​Recovering the Stolen Jewel from the Palace of the Dragon King (Ryugu Tamatori Hime no su), 1853
The art of block prints can be traced as far back as the seventeenth century in Japan, and was well established during the Edo period. The art often depicted fairy tales, folk lore, history, people, and places. One common motif was the dragon, which appeared in many artworks by many artists. The production process let artist create more than one print of a single drawing, and was popular to make and own artwork of this type. The artwork would later leave it's mark through the Western Impressionist art movement, and reproductions of artwork are still popular today.
Netsuke
Photograph from thecobbs.com
These little bead-like object were used to hold up Japanese Inro to their robes during Japanese Feudalism. Inro were small boxes used in place of pockets, and were held together by a string. Netsuke come in a variety of forms and material, with some of the most common materials including ivory, metals, and wood. Netsuke were made to be elaborate and to match the design on the Inro that it went to. They commonly depicted people, magical creatures, and animals.
Isfandiyar and the Dragon
Isfandiyar fights with the Dragon, Shah-nama, from The Sarai Albums, Tabriz, second half of 14th century, Hazine 2153, folio 157a Topkapi Sarai Museum
As one of the many labors taken on by Isfandiyar, his third trial was to defeat a dragon. He fashioned a carriage with portuding swords to go after the dragon. The dragon attempts to topple it over but hurts itself on the swords. Isfandiyar then takes the chance to slay the beast while it is wounded and bleeding. The story is of Mongolian origin and part of a larger story, not unlike Heracles and his trials.
Naga
Photographer: Watcharapol_amprasert/Freepik.com
The Naga is a powerful entity or deity prevalent in many Asian cultures and religions, primarily the Buddhist and Hindu religions. They have many interpretations always including a serpent. Some show them as a large cobra, a large seven headed cobra, or a snake with a human torso. They were said to bring rain with them, sometimes fertilizing fields and other times causing a flood. Other places they are considered to be evil and that they harass anything living. More often than not, they are more on the good or neutral side.
Mušḫuššu
Sirrush bas-relief in the Pergamon Museum
Also known as Mushkhushshu, Sirrušu, and Sirrush, this creature comes from ancient Mesopotamian mythology. it is depicted as a scaled animal with the hind legs and paws of an eagle, the front legs of a lion, a head with horns, a long neck and tail, a snake tongue, and a crest. It appears often in Sumerian religion and art dating back to the sixth century BC. Previously the symbolic animal as well as the servent of their head deity Marduk, he was later banished.
Ladon
Hercules and the Dragon Ladon, from the workshop of Giambologna, early 17th century
This mighty dragon comes from Greek mythology. The dragon is a large, multi-headed serpent who guards the tree of golden apples in the Garden of Hesperides. In one story, Heracles kills the dragon with an arrow, and the mourning and lamenting of Aegle can be heard the next day. In another version, Heracles tricks Atlas into getting a golden apple for him.
Typhon/Typhoeus
Art: Zeus Fighting Typhon, date and origin unkown
One of the most fearsome creatures of Greek mythology, this large serpent was one of the first children of Gaia and Tartarus, and was born in Cilicia. He is often depicted as a human-snake hybrid with wings, but can come in several variations of this concept. Being one of the more fearsome and powerful titans, Zeus attempts to take him down. Typhon removes the sinews in Zeus hands and feet, preventing him from using his thunder bolts. Later, Hermes, one of Zeus' sons finds and returns the sinews to his father. Typhon is also used to represent the chemical Mercury in Alchemy symbolism.
Lernaean Hydra
Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra, Gustave Moreau, 1876
Also known as the Hydra of Lerna, this mighty beast was a snake that had nine heads, but may be depicted as having as few as five or four heads to as many as thirteen. As part of Heracles' labors, his second one was to defeat the hydra who was the offspring of Typhon and Echidna. Later retellings of the sotry add the hydra's ability of regeneration, where two heads replace one that has been removed. To combat this, Heracles enlists the help of his nephew Iolaus and the use of a flaming hot sword.
Python of Delphi
Apollo Killing Python, Virgil Solis, 1581
Sometimes depicted as a giant serpent, and other times as a medieval dragon, this mighty beast comes from Greek mythology and lived in the center of Delphi, the Greek world's religious center of the Earth. There are many versions of his birth and death, being killed by his mortal enemy Apollo in almost every one.
Colchian Dragon
Art: Unkown Pottery
This fearsome beast guarded the mythical golden fleece in the grove of Ares. As part of Greek mythology, Jason had to retrieve the golden fleece to reclaim his throne. He fought the dragon with help from the witch Medea in some versions, her having the dragon put to sleep. In others, Jason kills the beast. The teeth are then taken by Jason and sown into the field to grow an army.
Ismenian Dragon
Ancient Greek Amphora, Date and Artist Unknown
Also known as the Drakon Ismenios, this large serpent had been the valiant guardian of the Sacred Spring of Ares, located near Thebes. The hero Cadmus/Kadmos would then come upon him and kill him with a large stone. He was then instructed by the goddess Athena to take his teeth and sow them in the Earth, raising a mighty army of Sparti. Five of those would then become the ancient ancestral lords of Thebes.
Scythian Dracaena / Echidna
Scythian Gold Dragon from Kulova
One of the farthest examples of something that we would not consider a dragon, the dragon Scythian she-dragon known as Echidna was the ruler of Skythia. She was a snake from her waist-down, and a human from the waist-up. However, similar to other Greek dragons, later depictions show her as a winged serpent, with the wings being both webbed and feathered. Her major appearance is during the Trials of Herakles. While Herakles was leading the oxen of Geryones, she stole some. She refused to give them back until Heracles would mate with her, creating what would become a long line of Scythian kings.
Gigantomachian Dragon and the Draco Constellation
Hercules Battles Ladon, blockprint, date and artist unknown
There are two big Greek stories that relate to the constellation Draco and how it came the be. The first one deals with Athena during the Gigantomachy. One of the giants had thrown a giant serpent known as Gigantomachian at Athena. She took it and impaled it into the heavens, creating a new constellation. The second story tells of the dragon known as Ladon. The dragon had been the brave guardian of the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides. As one of his twelve labors, Herakles defeated the dragon to steal one of the golden apples. Hera, who owned the apple tree, was so upset by the death of Ladon that she made him a constellation.