Know your dragons: European and Chinese

There are two very distinct branches of dragon mythology in the world. One stems from the West, originating with Greek and Middle Eastern legends. The other comes from the East and the rich tapestry of Asian mythology. Here are the characteristics to look for when trying to decide which is which.European

  • Name: in Germanic mythology, known as a worm, from the Old English wyrm, “serpent”. In Latin, known as draco, from the Greek drk?n, “gazer”. In Finnish, lohikrme, “salmon-snake”, from louhi, “crags or rocks”thus, it can also be considered a “mountain snake”
  • Wings? Yes
  • Habitat: Usually found in an underground cave
  • Personality: Evil, except in Welsh folklore and modern fiction
  • Appearance: Large size, fire-breathing, scaly and horned, with four legs and a tale
  • Magical Powers: can talk to humans; blood has magical properties, such as in the opera Siegfried where it gives the main character the ability to understand the language of the Forest Bird
  • Role: Typically guarding an important treasure
  • Examples: Nhggr, who gnaws at the root of the World Tree (Norse); Fafnir, son of a dwarf king who turned into a dragon because of his greed (Norse); Y Ddraig Goch, the red dragon of Wales; Satan is often portrayed as a dragon (Biblical)

Chinese

  • Name: long
  • Wings: Not usually, but some have bat-like wings
  • Habitat: Ocean or sky
  • Personality: Wise and powerfulsymbols of strength and good luck
  • Appearance: in ancient mythology, a deer’s horns, a camel’s head, a demon’s eyes, a snake’s neck, a tortoise’s internal organs, a hawk’s claws, a tiger’s paws, a cow’s ears; a flaming pearl under the chin; however, appearance can differ widely
  • Magical Powers: can control water and clouds, can fly without wings, can disguise itself however it chooses; the four major Dragon Kings are associated with each of the four seas and have the ability to control them; the year of the dragon is the most popular time to have babies
  • Role: Varies based on belief; may be rulers, guardians, advisers, or more; Chinese dragons are celebrated at special festivals, such as at Chinese New Year or the Duanwu “Dragon Boat” Festival
  • Examples: Shenlong, a thunder god with a human head and a dragon’s body; Feilong, a winged dragon that rode on the clouds, Longwang, the Dragon Kings, rulers of the four seas