As is an imaginable paws of the tiger, the beard of the goat, the scales of the carp and the belly of the snake. According to legends, the Chinese dragon is able to breathe fire, summon wind and call for rain, fly into the clouds and hide at the bottom of the sea; it's also capable of becoming as large as the sky or disguising itself by being as tiny as a pinhead.
Unlike castle-burning dragons of Western stories, Chinese Dragons are a benevolent symbol in Chinese culture. From celebrations to the Zodiac, to historical rulers, the dragon has played a large part in China’s rich history.
Symbolic Value
It was said that Yangdi (a legendary tribe leader) was born by his mother's telepathy with a mighty dragon, who, with the help of the dragon, allied with Huangdi (a legendary tribe leader) against Chi You (a legendary barbarian tribe leader) and defeated him in the battle of Zhuolu (presently Yuncheng of Shanxi Province), opening the prelude to Chinese civilization; so Yandi and Huangdi were considered as ancestors of the Chinese people. As time has gone by, the Chinese people refer to themselves as the descendants of Yangdi and Huangdi, as well as the descendants of the dragon.
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