Chinese dragons originated in the Neolithic Age 8,000 years ago. Mature dragon patterns began to appear in the Western Zhou Dynasty. From the Han Dynasty, they were gradually deified and processed, and their image was gradually fixed. The standard was determined after the Yuan Dynasty. image.
It is said that the shape of the dragon is "nine like and nine different", that is, the dragon is a combination of nine animals. Nine is an imaginary number, and there may be more. There are different opinions on the animals that make up the body. "Erya Wings" says that "the horns are like a deer, the head is like a camel (horse), the eyes are like a hare (tortoise), the neck is like a snake, the belly is like a mirage, the scales are like a fish, the claws are like an eagle, the palms are like a tiger, and the ears are like ox". This is what we now know as the dragon, the combined dragon.
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The dragon is a miraculous animal in Chinese legends that is good at change, can make clouds and rain, and benefit all things. It is the leader of all scale insects and the four spirits (dragon, Phoenix, Qilin, turtle). Ancient books describe its image in many different ways. One theory is that it is slender and has four legs, with the head of a horse and the tail of a snake. One theory is that it is covered in scales, has beards, horns, and five claws on its head. "Compendium of Materia Medica" states that "dragons have nine similarities", which are heterogeneous animals that have the strengths of various animals.
It has many names. The one with scales is called Jiaolong, the one with wings is called Yinglong, the one with horns is called Duota, and the one without horns is called Qiu. The small one is called Jiao, and the big one is called Dragon. Most of the legends say that it can appear or hide, can be thin or large, can be short or long. The spring equinox ascends to the sky, the autumnal equinox dives into the abyss, it can call the wind and rain, and it is omnipotent. In mythology, it is the ruler of the underwater world (Dragon King), in folk it is a symbol of auspiciousness, and in ancient times it was the incarnation of imperial rule.