Chinese dragons are usually drawn as very snake-like with four legs and a very long body. Most dragons are associated with evil put Chinese dragons depict power that is not necessarily evil. The Chinese dragon is regularly found in Chinese art and folklore. The male Chinese dragon is a symbol of the male or yang and is thought to control the weather and rain.
The Chinese dragon is historically a symbol of the Chinese’s Emperor and ‘commoners’ could not use it. Over the years the presence of the dragon has faded and re-emerged due to different connotations with war and aggressions. Chinese dragons are also closely linked to rain and water and some of the most horrific floods that occurred in China are blamed on a mortal angering a dragon.
Chinese dragons are very specifically details and described using nine attributes with 117 scales of which 81 are Yin (positive essence) and 36 are Yang (negative essence). The dragon can have nine forms and is thought to have nine children. Nine is a very significant number in china and normally associated with dragons. Nine is the number of the emperor and only the most superior in government or rulers would wear robes decorated with nine dragons.
As emperors could only use dragons, both emperors and dragons are also associated with the lucky number nine. Nine can be seen in the make up of dragons, as dragons can be described using nine attributes. The break down of their scales, 81 that are positive and 36 that are negative are factors of nine. The most important officials would wear robes decorated with nine dragons.
In present day believing in dragons is not as prominent but the Dragon is still worshiped for its control of the weather and rain. Much of the dragon is still present in Chinese traditions. Chinese is a largely agricultural country so the importance of water is great and the dragons control all the water including the North, South, East and West Seas.
Besides controlling water dragons also have many other powers such as changing its size or being able to be invisible or glow. Dragons can manipulate water so it turns into fire. Dragons most likely were derived from a type of ancient crocodile that was able to predict rain. It is thought that the legend of dragons emerged from this crocodile.
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