Nine Dragons

For thousands of years the dragon has been highly revered in China. The legendary creature is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, and images of dragons can be found on artifacts dating back more than 3,500 years ago.

The dragon is a Chinese version of the chimera, with a deer’s antlers, an oxen’s head, a donkey’s mouth, an eagle’s feet and a serpentine’s body.

Once associated with royalty, many Chinese believed that this divine animal is their true ancestor. Even today, Chinese still frequently refer to themselves as the “progenies of the dragon.”

Even today, people still find images of dragons almost everywhere they go in China, particularly in ancient buildings such as palaces and temples.

Source:  Shanghai Daily