The Image of Chinese and Japan Dragons Term Paper

The Image of Chinese and Japan Dragons - Term Paper Example The extent of the power of this mysterious creature was such that it was considered as the god of rain, thunder, rainbow, and stars. China being an agro-based society, entirely dependent upon the environment and climate for communal wellbeing, it was the dragon that was worshipped so that sufficient food would be provided. For thousands of years, this custom sustained. The dragon was worshipped and more and more deification was bestowed upon it from being the bringer of joy to bringing prophecies and miracles. The dragon was made into an exclusive symbol of imperial majesty by the emperors. They also compared themselves with the dragons. There was a robust punishment for those who used the dragon as a symbol intentionally or unintentionally. This meant that the ruler was being offended hence the punishment for the offender was death (Dragon). A series of changes have transformed the image of a dragon and it is now more mighty and beautiful. Initially, its illustration on primitive br onze ware was portrayed as ferocious and mysterious. However, during the Han Dynasty, it became magnificent and unrestrained. Moreover, the image of the dragon was personalized as gentle, tame and graceful during the reign of Tang. Nevertheless, it was after the Song Dynasty onwards that it was portrayed as more flowery and delicate. These dragons are found in various different colors. They range from yellow to black, blue, white or red. The most revered was the yellow one because of which each emperor wore a gown that was decorated with a yellow patterned dragon. The basics behind these dragons remain the same despite the differences. This is because people are familiar with the combination of the features of animals. The protruding head of a dragon signifies wisdom, however, longevity is shown by the antlers. According to the imperial examination, the ox’s ears denote success. The tiger’s eyes indicate power, bravery is conveyed by the eagle’s claws, flexibili ty is implied by the fish’ tail and diligence is shown by the horse’s teeth.