The dragon was the sign of the Emperor, and was on the national flag of the late Qing dynasty. The Chinese dragon is rendered as a long and serpent-like creature without wings. The Chinese dragon is said to be a strange mixture of several animals.
According to legend Chinese dragons were supposed to be made of all the world’s spare parts. The Dragon in Chinese mythology was a creature of high mountains or underground caves, breathing flames and ready for combat.
The imperial throne was called the dragon throne. China was regarded as the land of the dragon and the Chinese people were viewed as the dragon’s descendants. Therefore, the dragon serves as a symbol of harmony, the fundamental spirit of Chinese culture. Depending on their mood, Chinese dragons could be either playful or frightening. Dragons can be seen in almost all Chinese cities. The dragons decorate ancient monuments and buildings, and are sometimes depicted playing with a pearl or thunder-ball. The dragon rain God is often depicted with a pearl or ball, to symbolize thunder.
The Chinese wrote of dragons in their ancient book, I Ching, associating the creatures with power, fertility, and well being. This is because the Chinese considered a dragon and phoenix as symbolic of the blissful relations between husband and wife. In ancient China, dragons could be found in decorations for weddings or royalty along with dragons.
The dragon is a symbol of deep desire, of wisdom and of luck, and has often been used to ward off evil spirits. Therefore, the dragon serves as a symbol of harmony, the fundamental spirit of Chinese culture.
The dragon was said to have acquired a wide range of supernatural powers. Taoists regarded the dragon as one of the most important deified forces of nature.