There are nine major types of Chinese dragons These include the
horned dragon, the winged dragon, the celestial dragon (which
supports and protects the mansions of the gods), the spiritual
dragon which generates wind and rain for the benefit of mankind),
the dragon of hidden treasures (which keeps guard over concealed
wealth), the coiling dragon (which lives in water), and the
yellow dragon (which once emerged from water and presented the
legendary Emperor Fu Shi with the elements of writing) The last of the nine is the dragon king, which actually consists
of four separate dragons, each of which rules over one of the
four seas, those of the east, south, west, and north. The most powerful generalized type of Chinese dragon is the
horned dragon, or lung, which can produce rain and is totally
deaf. Additionally, there is a homeless dragon (Ii) that lives in
the ocean and another type (chiao) that is scale-covered and
usually inhabits marshes but also keeps dens in the mountains. There are also nine ways the Chinese have traditionally
represented these dragons, each one revealing a different dragon
characteristic. There are dragons carved on the tops of bells and
gongs, because of the beast's habit of calling loudly when
attacked. A second type is carved on the screws of fiddles, since
most dragons are fond of music. A third is carved on the tops of
stone tablets, because of dragons' love of literature. A fourth
is found at the bottom of stone monuments, as dragons can support
heavy weights. A fifth is placed on the eaves of temples, as
dragons are ever alert to danger. A sixth occurs on the beams of
bridges, since dragons are fond of water. A seventh is carved on
Buddha's throne, as dragons like to rest. An eighth is placed on
the hilts of swords, since dragons are known to be capable of
slaughter. The ninth is carved on prison gates, as these are
dragons that are fond of quarreling and trouble making. The colors of Chinese dragons are evidently quite variable, but
in the case of the chiao type its back is striped with green, its
sides are yellow, and it is crimson underneath. The nine major
characteristics of a lung type dragon include a head like a
camel's, horns like a deer's, eyes like a hare's, ears like a
bull's, a neck like an iguana's, a belly like a frog's, scales
like a carp's, paws like a tiger's, and claws like an eagle's. It
has a pair of large canine teeth in its upper jaw The long,
tendril-like whiskers extending from either side of its mouth are
probably used for feeling its way along the bottom of muddy
ponds. In color it varies from greenish to golden, with a series
of alternating short and long spines extending down the back and
along the tail, where they become longer. One specimen had wings
at its side, and walked on top of the water. Another tossed its
mane back and forth making noises that sounded like a flute. Cow-heads are also common. A ten-footer, found lying on the banks
of China's Yangtze River, was different from most because of its
long, thick eyebrows. A Yellow River variety, seen on shore in
the 1920s by a Chinese teacher, was bright blue, and as big as
five cows. Both dragons crawled into the water as soon as it
started to rain. A few dragons begin life as fish. Carp, who successfully jump
rapids and leap over waterfalls, change into fish-dragons. A
popular saying, "The carp has leaped through the dragon's gate,"
means success, especially for students who have passed their
exams. Male dragons sometimes mate with other kinds of animals. A dragon
fathers an elephant when he mates with a pig, and he sires a
racehorse, after mating with a mare.