Chinese Dragon Painting

The Chinese dragon is nothing like the evil and violent creature depicted in Western cultures, instead they are considered to be wise, beautiful and very auspicious (lucky). It is said in China that children born in the year of the dragon will have a long, healthy and successful life. Dragon occupies a very important postion in Chinese mythology. It shows up in arts, literature, poetry, architecture, songs, and many aspects of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but centainly pre-dates the written history.

Chinese dragons are revered by people of China who will often refer to themselves as descendants of the dragon. The emperors of many other far east countries considered themselves to be dragons, and the people of China often believed that emperors could become one. Chinese dragons have almost nothing in common with their Western counterparts, which are often described as evil and creatures with violent tendencies. In fact they are just the opposite, and considered to be wise, beautiful and very auspicious. Many Chinese people still consider themselves descendants of the dragon, so it's no surprise so many Chinese dragon paintings and artworks feature this noble and wise symbol of China.