Bruce- Dragons

A Background on Dragons in Other Cultures:

Dragons can be found within many cultures and myths, but the dragons found in Japan differ greatly from those in Europe and China. Japanese dragons are purely of the sky or the sea, their association with water being one of the binding elements that keeps them to these places. In the Kojiki and the Nihon Shōki we find a dragon story as part of the creation of the world by Izanagi and Izanami. This describes Izanagi cutting up the fire deity, the child whose birth killed Izanami. One of those parts becomes the deity Kura-okami, the deity of snow. Another becomes Taka-okami, the deity of rain. Kura-okami's name means "the dragon-god of the valleys," while Taka-okami's name means the opposite or "the dragon-god residing on the mountains" (Visser 135-137). Both are considered dragons but are part of a larger set of magical creatures found in Japan. This essay traces the origins of dragons in different cultures and the ways they have been modernized.

Dragons have been thought to exist by people for thousands of years, based on a variety of factors (Visser 160). Whether that be western culture in Europe with medieval dragons in folklore or in eastern culture where dragons are seen as God like beings. Traditions within India show Nagas, a predecessor to dragons, to be these God-like beings. The Beddhāvatamsaka mahāvaipulya sūtra describes “five sorts of dragons”; Serpent-dragons, lizard dragons, fish dragons, elephant dragons, and toad dragons. These different dragon type looks over different aspects of the world and “assist all sentient creatures” (Visser 23-25). These Naga kings are also said to be the givers of rain and snow, giving everything life around them from the depths of their heart.

European dragons have a long history as well, including stories of dragons within The King James Bible and the story of Beowulf. In Revelation 12:3 the passage reads “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.” These dragons shown here are destructive forces that cannot be tamed and show the destructive nature of life and everyday devices, they are not shown to be peaceful, but devious and angry creatures that people rightfully fear. These European motifs of slaying dragons had a lot to do with winning over the power of the Devil; another religious note for dragons is the story of Saint George from the text The Golden Legend. The tale tells of Saint George killing a dragon who plagued a town of 15,000 people in Libya, by doing this he rid them of evil and baptized them. These portrayals of dragons contrast strikingly with the generally benevolent portrayals in Asian cultures.

Chinese mythology includes many powerful dragons, seen almost as gods holding sway over the life and death of those beneath them. These god-like creatures are seen as prophesying when someone of great importance or power would be born, such as a future Emperor. The oldest dragon mentioned in Chinese mythology is in the Yih King text, an ancient Chinese mythological text. This dragon is seen in in multiple places and is mentioned as being a god of thunder among other things. This original story also shows that dragons are thought to “sleep in pools during winter and arise(s) in spring,” as well as bringing rain to fertilize the ground and if the dragon “flies too high and cannot return, the thirsty earth must wait in vain for his blessings” (Visser 36-38). These dragons have a great power over the land and were determinate in why the crops would fail or be in great abundance each year. Dragons are also mentioned in the Shu King, the Li Ki, the Cheu Li, and the I Li. Each of these ancient texts describes dragons as emblematic figures as well as spiritual beings.