Long

The Imperial Dragon of Chinese Myth

The Chinese long is the prototype for all East Asian dragon mythology. Combining nine animal features—deer horns, camel head, rabbit eyes, snake neck, clam belly, carp scales, hawk talons, tiger paws, and the imperial five toes—it represents absolute imperial authority adorned upon emperor robes and the Forbidden City. Worshipped by commoners as the water deity governing rain and rivers, it forms part of the five-direction dragon system (azure east, red south, white west, black north, golden center) symbolizing cosmic order.