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靑龍 · Eastern Guardian of the Four Symbols

The Azure Dragon (靑龍, Qinglong) is the sacred dragon guarding the east among the Four Symbols (Four Cardinal Gods) of East Asian mythology. The Four Symbols system — Azure Dragon East, White Tiger West, Vermilion Bird South, Black Tortoise North — represents the four cardinal directions, four seasons, and Five Elements, becoming the core of astronomy and feng shui from Han dynasty China (2nd c. BCE). Governing spring, the east, the wood element, and azure color, it is the celestial constellation integrating the seven eastern lunar mansions (Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, Ji). Unlike the general Chinese imperial dragon, it is depicted as more serpentine with cyan scales, deer antlers, and carp scales. Best preserved in Korean Goguryeo tomb murals and Japanese Asuka-period Kitora Tomb paintings.

八岐大蛇 · Eight-Headed Serpent of Japanese Myth

Yamata-no-Orochi (八岐大蛇) is the most famous monster dragon of Japanese mythology, a massive serpent with eight heads and eight tails. The Chinese characters mean 'eight-branched great snake,' recorded in the 8th-century Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. Once a year it appeared in Izumo (modern Shimane Prefecture) demanding a virgin sacrifice; refusal meant village destruction. The elderly couple Ashinazuchi and Tenazuchi, who had lost seven of their eight daughters, sought help from the exiled god Susanoo to save their last daughter Kushinada-hime. Susanoo placed eight great vats of sake before eight gates, lured each of the Orochi's eight heads into a different vat to drink and fall asleep, then severed all heads and tails with the divine sword Totsuka-no-Tsurugi. From its tail emerged Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of the Japanese imperial regalia.

The Sea Dragon of Japanese Myth

The Japanese ryu evolved from Chinese dragon mythology blended with native Japanese beliefs. With three toes (the fewest among East Asian dragons), the most famous ryu is Yamata-no-Orochi, the eight-headed serpent slain by the god Susanoo, from whose tail the sacred sword Kusanagi was found. Ryujin, the dragon-god of the sea, rules from the underwater Ryugu-jo palace. Featured prominently in temple ceiling paintings, ukiyo-e prints, and samurai family crests.

The Aspiring Dragon

Imugi are giant serpentine beings in Korean mythology that have not yet become dragons. They must cultivate themselves in the mortal world for a thousand years, accumulating good karma to finally obtain the cintamani pearl and ascend as a yong. Resembling oversized scaly serpents with vestigial horns, they dwell in deep mountain lakes, plunge pools beneath waterfalls, or hidden caves. Failed imugi often turn malevolent and become village-threatening monsters, though some achieve their dreams through fateful encounters with kind-hearted humans.

The Divine Dragon of Korean Myth

The Korean yong holds a unique place in Eastern dragon traditions. Featuring a long serpentine body, deer-like horns, carp scales, hawk talons, and crucially four toes (distinguishing it from Chinese counterparts), it dwells in rivers, lakes, and deep seas as a benevolent water deity. Korean myth says yong are imugi serpents who attained the cintamani pearl after a thousand years of cultivation and ascended to heaven. Inherently good and merciful, the yong symbolizes royal authority and protects agricultural communities by bringing rain.

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.