In much of western myth and legend, the dragon is a fearsome creature that denotes evil and chaos. Although there are examples of good dragons in modern pop culture, it is generally understood that dragons are bad news. In China, the dragon also has a long history in art, folklore, religion, etc. In contrast to western conceptions, the Chinese dragon is often benevolent and auspicious. They are filled with an aura of mystery and wonder, passion and energy, possessing supernatural abilities that allow them to perform miracles. Their interactions with humans (and immortals) is often positive and varied.
The Taoist scriptures of ancient China often make reference to dragons in several contexts. I took some sample quotes from these scriptures to demonstrate these contexts and combined them with AI generated images of dragons. They show the different ways in which religious practitioners and scholars interpreted the nature of dragons.
In the year gengchen, on the fifteenth day of the second month, he was born in Bo. Nine dragons sprinkled water over him to rinse and wash his body; then they transformed into nine springs.
Huahu jin (On the conversion of the barbarians), Introduction
The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea once seduced the wife of his colleague in the Gebei Lake. I punished him for it. This was three years ago and I did not think further of it. Tossing the affair aside, I forgot all about it. But this is why you’ve been having such a long spell of drought. I’ll pardon him immediately and see that he makes rain for you without any further delay.”
“Hugong” (The Gourd Master), from Shenxian zhuan (Biographies of Spirit Immortals)
At times of drought he could enter deep into the springs and summon forth dragons. Controlling them, he ordered them to ascend the sky and produce rain. Numerous times he worked miracles like that.
Shenxian Zhuan (Biography of Spirits Immortals)
The divine personages themselves stride on phoenixes and cranes, put dragons to the reins and tigers, white deer and wondrous lions, an entire host of numinous beasts and divine birds. They ride in chariots of floating clouds and with jasper wheels; they hold up streamers and display their staffs, grasp talismans and present their registers. Thus they arrive anywhere on impulse- rising up as perfect and immortals, or descending to teach and to transform the world.
Fafu kejie wen (Rules and precepts regarding ritual garbs)
The jade maidens had with them:
Ritual tablets of azure jasper,
Wrappers containing the seven treasures,
Ornate belt hangings of flowing essence,
Ear pendants of bright carnelian,
Sitting cushions with embroidered dragons,
Incense burners with jasper phoenixes,
Jade benches with intertwining dragons,
Kingfisher whisks with variegated unicorns,
All-wish scepters with brilliant radiance,
Fifteen different kinds in all.
They presented these things to the Celestial Master
Fafu kejie wen (Rules and precepts regarding ritual garbs)
The trigrams of heaven and earth
Chaos Primordial divided, but first was Former Heaven;
Clear and turbid then split up, and the two emblems formed,
Earth-trigram: female; Heaven-trigram: male, each partial energy;
Wood-dragon, metal-tiger, separate after a thousand years.
Jinyi huandan yinzheng tu (Illustrated progress to the golden fluid and reverted cinnabar)
Use mysterious mushrooms covering the cliffs,
Vermillion herbs growing in the thickets,
Gather white jade from the mountains,
The radiance of the sun and the moon.
Pass through fire and water!
Traverse the dark and the yellow of heaven and earth!
Enter the maze of halls and gateways,
Full of awnings in lustrous gleam!
Helped by dragon guards, tiger watchmen,
And spirit-man attendants,
Don’t relax, don’t give in!
Keep the One in its place!
Don’t dawdle, don’t rush!
Keep the One in its chamber!
Once at ease and comfortable,
The One will never leave.
“Earthly Truth” (Dizhen), from Baopuzi neipian (Book of the Master Who Embraces Simplicity, Inner Chapters)
The perfected again adressed the Heavenly Venerable: “It is not quite clear to me yet which department each human being in his or her life is subject to. Which division of the Celestial Treasury gives out his or her loan for life? And to which division of the Treasury should he she repay it?”
The Heavenly Venerable said:
“People born in the year of the dragon owe 50,000 strings of cash to the fifth division of the Treasury. The official in charge is Yuan.”
Lingbao tianzun shuo luku shousheng jing (Scripture on the Loand for life from the Celestial Treasury Following the Words of the Heavenly Venerable of Numinous Treasures)
May I reverently follow the rightful Tao,
As set forth in the red writings and jade documents,
The talismans and instructions of the nine high heavens!
May I hitch up the dragons and get ready to rise,
Rise up to the peaceful abode of Heaven,
And soon be a flying immortal!
“Divine Incantations to the Protective Gods of the Five Directions, from Wushang biyao 50 (Secret Essentials of the Most High)
Kohn, Livia. 1993. The Taoist Experience: An Anthology. SUNY Press.
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