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FOR TAOISTS, THE DRAGON REPRESENTED THE CENTRAL OMNIPRESENT FORCE KNOWN AS THE ‘CENTRAL WAY’ OR TAO.The dragon came to have a certain significance in some of the more formal Chinese religions, too. In the paintings of Chan Buddhism, a dragon appearing from behind clouds was a symbol of truth and the difficulties in seeing it clearly. For Taoists, the dragon was even more important and represented the central omnipresent force known as the ‘Central Way’ or Tao. The four dragon kings of the Four Seas were also adopted by Taoists. Finally, the dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese zodiac or shengxiao and associated with one of the 12 years in the calendar cycle, the most recent ‘year of the dragon’ being January 2012 to February 2013. Dragon RobesAs we have seen, the dragon and Chinese emperor were a perfect match – the supreme creature from mythology and the most important person in the realm, the Son of Heaven, no less. Indeed, for many, the emperor was actually an incarnation of the supreme rain-bringing dragon. The emperor, then, in order to emphasise this auspicious association, wore silk robes with dragon motifs exquisitely embroidered on them, sat on a throne with carved dragons, and had his palace adorned with architectural decorations showing dragons. The dragon associated with the emperor always had five claws to distinguish it from other lesser dragons who only had four claws.

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Emperor TaizongEmperor TaizongHardouin (Public Domain)The so-called Dragon Robes of the emperor, or longpao, varied depending on the dynasty. Qin emperors had one of the most impressive get-ups with a full-length surcoat which fastened at the side and was emblazoned with nine five-clawed dragons floating over clouds, rocks, and sea, which symbolised the three elements of the universe. Emperor’s wives and certain privileged and high-ranking officials of the court and their own wives could also wear dragons, but the size, colours, and cut of these robes were all strictly controlled in an intricate hierarchy of social convention. Occasionally, dignitaries and ambassadors from foreign states were permitted the honour of wearing dragon robes while on their official visit to court. Dragons in Chinese ArtAs mentioned above, dragons were a popular theme in some religious paintings, but they were too striking an image for more secular artists to resist. Dragons appeared in jewellery pieces, were carved in jade, painted on fine porcelain, carved and inlaid in lacquerware, carved in stone to decorate gardens, engraved on weapons and armour, and depicted in paintings and wall hangings. Dragons were used in decorative borders on ceramics and bronzes, and these became increasingly stylised so as to no longer be recognisable as the creature which originally inspired them.