lung'huang_

The Chinese dragon (龍; pinyin: lùng; Cantonese: loong; Hokkien: leng) is a mythical creature. Long a potent symbol of auspicious power in Chinese folklore and art, it is the embodiment of the concept of yang and associated with the weather and water as the bringer of rain. Chinese dragons are strongly associated with water in popular belief. They are believed to be the rulers of moving bodies of water, such as waterfalls, rivers, or seas. They can show themselves as water spouts (tornado or twister over water). The dragon is sometimes viewed in the West as a national emblem of China. However, this usage within both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan is extremely rare, both because the dragon has monarchist connotations which run counter to recent Chinese ideologies, and because the dragon has aggressive, warlike connotations which Chinese governments wish to avoid. It is for the latter reason that the giant panda is far more often used within China as a national emblem than the Chinese dragon.

The four Dragon Kings (龍王; pinyin: Lùng Huáng) are, in Chinese mythology, the divine rulers of the four seas (each sea corresponds to one of the cardinal directions). Although Dragon Kings appear in their true forms as dragons, they have the ability to shapeshift into human form. The Dragon Kings live in crystal palaces, guarded by shrimp soldiers and crab generals.

Besides ruling over the aquatic life, the Dragon Kings also manipulate clouds and rain. When enraged, they can flood cities. According to The Short Stories on the Tang People (唐人傳奇 Tangren Chuanqi), the Qian Tang Dragon King did just that when he found out his niece had been abused by her husband. Qian Tang also ate the abusive husband.

The Dragon King of the Eastern Sea is said to have the largest territory.