Eastern Dragon
The Asian dragon is a divine symbol of fertility and good fortune. It lives underwater in seas, lakes or rivers during the in winter. In spring, it rises to the sky with a clap of thunder and breathes clouds to bring rain. This dragon is wingless, and it has a bump on it forehead that helps it float up to the heavens.

Revered above all other creatures in East Asian traditions, the dragon is a symbol of imperial rule — the Chinese emperor was known as “the dragon,” his hands had dragon’s claws, and he sat on the dragon throne. The Chinese dragon has sweet-smelling saliva, up to five claws on each foot, and is covered with 81 scales, equal to nine times nine, a lucky number. It is an auspicious symbol often paired with the phoenix. Together, they are equated with the harmony of marriage or the union of yin and yang.

In East Asian stories, dragons are masters of transformation that can shrink so small they fit in a teacup, or grow so large that they fill the sky. They can also disappear or take the form of a fish, a snake or a human being. Emperors, philosophers, gods and saints often travel by dragon.

Western Dragon
Unlike the Chinese dragon, the much more sinister dragon of European lore is a wicked creatures that spits fire, kills people with its poisonous breath and strangles large animals — even elephants — with its tail. European dragons often have wings, and they live in marshes or deep inside caves, sometimes guarding marvellous treasures.

In Christian tradition, the dragon symbolizes Satan or sin — its long, scaly body and fangs may connect it to the serpent in the biblical story of Adam and Eve. In many tales from medieval Europe, a dragon dies by the sword of a brave and honourable hero, ending a battle between sin and virtue, darkness and light. The best known of these tales is that of St. George, who slays a dragon in order to save a princess and restore safety to her city.