Shenlong (, literally "god dragon" or "divine dragon",
Japanese: 神龍 Shinryū) is the spirit
dragon
A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
from
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature throughout the area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology encompasses a diverse array of myths derived from regional and cultural tradit ...
who is the dragon god of the tempest and also a master of rain. He is of equal significance to other creatures such as
Tianlong, the celestial dragon,
Zhulong, the dragon of eruption,
Qinglong, the azure dragon, and
Yinglong
Yinglong () is a winged dragon and rain deity in ancient Chinese mythology.
Name
This legendary creature's name combines ''yìng'' "respond; correspond; answer; reply; agree; comply; consent; promise; adapt; apply" and ''lóng'' "Chinese drag ...
, the responsive dragon.
The spiritual dragon is
azure-scaled and governs the storms, clouds, and rain, on which all
agricultural
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...
life depends.
[Shuker, Karl. (1995). ''Dragons. A Natural History.'' Simon & Schuster, New York 1995, , p. 89][Guter, Josef. (2004). ''Lexikon der Götter und Symbole der Alten Chinesen.'' Marix Verlag, Wiesbaden 2004, , p. 106] Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese people would take great care to avoid offending him, for if he grew angry or felt neglected, the result was bad weather, drought, flood or thunderstorms.
Despite this, Shenlong appears to signify a special rank in the splendid robes and regalia of Chinese emperors. He was also five-clawed, which was iconic of the
imperial dragon. Chinese empires have admired shenlong for centuries through festivals.
References
Sources
*Karl Shuker: ''Dragons. A Natural History.'' Simon & Schuster, New York 1995, , p. 89
{{deity-stub
Chinese dragons
Chinese gods
Dragon deities
Rain deities
Wind gods