The Chinese dragon is a mythological creature popular in Chinese folklore. It holds a significant role in Chinese culture and symbolizes power, strength, and good fortune.

Historically, the Chinese dragon was closely associated with the emperor and an emblem of imperial power. In the Tang dynasty (618-690, 705-907), for example, emperors wore robes with a dragon motif to symbolize their power. During the Qing dynasty (1636-1912), the Azure Dragon was featured on the first Chinese national flag.

The dragon is also one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, which assigns an animal and its attributes to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle.

There are a number of different legends for how the animals in the zodiac came about. According to one ancient folklore, the Jade Emperor put on the “Great Race” to determine the order of the animals in the calendar.

Despite its immense power and gift of flight, the dragon did not claim the first spot; it came in fifth. This was because it stopped mid-race to bring rain to a drought-plagued village and rescue the helpless Rabbit from drowning (the Rabbit came in 4th place).

Unlike the fearsome, fire-breathing European dragon, the Chinese dragon is a benevolent creature and a bringer of prosperity and abundance. It’s no surprise, then, that a number of Chinese idioms and sayings feature the dragon as a symbol of positivity and good fortune.