In Chinese art, the dragon is depicted in various vivid colors. However, the chiao type has a green stripe on its back, yellow sides, and a red belly. The lung type is either green or gold, with short and long spines on its back and tail.

Lung dragons have nine main characteristics: a camel-like head, deer-like horns, hare-like eyes, bull-like ears, iguana-like neck, frog-like belly, carp-like scales, tiger-like paws, and eagle-like claws. It also has large canine-like teeth on the upper part of its jaw, and long whiskers (probably believed to be used for moving at the bottom of muddy water).

To Westerners, the dragon is usually associated as a symbol of present day China, but the People’s Republic of China does not use it as a symbol because of its association with past emperors, and imperial China. Still, dragons are beloved by Chinese, and depicted in art in vivid reds, jade greens, golden yellows, and bright blues. A sight to behold, dragon artwork is a form of art that can brighten any room.

Ancient Jade Dragon Sculptures

In ancient China, part of dragon artwork consisted of jade sculptures. The jade that was used is called nephrite, and was used for 9,000 years, beginning with the late Neolithic age (around 4,000 B.C.). Jade is very hard and grainy. It must be carved slowly by using an abrasive (sand). It is not known exactly how ancient Chinese jade sculptures were carved because none of the instruments have been recovered. However, by looking at the holes and grooves in the sculptures that have been found, it was likely done by a method various methods of drilling, such as boring (drilling with a wooden head and bamboo stick).