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Dragon
It was once custom to marry virgin girls to deities or the representatives of deities. In Thebes and Babylon a woman might be a divine consort to the god, and thus
allowed no contact with men, but instead reside in the pyramid of the deity as his wife. Some Greek and Roman cultures also held customs of uniting god and mortal for reasons
fertility or good harvests, etc. but they might be enacted with images or symbolic enactments such as a young girl crowned Queen for a day or the year and bride to the deity. In many
cultures the god was one of water, sometimes a serpent or dragon. And from this probably started the popular image in the West of the maiden in the village or the princess
sacrificed to the dragon, and the knight who must rescue her. (The sacrifice of maiden to serpent could be seen in Japanese legend as well). Other associations of the dragon were
the battle between good and evil or god and devil (with the dragon often the symbol of darkness), or the dragon as an old creature thus a wise creature. Attributes are to
breathe fire and fly.
The dragons in the series of Vision of Escaflowne are based on the Western dragon that breathes fire, and the Rite of Dragon Slay comes from the idea
of the rite of passage into manhood by slaying the dragon, the rite also serves as the means for the successor to prove his
courage and worthiness to rule over the kingdom of Fanelia.
The dragon reference is also used for the people of Atlantis. Their descendants are known as Draconians. Van is a Draconian and pilots
the Escaflowne, a guymelef that turns into a dragon and is powered by a drag-energist. Van and the Escaflowne have a blood pact.
Western dragons are also
seen in Record of Lodoss War and Orphen. In Lodoss the dragons are ancient gods of the continent of Lodoss, and in Orphen the dragon Azari is sought by the main character
to return her to human form.
In Japanese
mythology, dragons are said to reside at the floor of bodies of
water. The Sea King's Palace was known as the Evergreen Land.
In both Chinese and Japanese mythology, the dragon is associated
with water. In legends, the dragon dwells in lakes and oceans, and
is given associations with storms and clouds. In China, it is the
dragon who produces the rain. They live in crystal palaces filled
with treasure. Sometimes the dragon may be represented as azure
and winged. In Chinese myth, the dragon is a wise creature, and
well-disposed towards humans. Because they were believed to
hold power over rain, they were many times shown with a pearl or
ball to symbolize the thunder. The dragon is used as a symbol for
the emperor, the Son of Heaven.
Ryuoh's name from RG Veda translates to Dragon King. The Sanskrit is naga-raja. Kings
of the dragons reside at the sea's depths. Garudas were said to eat
dragons, being as they were natural enemies.
Umi's guardian beast in the series Magic Knight Rayearth is a water dragon.
Haku in Spirited Away is a river dragon whose full name is Nigihayame Kohaku.
Haku means white. There are a few words for white, and "haku" has implications in addition to referring to color. ""Koku-haku" and "haku-jo" refer to "confess." People "confess"
something that they have long concealed. "Koku-haku" is more than a mere remark or statement; it imparts speaker's persisting agony and internal conflict, as well as
strong determination to reveal the secret."~
~http://www.hiroshima-gas.co.jp/english/color/color7.htm
Shenlong
Spirit-dragon.
Shenlong makes an appearance in the Dragonball series, he can be summoned when the dragonballs are brought together, and as
the name of a Gundam in Gundam Wing.