This is the creature especially preeminent in art, literature and rhetoric.

There are nine kinds of dragons, all with various features and functions, and artists and authors revel in their representation.
The celestial dragon guards the mansions of the gods and supports them lest they fall; the spiritual dragon causes the winds to blow and rain to descend for the service of mankind; the earth dragon marks out the courses of rivers and streams; the dragon of the hidden treasures watches over the wealth concealed from mortals, etc.

Outwardly, the dragon of superstition resembles the geological monsters brought to resurrection by our paleontologists.

He seems to incarnate all the attributes and forces of animal life--vigor, rapidity of motion, endurance, power of offence in horn, hoof, claw, tooth, nail, scale and fiery breath.

Being the embodiment of all force the dragon is especially symbolical of the emperor.