Lung


From Encyclopedia Britannica (11th edition, 1910)

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Lung, one of the four symbolical creatures of Chinese legend. It is a dragon with a scaly snake-like body, long claws, horns, a bristly face, and its back-bone armed with spikes. Originally three-clawed, it has become, as the official dragon of the present dynasty, a five-clawed beast. The form is embroidered on the state robes of the emperor of China, and it is traditionally connected with the dynasty’s history and fortunes.