A Study of Dragons, East and West (Asian Thought and Culture)

Few symbols saturate human civilization so broadly and thoroughly as those of the ubiquitous and enigmatic dragon. This compelling book examines, compares, and analyzes the appearance and symbolization of the Eastern and Western dragons and treats them as the crystallization of human cultures. It shows that Chinese dragons resemble one another but suggest different ideas in different contexts, while Western dragons have different appearances but often denote a single concept. As one of the most notable achievements of dragonology, this book offers astonishing new insights into dragons as zoological «fact», psychological archetypes, and ideological symbols.