In both Chinese and Japanese mythology, the dragon is closely associated with the watery realm, and in artwork is often surrounded by water or clouds. In myth, there are four dragon kings who rule over the four seas (which in the old Chinese conception limited the habitable earth). In China, a fifth category of dragon was added to these four, for a total of five dragon types: Celestial Dragons who guard the mansions of the gods Spiritual Dragons who rule wind & rain but can also cause flooding Earth Dragons who cleanse the rivers & deepen the oceans Treasure-Guarding Dragons who protect precious metals & stones Imperial Dragons; dragons with five claws instead of the usual four.
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Source - http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/dragon.shtml
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