Thread by @curiousordinary

Dragons feature prominently in East Asian folklore & mythology. They have different characteristics to the fire breathing dragons found in the west. In Asia dragons are considered auspicious & represent vitality & power. They are also connected to the weather.
#WyrdWednesday
1/14

In this thread I will share some of my earlier threads with dragon info and tales from #JapaneseFolklore. In Japan, dragons are known as wani and feature in many folktales. Firstly, here is some info about wani.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1612426873480581121?t=WV92YuEXnBxw08r2EsU0Lw&s=19

2/14

One of my favourite tales is about the goddess Benzaiten and her encounter with a five headed dragon off the coast of Kanagawa. This tale first shows the dragon as a villain, but then later as a protective guardian.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1491019615077486598?t=eLwyqYrriOtpuYYQjR_CzA&s=19

3/14

There are many tales of the mighty Dragon King who lived in a majestic palace beneath the sea. The most famous is the story of Urashima Taro.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1519272886388748289?t=yD86wKBBGTA_OkAsU9o5HQ&s=19

4/14

Here is another tale about a visit to the Dragon King's Palace which is about a monkey and a jellyfish.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1497894222455738370?t=3xJu3OBy4Mxy9O92-XLQeg&s=19

5/14

Also there is a tale known as My Lord Bag of Rice where the hero helps save the Dragon Princess from a giant centipede. This time the Dragon King's Palace is actually under the water of Lake Biwa.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1539226694480842753?t=xgfe543pbltH7G0mRIbEwg&s=19

6/14

Dragons were also believed to be guardian spirits of bodies of water. This is a tale of a man who actually transformed into a dragon.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1625811435866714112?t=Ovv2Mteqz4rvtXS4TcYGXw&s=19

#WyrdWednesday
7/14

There is also the famous myth about the god Susanoo killing an eight-headed dragon and saving his future wife from certain death.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1492475719397490692?t=jzNeFmKGwkDVIf141bNEMg&s=19

8/14

There is a #yokai known as kyorinrin, which is a type of tsukumogami and takes the form of a dragon.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1589581164234551297?t=xhRoHQzM5eKtKofTAME6TQ&s=19

9/14

The suiko is also a #yokai, similar to a kappa but more violent, that is said to report directly to the Dragon King.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1434431103830401024?t=6INrSf24rlpsaUx2Vtfxog&s=19

10/14

In Asian mythology and culture there are four celestial beasts, each representing a different direction. The azure or green dragon is connected to east and the season of spring.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1488816025894207491?t=uj3FnzD25G-MCSyVtAGQiw&s=19

#WyrdWednesday #GothicSpring
11/14

In China there is a famous tale that says if a carp is able to leap up a waterfall, it will transform into a dragon.

https://twitter.com/curiousordinary/status/1543592336185167873?t=g5mUo1MwmqRzASUF3FFLVA&s=19

12/14

My dragon encounter:
"From the relentless, wind-whipped ocean with waves crashing into the shore, to the ghastly winds that seemed intent on tearing away everything in their path, if ever I had sensed the presence of a dragon, it was that night."
curiousordinary.com/2020/04/a-benz…
13/14

If you've made it through this thread, thanks so much for letting me share my love of dragons. Art from first tweet:
1. Utagawa Kuniyoshi
2. Utagawa Kunisada
3. Matthew Meyer
4. Utagawa Toyokuni I
I've collated some more info for dragon lovers here:
curiousordinary.com/2018/07/dragon…
14/14