 |
|
 |
| *Thought about it for 4 years....placement, size, image, color or non...you know, the important stuff....hell I'm going to have this for life!! *Visited tattoo studio 2 times before actaully getting it done...Artistic Skin Designs in Indianapolis, IN...it was 3 hours from where I was living at the time *Had artist re-draw a picture I liked so that the dragon was horizontal with loop and not vertical (if I can find the original picture I will put it up) *In the first session the outline was done (Feb. 2000) *The second session the shading was done (altogether it took about 5 hours) March 2000 *Cost: $200 *Yes, it hurt at times, but was bareable |
 |
| In Japanese legend there are tales that depict snakes and dragons with supernatural powers. In ancient Japan the people believed in the snake-god ‘Orochi’, who lived on the very top of mountains. The Buddhist religion told of the dragon-god ‘Ryu’ who ruled the clouds, the rain, and the water. There was the dragon ‘Yasha’, one of the demon-gods who protected Buddhism. All these deities have wide mouths, sharp fangs, pointed horns, and all-seeing eyes. There are four types of dragons in Japanese mythology: the heavenly dragons who guard the palace of the gods, the spiritual dragons who bring the blessed rain, the earth dragons who determine the course of rivers, and the dragons who are the guardians of all earthly treasures. In many paintings, artists depict the dragon as the ruler of the waters, the ocean and the rain. Ghosts, Demons and Spirits in Japanese Lore Eastern dragons have 117 scales, 81 infused with yang, the good, and 36 infused with yin, the bad. This evens out the dragons temper and personality. There are three families of eastern dragons: 3 toed, 4 toed, and 5 toed. Three toed dragons are Japanese. Four toed dragons are Indonesian or Korean. Five toed dragons are Chinese. Each of the three countries explains this phenomena differently. The Chinese dragon is a central figure, both good and evil, in traditional fables and legends. According to the Chinese, the dragon originated in their Middle Kingdom and has always had five toes. The dragon by nature is a gregarious creature that wanders the earth. However, the farther it goes from China, the more toes it loses. Hence, when it reached Korea it only had four toes and by the time it got to Japan it only had three. This also explains why the dragon never made it to Europe or the Americas, for by the time it traveled that far it had lost all of its toes and could not walk. The Japanese account of the dragon is very similar to that of the Chinese. The Japanese also believe that the dragon had its origins in their country. They too know that the dragon has a tendency to travel and believe that the farther it travels, the more toes it grows. So by the time it reached Korea, it had grown four toes and by the time it got to China, it had grown five. Again, the reason it did not make it further than China was because it kept growing new toes and could walk no further. It is believed that a few dragons begin life as fish. The carp, who successfully jump rapids and leap over waterfalls, can change into fish-dragons. "The carp has leapt through the dragon's gate," is a favorite saying that indicates success, especially for students who have passed their exams. The Physiology of a Dragon |
| My Dragon: A representation of Shen-Lung, The Spiritual Dragon: who controls the wind and the rain |
| Details of My Dragon |
|
|
|
by The JavaScript Source
|
 |