It serves as an indication of a person's personality or a projection of what he or she wants to be like. It may even suggest a person's desires such as protection and security. By appropriating these meanings into their physical being, it encourages them to inculcate such attributes or manifest personal necessities into their being. The symbolism alone of the design can affect one's psychology and offer him comfort, ease, and peace of mind.
European and Asian dragons are the most commonly utilized dragon tattoo designs. They both originate from rich folklore and mythology, making symbolism all the more worthwhile. European dragons are those frequently illustrated in medieval tales whether as a castle guard or as a formidable sentry of wondrous treasures. Western interpretations describe it as a fire-breathing, bloodthirsty, and ferocious creature that malevolently breeds horror and fear.
Asian dragons on the other hand are a balance between good and evil. It is a being of power, mystery, benevolence, intelligence, wisdom, guardianship, supernatural powers, and of good will. It is both a fearsome and gentle creature. Asian dragon tattoo designs are more frequently used over European designs due to the versatility of meanings or simply because it appears to be more exotic with its highly stylized illustrations.
There's a wide variety of Chinese dragons and each comes attached with specific characteristics. The Horned dragon is believed to be the mightiest. Celestial dragons watch over the heavens and protect God; Earth dragons rule the world as Spiritual dragons control wind and rain. Treasure dragons, as their name suggests, are keepers of precious metals and gems. The Yellow dragon is hornless and is characterized by great scholarly knowledge. Coiling dragons live in the ocean while winged dragons are the only ones with wings.
As for Japanese dragon tattoo designs, you also have a broad array to choose from. Sui-Riu is a dragon king who is most especially powerful in times of drought since he controls both wind and rain. Han-Riu is one of the largest dragons spanning a length of forty feet with several stripes along its body. Ri-Riu is a rare breed with little known about it except for the fact that it has amazing eyesight. Ka-Riu is brilliantly red and petite in size while Fuku-Riu is a crowd favorite as it brings luck. Hai-Ryo evolved from Chinese mythology and is probably the most advanced dragon form (being a dragon bird).
Looking into dragons as your prospective tattoo design should be considered at great depths. A lot of thorough research must be done unless you'd want to end up with outdated or mistranslated meanings. Dragon tattoo designs not only give you freedom of expression and symbolism but of a greater appreciation for mythology too.
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