The Japanese Dragon
In the west, it is a greedy, fire-breathing, cave-dwelling, and fear-inspiring creature that jealously guards its hoard of gold.  In the east, however, it symbolizes something far different.  In fact, Occident and Orient couldn’t be further apart than in their interpretation of one of the most powerful of all mythic creatures and tattoo designs, the dragon.

Although they do not have wings, as in the west, Oriental dragons are equally at home in the air or in the water.  In fact, the Chinese imperial dragon was the emblem of the emperor himself, symbolizing his power and authority to intercede between heaven and earth.  Like the dragon, the ideal emperor embodied wisdom and strength, manipulating the very forces of the universe for the benefit of the people.  Often times in Oriental designs the dragon is seen wielding the pearl of wisdom, essentially the essence of the universe, in order to control the winds, rains, and even the planets.

As early as the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E. – C. E. 220) the phrase “dragon’s pearl” referred to the perfect thoughts and commands of the emperor while “dragon’s face” was used to refer to the emperor’s face.  But the face of the oriental dragon is not actually the face of one creature but rather many.  The eyes are those of a demon while the ears are those of a cow.  Although the neck is that of a snake, the dragon wears the horns of a stag.  Finally, it has the overall head of a camel but with a sort of lump on the top, without which it could not fly.  With saliva that was like perfume and a voice like the musical ringing of a copper basin, the Oriental dragon was the bearer of profound blessings.  Like other Oriental tattoo designs, the choice of a dragon is sometimes an aspiration to these same qualities of great goodness, wisdom, and power.

Dragons in oriental art do not have wings nor do they necessarily breathe fire, although flames erupt from their limbs. They are not creatures of earth, but rather combine elements of the air and water, equally at home in the ocean or the clouds. Although strength and power are represented, the dragon above all is a reconciliation of opposites, a combination of yin and yang.

Also unlike the western dragon, the Oriental dragon is not a cunningly malevolent beast. Instead it is strength combined with wisdom and is benevolent. Like other Japanese tattoos, the choice of a dragon is sometimes an aspiration to these same qualities of wholeness and wisdom. It is one of the more popular Japanese style tattoos and they are depicted with great variety in terms of body position, degree of hostility in aggressive or passive position of the claws and jaws, and in their environment.

Fittingly, the sword is a symbol of the warrior but principally a warrior of virtue, even righteousness and justice. It has long been a symbol of power, especially in heraldry, and in some cultures skill with the sword was considered an art form.

In myth, swords are often times the gift of the gods to special individuals or magical in some way, as in Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur. In tattoo artwork, it is not uncommon to see them done in fairly elaborate designs, perhaps jeweled with ornate handles, and even specific to a certain culture.

Interestingly, the tattoo design of dragon and sword does not make use of the katana, or Japanese sabre, the weapon of choice among samurai. Instead, with beautiful and highly detailed vertical thrust of the sword provides a counterpoint to the curving body of the dragon. A katana does not work in quite the same way, for this particular composition, since the katana is curved.

Some Japanese dragon differ slightly from others – although to the untrained eye, one large Japanese tattoo seems like another.

A dragon with its mouth closed, in a less aggressive stance also clutches in one of his claws an object that is variously shown as a ball, a pearl, or a jewel. This item is essentialy “the closed-lotus form” seen in various Buddhist designs including temples and grave markers. It represents the spiritual essence of the universe, by which the dragon controls the winds, rains, and even the movement of the planets, and he protects it from those who might usurp those powers.