By: Cleo Newton

Dragons have a reputation of being evil but that’s not always true. There are many differences between Eastern dragons and Western dragons.

Western dragons

Western dragons are known for being destructive and dangerous, and overall malevolent. According to Schudio.com, they can be described as “dinosaur-like fire-breathing animals”, though some are also poisonous. Many Western dragons are described as having scaly bodies, a spiky tail, 2-4 legs, and bat-like wings. Their main source of food is usually sheep, cattle, and humans.

It’s often said that they live on land, in caves, with a large horde of treasure, but according to Onlydinosaurs.com, they can also live in marshes, the forest, the sea, the mountains, or even a volcano.

Some Western dragons include Hydra (from Greek mythology), Vouivre (French mythology), and Jörmungandr (Norse mythology), and many more.

Eastern dragons

Eastern dragons are known for being kind and caring. They can be described as wise and beautiful. Their physical appearance is quite different compared to Western dragons as well. Eastern dragons look kind of like very large snakes with deer antlers, eagle talons and tiger paws (for both front and back legs), a mane, and a camel(-like) head. They may not have wings like many Western dragons but they can still fly. According to Schudio.com, Eastern dragons are known to have the ability to spit water. It’s much rarer that you hear of them breathing fire.

They don’t eat humans; they eat swallows. Eastern dragons can be found in lakes and in the skies.

These dragons are seen as symbols of good luck since the rain they bring helps with the growth of crops and other plants.

Many Eastern dragons are seen with a pearl in its jaws. Depending on what culture the dragon is from, Storymuseum.org says this pearl could represent a couple of different things: wealth, wisdom, and/or power.

Some kinds of Eastern dragons include Ryu (Japanese mythology), Yong (Korean mythology), and DiLong (Chinese mythology). These are just a few of many other different kinds of Eastern dragons.

The most apparent difference between Eastern and Western dragons is their demeanor. Western dragons are portrayed as an evil being while Eastern dragons are seen as a symbol of good fortune and are highly respected.

After reading this, I hope you’ve learned a few new things about the differences between dragons.