The eldest son was crowned King of Lac Viet and namedhimself King Hung Vuong. When the monarchy was established the dragon became the symbol of the king,and the style of the dragon changed with each new dynasty. Each differentappearance reflected the era's culture and beliefs. 8th to 10th century Dai LaPeriod From the 1st to the 10th century,Vietnam was under Chinese colonization. As a result, the Dai La dragonstrongly resembled Chinese dragon styles.
Chinese colonization affectedall other areas of Vietnamese art as well.
This dynasty marked the first eraof Vietnamese independence from China. Vietnamese art was allowedto flourish, and the dragon of the Ly period had characteristics which distinguished it from Chinese dragons. It had a thin, long, undulated body like aserpent, a small head with long whiskers and mane, and fine legs with smallclaws. The Ly dragon resembled a water serpent, a symbol of the Godof Rain and Water. The symbol of the Tran dynasty was heavily influencedby the dragons of the Ly Dynasty and retained many of the same characteristics.