The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1888-03-09

FABuLous ANIMALS.
The Dragon creature Of Imagination
tho Celestial Mind.

The Dragon creature Of Imagination m
tho Celestial Mind.
OF the many fabulous animals hav-
Ing their habitation In the Mongolian
mind. none Is more completely domes-
Heated and universally believed In
Than Is the dragon. represented upon
the national flag. giving name TO the
throne. and having numberless images
la temples. II Il the symbol Of power
and majesty. the expression of au-
thorlty aud dignity. Tho Chinese
Nepiunes. the S,a Dragon Kings. live
In e. rgeous palaces In the depths of
the sea. where they feed on pearls and
opals. There are five of those divini-
ties. the chief being in the cen er. and
the other four occupying the north. the
west The south and tho east. Each is
a league in length. and so bulky that
in shifting its posture II tosses one
mountain against another. Il has five
teet. one OF them being In the middle OF
It's belly. ani each foot Is armed with
live s&arp claws. II can reach into
'he lssnveus and sire. ch itself into all
quarters Of the sea II has glowing
armor OF yellow scales. beard under
It's long snouL hairy nail aad shaggy
legs Its forehead projects over It's
blazing eyes. It's ears are small and
thick. Its mouth gaping. its tongre
long and its teeth sharp Fish are
boiled by the blast of its breath and
roasted by the iiery exhalaiions of its
body. When it rises to the surface,
the whole ocean surges. waierspouts
tirm aud typhoons rage. When II
Hes wingless. through the air. the
winds howl, torrents Of rain descend,
houses are unroofcd. the armament il
filed with din. and whatever lies
.long its route Is swept away
with roar In the hurricane
created by the speel of It's
massage The five Ssa Dragon
Kings are all immortal. They know
zach others thoughts. plans and
wishes without intercommunlcatisn.
Like all the other gosls. they 60 once
= year to the superior heavens. to
make an annual reports to the Sa-
prcme RI.er; but they GO In the third
month. mt which time none of the
other gods dare appear and their stay
Is brief They generally remain in
The depths of the ocean. where their
courts are filled with their progeny.
their depende ITS and their attendants,
aud where the gods and genii some
times visit them. Their palaces OF
iivers-colored transparent stones,
with crystal doors. are said to h we
been seen in the morning. by persons
razing into the waters. A fine Chi
icse scholar OF my acquaintance. a
graduate. grayely assured me that
ne had seen a dragon moving through
he heavens in storm; aud that he had
had a distinct. tAough distant view Of
its tail. To see one indicates good
luck. and they are seldom seen By any
but the righteous Il Is said that fish
and serpents that live to a vast age
a.e finally transformed into dragons.
Another animal frequently repre-
senied in has relief on the walls OF
temples. and Is supposed to appear
when sage Is born. II the Chihese
unicorn II has body like deer.
miih the head and tail of a lion. Il
has horn on its forehead. and is ,ften
pictured with the eight precious writ
ing implements under its feet. One
appeared in the time of Confucius. and
the Doors who saw Ii killed IL. saying.
1T Is neith-r tiger. OK. nor
pig" Confucius saw its dead
body and bemoaned its being
20 uncommon that no one had
recognized IL. The well-known Pn9-
nix lives among mountains. and lays
cnb' cal eggs 1t is several feet high.
and has loag neck. long legs ard a
long. plumy tail. 1t has resplendeat.
varicgated plumage. slim wings. n
sharp tongue. and cleaning eyes 1t
gazes at the sun and moon. facing east
by day and west by night. Its voice
is futc-like; and when il calls. tigers
de away. and all birds assemble
around It. TO do obcisancc. Its nest
has never been founi. though its
young have been seen. 1t only ap-
pears when n wise sovereign Is about
20 be born. Il affiliates with the drag
D.. and dragons are sometimes
hatched fron its e1gs StCiss Cross