"[Commentary.--The Ying Lung dwells beneath the earth.] "So there is often drought. "[Commentary.--Because no rain was made above.] "When there is a drought, the form of the Ying dragon is made, and then there is much rain. "[Commentary.--Now the false dragon is for this purpose, to influence (the heaven); men are not able to do it.]" The better printed copies of this work are illustrated with a very truculent-looking dragon with outspread wings. A stone delineation of a dragon with wings forms the ornamentation of the bridge at Nincheang Foo. In the interior of China, it was observed by Mr. Cooper, and is given in his _Travels of a Pioneer of Commerce_. These are the only cases in China in which I have come across illustrations of dragons with genuine wings. As a rule, the dragon appears to be represented as having the power of translating itself without mechanical agency, sailing among the clouds, or rising from the sea at pleasure. [Illustration: FIG. 56.--PING I (ICY EXTERMINATOR), A RIVER DIVINITY (?). From within the Sea and North. (_Shan Hai King._)] [Illustration: FIG. 57.--THE EMPEROR K'I, OF THE HIA DYNASTY. From without the Sea and West. (_Shan Hai King._)] The _Shan Hai King_ contains valuable notices of winged snakes and gigantic serpents, as, for example, the so-called singing snakes. Speaking of the Sien mountain (one of the Central Mountains), it says: "Gold and jade abound. It is barren. The Sien river issues and flows north into the I river. On it are many singing snakes. They look like snakes, but have four wings. Their voice is like the beating of stones. When they appear there will be great drought in the city." [Illustration: FIG. 58.--YÜ KIANG (A GOD). Without the Sea and North. (_Shan Hai King._)] The Pa snake, already spoken of, is described as capable of gorging an elephant. The Ta Hien mountains were reputed uninhabitable on account of the presence of gigantic serpents (pythons?), which were said to have been of the colour of mugwort, to have possessed hairs like pig's bristles projecting between the lines of their riband-like markings. Rumour had magnified their length to one hundred fathoms, and they made a noise like the beating of a drum or the striking of a watchman's wooden clapper. The Siong Jan mountains were infested by serpents, also gigantic, but of a different species. The annexed wood-cuts (Figs. 56, 57) of Ping I (Icy exterminator), and the Emperor K'i (B.C. 2197), each in cars, driving two dragons, are interesting in connection with the later fable of Medea and Triptolemus. The two stories were probably derived from a common source; the Chinese version, however, being much the older of the two. [Illustration: FIG. 59.--THE TYPHOON DRAGON. (_From a Chinese Painting._)]