This book is not intended primarily for Sinologues and it contains no Chinese characters. The volume is written for the average reader, who in his study of things Chinese, has little time to go to original sources. Most people do not wish to be burdened with long quotations to prove abstract hypotheses or to have Chinese characters inserted in the text repeatedly to break the sequence. If later interest in this subject justifies it, a larger work will be attempted and a more detailed presentation of the material thus far collected will be made. The writer’s purpose in this book has been to make as clear a statement of the subject as could be done within the compass of a small book, without introducing unnecessary material. If he has succeeded in this endeavor, he will be more than gratified. CONTENTS Page Introduction vii Preface ix Illustrations xv CHAPTER ONE The Place of the Dragon in Chinese Life 3 CHAPTER TWO How the Dragon Idea Originated 10 CHAPTER THREE The Varieties of Dragons 15 CHAPTER FOUR What Dragons Really Look Like 23 CHAPTER FIVE People Who Have Seen Dragons 31 CHAPTER SIX The Dragon in Western Mythology 38 CHAPTER SEVEN Quaint Beliefs About the Dragon 45 CHAPTER EIGHT How Dragons Control the Fortunes of Men 51 CHAPTER NINE The Hold of the Dragon on China 57 ILLUSTRATIONS