dragon turtle
{{short description|Legendary Chinese creature}}
A dragon turtle (Chinese : {{Langue|zh|龍龜}}, pinyin : Lóngguī) is a legendary Chinese creature that combines two of the four celestial animals of Chinese mythology: the shell of a turtle with a dragon's body is promoted as a positive ornament in Feng Shui,William O'Connor (2013). Dracopedia The Bestiary: An Artist's Guide to Creating Mythical Creatures. Penguin. Page [https://books.google.com/books?id=ShljDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Dragon+turtle%22%2B%22china%22&pg=PT75]{{cite web |url=https://www.thespruce.com/dragon-turtles-use-in-feng-shui-1275017 |title=The Dragon Turtle in Feng Shui Practice |last=Tchi |first=Rodika |date=2 November 2019 |website=The Spruce |publisher=Dotdash |access-date=9 October 2019 |quote=}} symbolizing courage, determination, fertility, longevity, power, success, and support. Decorative carvings or statuettes of the creature are traditionally placed facing the window.{{Cite journal |last1=Jerebtsov |first1=M |last2=Pivtorak |first2=P |title=ANIMALISTIC IMAGE OF THE TURTLE IN CHINESE CLASSICAL CULTURE |url=https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/34336940/%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80.210.pdf?1738118680=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DSCIENTIFIC_ENQUIRY_IN_THE_CONTEMPORARY_W.pdf&Expires=1746373753&Signature=PJYyszffMvAP4KaxCku6aFMEeQJ~MlNUai8tbVI5TYwJMxwVVoQZbSMv~V3kJJNJeRn75VWp6Lv53yT7eotYq4zVla0KJ-HthjomduveMWCxnUNmBt7QpthwbpV9UDGkFtgvRhq~hZsQyItvkVm2wGVSok0fOaNV9OizKTyAt~GAwa7WMjmzU9NGllE83LJXbTO-ey2~t8rgPAVZ4iPTNpiIZhiTxGlkFy~4Pz2MoyS9DJamhJfgri2FQKP61ubUMJlATrs8XJYUs9ldBR4cQFsWjdw~xiV1N8rhQwgy1tLs5va8USbOJ~nhrD-vTxiYcpxPkpJNhpgqKdKQYY76-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA#page=13 |journal=Scientific Enquiry in the Contemporary World: Theoretical Basiсs and Innovative Approach |volume=7 |pages=13–14 |via=Google Scholar}}
Mapmakers sometimes drew dragon turtles along with other fantastical creatures in unexplored areas.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
Details
- One hundred eggs are laid, They are around the same size as chicken eggs.
- It takes many years for the dragon turtle to reach its maximum size.
- The huge size and weight of this creature doesn't allow it to chase its prey, because of this, it hunts much like a Snapping Turtle, waiting for its food to come to it. Except instead of fish, the dragon turtle eats much bigger prey like horses, seals and sometimes whales.
- Can grow up to 100 feet (30m) long.
Ancient mythology
- When Fuxi wanted to create more divine patterns, He discovered a "square diagram" on the back of a dragon turtle.{{Cite book |last=Aldern |first=Mary |title=Connecting the Stars: Chinese Star Stories and the Art of Storytelling through a Cultural and Personal Lens |date=2012 |pages=58}}
In popular culture
= Tabletop games =
- Dragon turtles appear in some editions of the tabletop roleplaying game Dungeons & Dragons.
= TV =
- In the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, a lion turtle, a gigantic creature which greatly resembles the dragon turtle, appears to grant the protagonist Aang spiritual guidance and special powers.
- A dragon turtle appears in the 1983 Dungeons & Dragons cartoon episode, "The Garden of Zinn", its poisonous bite setting up the events of the episode. These creatures have a dragon body and turtle shell, with some types having flippers.
= Video games =
- Bowser, a primary character in the Super Mario franchise by Nintendo, is based on a dragon turtle.
- The character of Yachie Kicchou, from the 17th mainline video game of the Touhou Project, is an anthropomorphic tortoise dragon.
See also
- Bixi - one of the 9 sons of the Dragon King
- Chinese mythology in popular culture
- Black Tortoise
- Fuxi - the progenitor of the human race in Chinese mythology.
References
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Category:Mythological and legendary Chinese turtles
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