dragon turtle

File:Dragon Turtle.jpg

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.