"Myth and Art: Intertwined".
In many cultures, dragons are considered to be powerful, noble creatures that bring with them signs of good to come. In reverse, such as in the western society, we believe that they are dark mysterious creatures, which knights were sent to slay. Out of all these beliefs and tales, myths have emerged over time, which are used to explain the unexplainable. Events such as creation, earthquakes and why the sun rises are subjects that cultures around the earth have formed myths around. The Chinese have created the myth of the four dragons in order to explain why it would rain. Many myths carry with them a piece of art or ritual that enforces the meaning of the myth within the culture. The Chinese did this by using dragon figures in many of their works of art, especially in the Emperor's court. .
Dragons occupy a very important position in Chinese mythology. They show up in art, literature, poetry, architecture, songs and many aspects of the Chinese conscience. The origin of Chinese dragons is unknown, but certainly pre-dates the written history. In some of the first recorded Chinese scripts there are references to dragons. (Dragons in Ancient China) .
The myth of the rain dragons began in a time when the only source of water was the eastern sea. The world contained no rivers, lakes, bays or inlets. There were four dragons: the Long dragon, the Yellow dragon, the Black dragon and the Pearl dragon. They lived in the eastern sea. One day the dragons were playing in the sky and saw an old women and a skinny boy putting out offerings to bring them rain so the harvest would survive. The dragons decided to go to the heavenly palace and beg the Jade Emperor to give the people rain. The Jade Emperor who is in charge of all things in earth and heaven said that he would give the people rain tomorrow. But after ten days had passed, there was still no rain.