The species everyone knows as the Chinese dragon, the lung (Lung huang), have spread all across the region and diversified into different forms. T'eng do not, however, have the ability to ascend to heaven like other dragons. Whereas wyverns have wings, Chinese dragons have a chimu, a magical lump on their heads which allows them to move through the air like water. ![]() Similarly, the T'eng (Teng she), a type of legless dragon, appears to have been the first Chinese dragon to develop flight. Dilong, or snake dragons, are much more similar to the lindworms and drakons of Europe, but have the more derived appearance known to their family. ![]() Biologically, they may look crocodilian, but also possess many mammalian characteristics, like their warm blood and primitive hair. Figurines from Vietnam point to Jiaolong as the earliest Chinese dragons. Jiaolong (Giao crocodilus) and Dilong (Lung panlong) are thought to be the earliest known dragons from the area, resembling their ancient serpentine ancestors more so than anything else. ![]() ![]() But, of all those dragons, the Chinese lungs are agreed to be their progenitors. Owing to the rich, ancient history of the region, East Asian dragons have evolved and diversified to such an extent that comparisons to dragons of the West are far too simple.
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