I. Core Characters Overview
I. Ao Guang, East Sea Dragon King
Appearance: Gold-scaled armor, tasseled dragon whiskers, coral-like horns, and eyes like deep ocean whirlpools.
Abilities: Controls tides, summons storms, and wields the “Sea-Fixing Needle” (later Monkey King’s weapon).
Origin: Eldest dragon son, evolved from the sea god Yu Guo in Shan Hai Jing. Became rain deity in Taoism.
II. Ao Qin, South Sea Dragon King
Appearance: Fiery red scales, flame-wreathed claws, and sulfurous breath.
Abilities: Manipulates volcanic energy, creates mirages, and commands red tide creatures.
Origin: Descendant of fire god Zhu Rong in Huainanzi. Assisted Jiang Ziya in Fengshen Yanyi.
III. Ao Run, West Sea Dragon King
Appearance: Ice-blue scales, crystal-tipped tail, and eyes like frozen stars.
Abilities: Freezes water bodies, creates ice storms, and controls glaciers with his “Cold Wave Pearl”.
Origin: Derived from river god Bing Yi in Sou Shen Ji. His son Ao Lie became Tang Monk’s dragon-horse in Journey to the West.
IV. Ao Shun, North Sea Dragon King
Appearance: Jet-black scales, nine dorsal fins, and icy breath from Arctic currents.
Abilities: Leads whale migrations, predicts tsunamis, and controls global currents with his “Tide Map”.
Origin: Evolved from Xuanming, the god of the North Sea in Book of Rites. Official recognition in Tai Ping Yu Lan (Song Dynasty).
II. Legendary Tales
I. Nezha’s Sea Revolt (Key Conflict)
- Trigger: Ao Bing, East Sea prince, abducts children for sea sacrifices (Ming Dynasty Fengshen Yanyi).
- Climax: Nezha kills Ao Bing, leading to flooding of Chentangguan. Nezha’s rebirth as a lotus spirit resolves the conflict.
- Outcome: Nezha becomes a celestial general; dragons promise peace.
II. Journey to the West Episodes
- Golden Cudgel: Monkey King takes the Sea-Fixing Needle, forcing Ao Guang to concede.
- Fengxian County Drought: Dragons cooperate but are blocked by heaven’s rules, showing their subordination.
III. The Eight Immortals’ Crossing
- Conflict: North Sea prince steals Lan Caihe’s jade tablet, sparking a dragon-immortal war resolved by Guanyin.
- Symbolism: Reflects integration of Taoist deities and folk beliefs.
III. Cultural Ecosystem
I. Literary Depictions
- Dunhuang murals Dragon Kings Paying Homage to Buddha (Tang Dynasty).
- First full record in Yuan Dynasty Journey to the West Pinghua.
- Modern animation Nezha Conquers the Dragon King (1979).
II. Folk Practices
- Sea Sacrifices: Annual dragon-head dotting ceremony during Mazu’s birthday in Meizhou Island.
- Dragon Boat Culture: Dragon-headed boats in Shunde, Guangdong, submerged post-race as “returning to the sea”.
- Rain Prayers: Villagers splash water on dragon statues during droughts in northern China.
III. Historical Roles
- Tang Dynasty established official dragon shrines to control water resources.
- Song Dynasty Mengxi Bitan links dragon worship to navigational advancements.
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