What is a dragon? Is it real? And what is so special about Chinese dragons? This book is the classic explanation of the origins and temperament of Chinese dragons and their complex role in the history of China over thousands of years. L. Newton Hayes, born in China and a great lover of Chinese culture, provides all the details of who they are, where they come from and what they represent. This is a new edition, lovingly reproducing word for word and image by image, the original published in Shanghai in 1922.