The Chinese dragon is a conglomeration of nine different creatures, with the head of a camel, antlers of a stag, eyes of a hare, ears of a bull, body of a snake, belly of a frog, limbs of a tiger and talons of an eagle. Dragons are almost always depicted with a swirling ball of energy or a pearl, which has strong allusions to the Western Philosopher’s stone.

According to ancient scripture, the Fenghuang is said to be made up of the beak of a rooster,
the face of a swallow, the forehead of a fowl, the neck of a snake, the breast of a goose, the back of a tortoise, the hindquarters of a stag and the tail of a fish. With its talons and wings spread, the Fenghuang is commonly depicted attacking snakes.

In Indonesia and Thailand, the Garuda is a national symbol and is often used in Balinese art and batik prints. This mystical beast has the head and talons of an eagle but the torso of a man; its gargantuan wings supposedly span the heavens and blot the sun. As it is born of fire, its wings are red and its body shines like gold, mirroring the ornate crown on its head, which denotes it as the lord of birds.

According to Ming Dynasty records, the Qilin is described as an oxen-hooved animal with a dragon-like head, surmounted by a pair of horns and flame-like head ornaments. Its body is covered with scales of five colours – red (representing fire), green (wood), yellow (earth), white (metal), and black (water). Able to ride the wind and walk on water, the Qilin is also known in Chinese language as “dragon-horse”.