I went to China, so I think I know what these dragons meant to the chinese.
During the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs, it is believed that many dragons chose to dive underwater, to avoid extinction (which was inevitable
). The reason they survived underwater was due to some part of their body that acted like gills, I believe. Anyway, the dragons evolved to live underwater: Their body became almost serpent-like, to move through water better, and their wings actually became like fins on their backs.
Later on, some dragons chose to try out land again. Mind you, this is after a long time, and now humans exist. As the dragons came onto land, they found China's bamboo forests a great environment. They could survive... If they ate. Tigers were on the menu.
Because of their great strength, intriguing look, and authorativeness, humans in China looked at dragons as something of a god.
Today, the chinese dragon is a sign of authority and the king, and alongside the phoenix, a sign of true power.
It's a shame the rest of the world didn't value these wonderful creatures, or they might still exist today. Alas, boastful knights chose to slay the beasts for their own selfish gain. Pity.
Well, there you go.
whiplash