Dragons in China are viewed as good luck, and are associated with power. They are a sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and they may influence the weather and the tides. Dragons were often associated with royalty and many Chinese emperors used dragons as part of their crests or to denote power. Vietnamese dragons are vastly interesting. All people according to old Vietnamese legends are descended from dragons. Most dragons in Asia are good and kind, although a few specific dragons are the exception to this rule.

In all cases, dragons represent power, and they have come to be beloved in modern fantasy literature and film. Even though J.K. Rowling depicts dragons as vicious in the Harry Potter series, one of her main characters, Hagrid, can’t help but love them. Other fictional treatments of dragons in recent years include Anne McCaffrey’s Pernseries, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon, Cornelia Funke’s Dragon Rider, and the films, Dragon Heart, Dragonslayer and Reign of Fire. Each fictional interpretation of dragons takes its own position on whether dragons are evil. Many dragon stories for children feature quite benevolent and charming creatures. My Father’s Dragon written by Ruth Stiles Gannet is an excellent book for young readers interested in dragons.