The Chinese dragon does not have the same affiliation with cruel, virgin munching dragons of European descent - the Chinese dragon is seen in the Chinese culture as being full of good will and power.
They differ from other mythical dragons, in their appearance as well. They have more of a long torso with a serpent like body with horns like a deer, a feathery like mane, and scales like a fish and usually don't have wings although they are capable of flying. Imperial dragons had five claws and were worn only by the emperor. A prince was allowed to wear adornments with four toed dragons and courtiers had the three toed variety. More toe facts - many Chinese and Korean dragons have five toes on each foot, Indonesian varieties had four and the Japanese dragons had three. According to Chinese legend, this was due to the dragon originating in China and then had to walk to Indonesia and Japan and along this long trip; the dragon lost some of his digits.
The Asian dragon often lived in lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water and were known and honored for their ability to bring rain. This affiliation with water made the Chinese dragon a popular tattoo choice for Japanese firemen. It was looked at as an animal totem for the firemen to help them with their firefighting and also to cool and protect them from their dangerous exposure to flames.
The myth goes that the Asian dragon was created when a warrior emperor incorporated parts of various totem creatures that belonged to tribes he conquered into his own snake totem. Due to his bravery and strength, these many animals blended into this one brave and unique creature that became a popular totem and symbol to other emperors.
The Chinese dragon is a symbol of power and strength. Before you get your tattoo, it would be interesting and meaningful to do research on the particular version you choose.
