# Dragon turtle

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{{Short description|Legendary Chinese creature}}

250px|thumb|right|A statue of a dragon turtle in China
A '''dragon turtle''' ([Chinese](/source/Chinese_language) : {{Lang|zh|龍龜}}, [pinyin](/source/pinyin) : ''Lóngguī'') is a legendary [Chinese](/source/China) creature that combines two of the [four celestial animals](/source/Four_Symbols_(Chinese_constellation)) of [Chinese mythology](/source/Chinese_mythology): the shell of a [turtle](/source/Cultural_depictions_of_turtles) with a [dragon](/source/Chinese_Dragon)'s body is promoted as a positive ornament in [Feng Shui](/source/Feng_Shui),<ref>William O'Connor (2013). ''Dracopedia The Bestiary: An Artist's Guide to Creating Mythical Creatures''. Penguin. Page [https://books.google.com/books?id=ShljDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Dragon+turtle%22%2B%22china%22&pg=PT75]</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.thespruce.com/dragon-turtles-use-in-feng-shui-1275017 |title=The Dragon Turtle in Feng Shui Practice |last=Tchi |first=Rodika |date=2 November 2019 |website=The Spruce |publisher=Dotdash |access-date=9 October 2019 |quote=}}</ref> symbolizing courage, determination, fertility, longevity, power, success, and support. Decorative [carving](/source/carving)s or statuettes of the creature are traditionally placed facing the window.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jerebtsov |first1=M |last2=Pivtorak |first2=P |title=ANIMALISTIC IMAGE OF THE TURTLE IN CHINESE CLASSICAL CULTURE |url=https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/34336940/%D1%81%D1%82%D1%80.210.pdf?1738118680=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DSCIENTIFIC_ENQUIRY_IN_THE_CONTEMPORARY_W.pdf&Expires=1746373753&Signature=PJYyszffMvAP4KaxCku6aFMEeQJ~MlNUai8tbVI5TYwJMxwVVoQZbSMv~V3kJJNJeRn75VWp6Lv53yT7eotYq4zVla0KJ-HthjomduveMWCxnUNmBt7QpthwbpV9UDGkFtgvRhq~hZsQyItvkVm2wGVSok0fOaNV9OizKTyAt~GAwa7WMjmzU9NGllE83LJXbTO-ey2~t8rgPAVZ4iPTNpiIZhiTxGlkFy~4Pz2MoyS9DJamhJfgri2FQKP61ubUMJlATrs8XJYUs9ldBR4cQFsWjdw~xiV1N8rhQwgy1tLs5va8USbOJ~nhrD-vTxiYcpxPkpJNhpgqKdKQYY76-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA#page=13 |journal=Scientific Enquiry in the Contemporary World: Theoretical Basics and Innovative Approach |volume=7 |pages=13–14 |via=Google Scholar}}</ref>

[Mapmakers](/source/Cartography) sometimes [drew dragon turtles](/source/here_be_dragons) along with other fantastical creatures in unexplored areas.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

== Ancient mythology ==

When [Fuxi](/source/Fuxi) wanted to create more divine patterns, He discovered a "square diagram" on the back of a dragon turtle.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Aldern |first=Mary |title=Connecting the Stars: Chinese Star Stories and the Art of Storytelling through a Cultural and Personal Lens |date=2012 |pages=58}}</ref>

== In popular culture ==
=== Tabletop games ===
* Dragon turtles have been present in the tabletop roleplaying game ''[Dungeons & Dragons](/source/Dungeons_%26_Dragons)'' from its inception<ref>{{cite book|title=[Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: A Visual History](/source/Art_%26_Arcana)|last1=Witwer|first1=Michael|last2=Newman|first2=Kyle|last3=Peterson|first3=Jonathan|last4=Witwer|first4=Sam|last5=Manganiello|first5=Joe|date=October 2018|isbn=9780399580949|publisher=[Ten Speed Press](/source/Ten_Speed_Press)|oclc=1033548473|page=26}}</ref> to its current 5th edition.<ref name=JGa>{{Cite web|last=Grebey|first=James|date=2021-07-16|title=New D&D book explains why dragons are so important that they're half the game's name|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/dungeons-dragons-fizbans-treasury-wild-beyond-witchlight|access-date=2026-02-25|website=[SyFy Wire](/source/SyFy_Wire)}}</ref>

=== TV ===
* In the animated series ''[Avatar: The Last Airbender](/source/Avatar%3A_The_Last_Airbender)'', a lion turtle, a gigantic creature which greatly resembles the dragon turtle, appears to grant the protagonist [Aang](/source/Aang) spiritual guidance and special powers. 
* A dragon turtle appears in the 1983 ''[Dungeons & Dragons](/source/Dungeons_%26_Dragons_(TV_series))'' cartoon episode, "The Garden of Zinn", its [poison](/source/poison)ous bite setting up the events of the episode. These creatures have a dragon body and turtle shell, with some types having [flippers](/source/Flipper_(anatomy)).

=== Video games ===
<!-- Do not include Bowser from Super Mario without a source. His inspirations have been cited as the Ox King from "Journey to the West", and a Chinese softshell turtle.
https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/ds/dsi/7/3
https://www.lemonde.fr/pixels/article/2018/12/06/les-confidences-du-dessinateur-historique-des-personnages-nintendo_5393660_4408996.html --> 
* The character of Yachie Kicchou (吉弔 八千慧), from the 17th mainline video game of the [Touhou Project](/source/Touhou_Project) series, is an [anthropomorphic](/source/Anthropomorphism) tortoise dragon.

==See also==
*[Bixi](/source/Bixi) - one of the 9 sons of the Dragon King
*[Chinese mythology in popular culture](/source/Chinese_mythology_in_popular_culture)
*[Black Tortoise](/source/Black_Tortoise)
*[Fuxi](/source/Fuxi) - the progenitor of the human race in Chinese mythology.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dragon Turtle}}
Category:Mythological hybrids
Category:Mythological and legendary Chinese turtles
Category:Chinese dragons
Category:Legendary turtles

{{China-myth-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dragon turtle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_turtle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_turtle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.