Dragon Tattoo Meaning
The dragon is the most searched tattoo creature in America. But an Eastern dragon and a Western dragon mean almost opposite things — so it matters which one you choose.
The Eastern dragon
In Chinese tradition the dragon is a wise and powerful creature of water and sky that brings rain, good fortune and protection. For centuries it was the symbol of the emperor. In Japanese tattooing the dragon, ryū, stands for strength, wisdom and protection of the people, and it is one of the classic subjects for full back pieces and sleeves.
The Western dragon
In European myth and in Christian art the dragon is a monster of chaos and evil that guards treasure and attacks people. In the Book of Revelation the great dragon is cast out of heaven by the archangel Michael, and Saint George is painted on horseback slaying a dragon with his spear. Here the dragon itself is not the hero — its defeat is the meaning: faith and courage overcoming evil.
What a dragon tattoo can mean
Power and protection, wisdom and luck in the Eastern sense; inner strength, or the darkness a person has overcome, in the Western sense. A dragon wrapped around a sword, a cross or a figure of a saint tells the Christian story of victory over evil.
Dragons in black and grey realism
Scales, claws, wings and smoke give black and grey a lot to work with. Dragons follow the body naturally — along the arm, across the back, around the leg — so they are usually designed as large flowing pieces rather than small single images.
Dragon Tattoo Questions
What does a dragon tattoo symbolize?
In the East — power, wisdom, luck and protection. In the West — chaos and evil, or the victory of faith and courage over it.
What does a Japanese dragon tattoo mean?
Strength, wisdom and protection; it is one of the classic subjects of Japanese tattooing.
What does Saint Michael or Saint George slaying a dragon mean?
Good overcoming evil, faith and courage defeating chaos.