Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c12.s1.34

v2.c12.s1.34

The snake was worshipped in ancient India, an old myth in the epic *Mahabharata* which related about love and hatred between two families ie snake and redpoll. Many stories about snakes were written in Buddhist scriptures but ancient Chinese and Indian translators always translated the snake (*naga*) as a dragon and translated the snake king (*nagaraja*) as dragon king in order to match with dragon worship of China since ancient times. Therefore, the Chinese dragon was apotheosised because of many Indian factors. The dragon king became the master of rivers, lakes and seas and had the mission to make clouds and bring rain. Meanwhile, the stories of dragon king and dragon daughter in Buddhist scriptures were introduced into China and inspired the imagination of Chinese men of letters. There were many legends of love between man and dragon daughter in Tang Dynasty.