The Four Dragon Kings
四海龙王 (Si Hai Long Wang) - Lords of the Four Seas
The Four Dragon Kings are the divine rulers of the seas who control weather, rainfall, and all bodies of water in Chinese mythology. Dwelling in magnificent crystal palaces beneath the oceans, they command vast armies of aquatic creatures and serve under the authority of the Jade Emperor, regulating the waters that sustain all life.
The Four Dragon Kings
Ao Guang (敖广)
Domain: East Sea (Pacific)
Color: Azure/Blue
Season: Spring
Element: Wood
The most prominent Dragon King, whose son Ao Bing was slain by Nezha
Ao Qin (敖钦)
Domain: South Sea
Color: Red/Vermillion
Season: Summer
Element: Fire
Rules the warm southern waters and summer rains
Ao Run (敖闰)
Domain: West Sea
Color: White
Season: Autumn
Element: Metal
His grandson is the White Dragon Horse in Journey to the West
Ao Shun (敖顺)
Domain: North Sea
Color: Black
Season: Winter
Element: Water
Rules the cold northern waters and winter storms
Attributes & Domains
Collective Titles
Lords of the Four Seas (四海龙王), Dragon Kings (龙王), Sea Dragon Lords, Weather Rulers, Rain Bringers
Domains
Oceans and seas, rainfall, weather, storms, floods, rivers, lakes, all bodies of water, marine life
Symbols
Dragon pearl (controls weather), crystal palace, rain clouds, scales, claws clutching pearl
Sacred Treasures
Dragon pearls, Ruyi Jingu Bang (Sun Wukong's staff - originally a pillar in Ao Guang's palace), weather-controlling artifacts
Sacred Animals
Dragons, sea turtles, carp, shrimp soldiers, crab generals, all sea creatures
Colors
Azure blue (water), jade green (prosperity), gold (imperial status), pearl white (purity)
The Dragon Palace
Each Dragon King rules from a magnificent Crystal Palace (龙宫) beneath the sea, described as a wonder beyond mortal imagination:
Palace Architecture
- Structure: Built from coral, crystal, and precious gems
- Halls: Grand audience chambers where the Dragon King holds court
- Treasury: Contains magical weapons, pearls, and cosmic artifacts
- Gardens: Underwater gardens with luminescent plants
Court & Army
- Shrimp Soldiers (虾兵): Rank-and-file troops
- Crab Generals (蟹将): Military commanders
- Turtle Ministers: Wise advisors
- Fish Officials: Various administrative roles
- Dragon Princes: The kings' sons and heirs
Mythology & Stories
The Dragon Kings feature prominently in Chinese mythology, literature, and folklore. Their stories explore themes of divine justice, natural order, and the relationship between heaven, earth, and water.
Key Myths:
- Nezha and the Dragon's Son: The young god Nezha bathed in the sea using his magical sash, which disturbed the Dragon Palace. When Ao Guang sent his third son Ao Bing to investigate, Nezha killed him in combat and skinned his tendons to make a belt for his father. This act brought the wrath of all four Dragon Kings, who demanded justice from the Jade Emperor.
- Sun Wukong's Visit: In Journey to the West, the Monkey King descended to the Dragon Palace of the East Sea seeking a weapon. After testing and rejecting numerous weapons, he claimed the Ruyi Jingu Bang - a magical iron pillar that had been used to measure the depths of the Heavenly River. He also demanded and received a suit of golden chain mail, cloud-walking boots, and a phoenix-feather cap from the terrified Dragon Kings.
- The White Dragon Horse: In Journey to the West, the third son of the Dragon King of the West Sea was condemned to death for burning the palace's pearl. Guanyin intervened and transformed him into a white horse to carry the monk Xuanzang on his journey to India, thus achieving redemption through service.
- The Origin of Rain: The Dragon Kings are responsible for delivering rain according to the Jade Emperor's decrees. Each region of China has a designated dragon who must release the proper amount of rainfall. Stories abound of dragons who delivered too much or too little rain and faced celestial punishment.
- The Dragon Gate: According to legend, carp that successfully leap over the Dragon Gate (龙门) at the Yellow River are transformed into dragons. This myth symbolizes success through perseverance, particularly in the imperial examination system.
- Prayers for Rain: Throughout Chinese history, during droughts, emperors and commoners alike would pray to the Dragon Kings for rain. Elaborate rituals were performed at Dragon King temples, sometimes including the dramatic display of dragon bones (often dinosaur fossils) to entreat the dragons' assistance.
Relationships
Celestial Hierarchy
- Jade Emperor: Supreme ruler to whom they owe allegiance and must report
- Ministry of Thunder: Coordinate weather phenomena together
- River Gods: Subordinate deities who manage specific waterways
- Rain Master (雨师): Works alongside them to deliver precipitation
Notable Family Members
- Ao Bing (敖丙): Third son of Ao Guang, slain by Nezha
- Third Prince of West Sea: Became the White Dragon Horse
- Dragon Princesses: Feature in various romantic legends with mortals
- Ao Lie: Another prince mentioned in various tales
Conflicts & Adversaries
- Nezha: Killed Ao Bing and humiliated the Dragon Kings
- Sun Wukong: Robbed their treasuries and bullied them into submission
- Erlang Shen: Subdued water demons, limiting their influence
- Various Heroes: Many tales feature heroes who defeat tyrannical dragon princes
Worship & Rituals
Sacred Sites
Dragon King temples (龙王庙) are found throughout China, particularly near bodies of water:
- Coastal Temples: Major shrines along China's coastline, especially in fishing communities
- River Temples: Along the Yellow River, Yangtze, and other major waterways
- Lake Shrines: At famous lakes like Dongting, Poyang, and Tai
- Beijing: The Dragon King Temple at the Summer Palace's Kunming Lake
- Taiwan: Numerous Dragon King temples in fishing villages
Festivals
- Dragon Boat Festival (端午节): Fifth day of the fifth lunar month - dragon boat races honor the Dragon Kings and the poet Qu Yuan
- Dragon Raising Head Day (龙抬头): Second day of the second lunar month - marks when dragons awaken from winter sleep and begin bringing spring rains
- Rain Prayer Ceremonies: Performed during droughts with elaborate rituals
Offerings
- Pig heads: Traditional meat offerings
- Fish: Whole fish presented to honor the sea creatures
- Wine and food: Elaborate feast offerings
- Paper boats: Burned to send messages to the underwater realm
- Incense: Continuous burning at temple altars
- Dragon effigies: Paper dragons burned during drought ceremonies
Patronage
The Dragon Kings are especially important to:
- Fishermen and sailors seeking safe voyages
- Farmers praying for adequate rainfall
- Communities threatened by floods
- Those living near rivers and coastlines
- Anyone whose livelihood depends on water
Corpus References
Search for references to the Dragon Kings and related concepts in historical Chinese texts:
Related Across the Mythos
Rain Prayer Rituals
Weather Magic
Cross-Cultural Parallels - Sea & Water Deities
See Also
Related Concepts
Within Chinese Mythology
- Chinese Pantheon - Complete hierarchy of deities
- Jade Emperor - Their celestial sovereign
- Nezha - Slayer of the Dragon Prince Ao Bing
- Sun Wukong - Who stole their treasures
- Dragons - Mythology of Chinese dragons
- Rain Rituals - Ceremonies to petition for rain