The Four Dragon Kings

(based on Chinese lore)

It was told that in the ancient past and in the moment of time there were neither flowing rivers nor great lakes on the earth, only one expanse of water, the Eastern Sea. At its center was a continent of tall mounts and fertile valleys....

Within the depths of the Eastern Sea lived four dragons kings; the Ao Kuang the Long Dragon, Ao Jun the Yellow dragon, Ao Chun the Black dragon, and Ao Chi'in the Pearl dragon. Each divinity lived in a palace called the Crystal Palace, and they had their own able Ministers to assist in the rule, and vast armies that consisted of fish, crabs, and crayfish. Finned watchmen, armed with three-pronged lances, saw to the policing the vast body of water.

However the dragon kings were subordinate to the August Supreme Personage of the Jade Emperor, the Father of the Heavens. The supreme god's law was the rule and all the lesser dieties were under his regal power, even the four dragon kings.

The Jade Emperor was interested in everything that occurred in the heavens and the earth. Yet the god couldn't look after all the affairs in his sphere so the diety had a large staff of lesser gods under his orders. Thus the fate and fortunes of mankind were detailed to the four dragon kings.

The Jade emperor had in his power to distribute a certain amount of rain to the good people at the four corners of the earth. Yet, when the four dragons soared in the sky one fateful day they saw drought on the land and the suffering of the good souls.

"Come over here quickly. Look below!" Ao Chi'in called out suddenly as he pointed towards the earth.

"What is the matter?" answered the other three dragon kings as they looked to where Ao Chi'in had directed their sight.

On the parched earth they saw many people conducting ceremonies to the Lung-Wang, the dragon kings by carrying paper effigies of the gods of the earth to ornate shrines. Within the small temples they placed the images in an honored place. Afterwards the faithful put out an offering of fruits and cakes on the altar, and burned incense sticks.