China: The Nine Dragons (九龍圖卷; 陳容)

One of the dragons from "The Nine Dragons" handscroll (九龍圖卷; 陳容)

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Description

One of the dragons from "The Nine Dragons" handscroll (九龍圖卷; 陳容), painted by the Song Dynasty Chinese artist Chen Rong in the year 1244 AD. This painting is found now at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA.

Artist: Chen Rong, Chinese, first half of the 13th century Southern Song dynasty dated 1244

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Licensing

This image (or other media file) is in the public domain because its copyright has expired.

This applies to the United States, Canada, the European Union and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.

Darkstalkers

Darkstalkers is known in Japan and Asia as Vampire (Japanese: ヴァンパイア, Hepburn: Vanpaia)

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkstalkers

Centaur

Mythology	Greek
Grouping	Legendary creature
Sub-grouping	Hybrid
Region	Greece
Habitat	Land
Similar creatures	Minotaur, satyr, harpy

Bat and Weasels (Aesop's Fables)

Bat and Weasels

A BAT who fell upon the ground and was caught by a Weasel pleaded to be spared his life. The Weasel refused, saying that he was by nature the enemy of all birds. The Bat assured him that he was not a bird, but a mouse, and thus was set free. Shortly afterwards the Bat again fell to the ground and was caught by another Weasel, whom he likewise entreated not to eat him. The Weasel said that he had a special hostility to mice. The Bat assured him that he was not a mouse, but a bat, and thus a second time escaped.

It is wise to turn circumstances to good account.

Bast (Egyptian Myth)

Deities: Bast (Egyptian Myth)

Bast (Greek: Bastet)

[Egyptian] Bast, or Bastet, was originally a lion headed goddess. She was a daughter of Ra, the god of sun and a national deity of protection.

She was the cat-goddess of the delta, sometimes with a lion decorating her breastplate as a reminder of her former, wilder self. Cats were respected and often portrayed as the slayers of evil serpents. She was sometimes fused with the more dangerous Sekhmet.

She was the Egyptian goddess of affection, hearth, home, joy, music, celebration, dancing, pleasure and fertility.

To take part in a celebration at her temple in Bubastis, ensured the mental and physical health of the participants. Also, she was known as the harvest goddess. All cats were worshipped as incanations of her.

Honoring live domesticated cats was also important to Bast's followers.A vast cat cemetery has been uncovered in Bubastis. Mummifying one's pet was considered homage to this playful, free spirited goddess.

Baku (獏)

Baku (獏) by Hokusai

Deities: Athena and Centauros

Athena and Centauros

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Refer to Deities: Athena and Centauros