Tradition: Vietnamese mythology
Alternative Names: Giao Long
Category: Dragon
The Myth
The Giao Long was a dangerous dragon-like creature that lived in the waters of ancient Vietnam. It was feared by people who lived along the forests and rivers, particularly when they entered the water, where the creatures could attack and cause great harm.
During the early age of the Hùng kings, the people complained to their ruler that they were being attacked by the Giao Long whenever they went down into the water. The king explained that the people of the mountains and the creatures of the waters belonged to different kinds, and that the two were therefore constantly trespassing upon one another’s domains.
To protect his people, the king ordered them to mark their bodies with tattoos resembling the creatures of the water. From then onward, the Giao Long no longer attacked them, recognizing the tattooed people as belonging to the same watery world.
The tradition therefore explained the origin of tattooing among the ancient Bách Việt people. The marks on their bodies served not merely as decoration, but as protection against the terrifying dragon creatures that inhabited the waters.
Sources
Nguyễn Hữu Vinh and Trần Đình Hoành. Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái Bình Giải. 2010.
https://trandinhhoanh.wordpress.com/2010/03/21/linh-nam-chich-quai-d%E1%BA%ABn-nh%E1%BA%ADp/