Dragon of the center

Top of ceiling
Ohoe Tomb #4, 6th - 7th century
Ji'an, China

The dragon of the center (Yellow Dragon) is painted at the very apex of the tomb, reflecting its directional role. Dragons appear on multiple levels of the ceiling, with the implication that this creature was especially important to the deceased, and possibly related to the imperial dragon of the Chinese emperors. The creature's body is long and snakelike, and its limbs are very long and attenuated. This is especially evident when it is standing up with legs fully extended (earlier page, center of southwest corner).