In the Zhou dynasty, there was a saying that "the emperor with five claws, the emperor with four claws and the doctor with three claws", and in the Qing dynasty, there was a saying that "the five claws were seven dragons and the four claws were pythons". The dragon ridge before the Yuan Dynasty was originally three-clawed, sometimes the first two feet were three-clawed, and the last two feet were four-clawed. Four-claw dragon was popular in Ming dynasty, and five-claw dragon was the most popular in Qing dynasty.
The saying that "five claws are dragons and four claws are pythons" was formed in the Qing Dynasty, which is mainly the difference between the costumes of emperors and ministers. The emperor wears the "dragon robe", while other royal families and ministers wear the "embroidered robe", but this is only the difference in name. Judging from the shape of dragons, dragons and pythons are quadrupeds, and there is no difference in appearance.
Five-toed dragon actually had five toes, not five toes. Jinlong is the symbol of Emperor China, and it is stipulated that only emperors in feudal society can use it. When other royal family members and places need to use the dragon shape, they can only use the "four-claw dragon".
The extended data dragon has the image of rabbit eyes, antlers, ox mouths, camel heads, salamander bellies, Tiger Claw, talons, fish scales and snake bodies, and nine animals are combined into one (also called nine unlike). However, some people say that dragons are composed of nine kinds of animals: shrimp eyes, antlers, ox mouths, dog noses, catfish whiskers, lion bristles, eagle claws, fish scales and snake tails.
Five-toed (actually five-toed, not five-toed) Golden Dragon is a symbol of the emperor of China, and feudal society stipulated that only emperors could use it. When other royal family members and places need to use the dragon shape, they can only use the "four-claw dragon".
China has had five-color dragons and four-seas gods since ancient times, and the belief in dragon gods was often called dragon gods before the Song Dynasty. It was not until Song Huizong established five dragon kings that the belief of dragon kings became popular.
It can be said that the present Four Seas Dragon King and Five Emperors Dragon King are all local dragon gods sealed by the imperial court, while the Taoist dragon king, which evolved from the local dragon god in China, is the direct patriarch of the Four Seas Dragon King in later ghost novels. Both the Four Seas Dragon King and the Five Emperors Dragon King evolved from the Five Dragon Gods in China.
References:
Baidu encyclopedia golden dragon with five claws