The Dragon Tattoo
The dragon tattoo is a sacred symbol worn only by the most elite members of a village who have successfully passed the Lóng Tiǎozhàn, and been welcomed into the Temple as Dragons.
Tattoo Significance
The tattoo connects a living Dragon to the Wyvern Spirits of all Dragons who have gone before. Thus, it is considered very sacred. In times of need, the dragon tattoo calls out seeking for help from the great warriors of the past, who, it is believed, come in and help rescue the worthy Dragon in his time of need. Thus, this tattoo is highly revered, and protected.
Tattoo Design
The Tattoo itself varies a little bit depending on the individual, but all of them start with this same identical design. Below I have shared a picture of how I envision the Dragon Tattoo. Though this is by no means meant to be an official version. This is just more or less how it looks in my imagination. Feel free to create your own version of the Dragon Tattoo in your mind.
As Dragons live their lives and demonstrate their courage other symbols may be added to the Tattoo as remembrances of these significant events. There is no official standard for how these small changes are added, except that they must be approved by the Dǎoshī of a village.
For example, if a Xué completes an important mission, they may petition their Dǎoshī to add or alter their dragon tattoos slightly. These requests are considered with great care, so as to not disrupt the connection that the Dragon Tattoo gives the bearer with the Wyvern Spirits of the Dragons who have gone before.
