A dragon with a long, sinuous body is depicted in this handscroll section from the early 13th century, attributed to an unknown artist. The dragon’s body is covered in yellow scales, with a white underbelly and a mane of red and green flames running along its spine. The creature is shown flying amidst swirling dark clouds, with its mouth open and tongue extended, set against a background of layered ink washes and subtle color. This work is a section from the illustrated narrative handscroll Legends of the Kegon Patriarchs: Zenmyō as a Dragon, created in Japan in the early 13th century.

The scroll is part of a tradition of Japanese Buddhist painting that used ink and color on paper to depict legendary figures and miraculous events associated with the Kegon school. The scrolls belong to Kōzan-ji in Kyoto and are a National Treasure of Japan.