8 of the Holiest Animals of the World’s Religions (3 of 5)

4. Dragon (Chinese Spirituality)

We aren’t here to pull wool over your eyes. Dragons don’t really exist. But dragons have been so intrinsically linked to traditional Chinese spirituality for the past 6,000 years that it would be a crime to leave them off this list. Far from being the ferocious, fire-breathing monsters depicted in fantasy movies, Chinese dragons were seen as strong, benevolent, and protective. Chinese emperors liked to claim they were descended from dragons, and soldiers would carry shields containing images of dragons, as it was thought to bring good luck and protection. To this day the dragon is central to China’s most important holidays, such as Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival.

5. Elephant (Hinduism)

In ancient India, elephants came in pretty handy. Want to knock down trees to clear land for agriculture? Need help carrying heavy loads? Looking to trample an invading enemy? Elephants were always up for the task. These days modern machinery has rendered these once elephant-dependent services obsolete, but metaphorically speaking, elephants are still useful. Case in point: Ganesha, the elephant-headed god who is among the most worshipped deities in Hinduism. When a modern Hindu is looking to start a business or build a house, they pray to this jovial god, who responds by removing all obstacles in their way!