Absolutely fascinating. These dragons predate both the biblical references to dragons and the dragon on the Ishtar gate of Babylon. I wonder if these dragon images found in early Western culture draw upon these Eastern dragon concepts. Or did they spring up on their own?
My bet is that they're linked.
I have often wondered to what extent the discovery of dinosaur bones in such places as Mongolia might have influenced various Chinese and other mythologies.
Also, these findings are from over 8,000 years ago. I have often wondered what the impact of the eruption of Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake) with all the ash from its 6 mile diameter caldera, might have had on developing civilizations in the period between 7 and 8,000 years ago when it erupted. You may remember the crazy weather we had in the years after Pinitubo which only left a 3 mile diameter calder. I would think a 6 mile diameter caldera would have dumped around 8 times as much ash into the upper atmosphere, and being in the northern hemisphere would have had a proportionately larger impact in China than Pinitube being much farther south might have.