The Water Monster’s Breath

There was a man named Cheng Zhizhang(程志章) from Hangzhou who once traveled from Chaozhou(潮州) through Huanggang(黃崗) by boat, crossing a sea channel. Halfway through the journey, a strong wind suddenly arose, and a black vapor surged from the water. Within this vapor was a figure, entirely black, with only the eye sockets and lips as white as powder. He boarded the boat Cheng Zhizhang was on, sat at the bow, and blew air toward the people on the boat. At that moment, there were a total of thirteen individuals on board. After being blown upon by this black figure, ten of them turned black, resembling the strange black person. Only three individuals escaped being turned black.

After a while, the black vapor dispersed, and the black monster sitting at the bow disappeared as well.

The boat continued its journey on the water. Suddenly, another fierce gust of wind caused the boat to capsize. Among the thirteen people, ten drowned, all of whom had their faces turned black by the water monster’s breath. Only the three individuals who hadn’t been turned black escaped death.

Translated from《水怪吹氣》in 《子不語》:

杭州程志章由潮州過黃崗，渡海汊。半渡，天大風，有黑氣衝起，中有一人渾身漆黑，惟兩眼眶及嘴唇其白如粉，坐船頭上以氣吹舟中人。舟人共十三人，頃刻貌盡變黑，與之相似，其不變者三人而已。少頃，黑氣散，怪亦不見。開船，風浪大作，舟覆水中，死者十人，皆變色者也，其不變色之三人獨免。