folklore

The Spirit of the White Stone

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《竹鶴圖軸》邊文進 明

In Tianchang County(天長), there was a magistrate named Lin who served in the capital city’s district. In his home, there was a spirit-writing altar occupied by a monster. This monster claimed to be the ‘True Man of the White Stone(白石真人)’ and accurately foretold fortunes and misfortunes for those who sought its advice.

The monster often persuaded Magistrate Lin to cultivate the Dao and practice immortal arts, claiming that by opening a third eye on his face, he could see the palace where the Heavenly Emperor resided and the immortals frolicking in the clouds. 

SuanNi/狻猊: The Majestic Mythical Beast of Chinese Legend

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Suan Ni, originating from ancient Chinese mythology and legends, is a mythical creature deeply ingrained in traditional Chinese culture. It symbolizes power, bravery, and wealth.

Fight of the Liu Lang Shen

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《架上鷹圖》 徐澤 元

The people of Nanning in Guangxi all worship the deity Liu Lang Shen. If someone inadvertently offends in speech, Liu Lang Shen would come to haunt them. This Liu Lang Shen is particularly adept at beguiling women; most young and beautiful women are often possessed by him. The affected families must prepare a bundle of paper money, a bowl of rice, and invite two or three musicians. In the dead of night, amidst music and beating, they would escort Liu Lang Shen to desolate fields, after which he would haunt another household. 

TaoTie/饕餮: More Than a Chinese Mythical Beast

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Introduction to Taotie

Taotie is a mysterious creature in Chinese mythology. Its name translates to “gluttonous ogre” and is often associated with insatiable greed. Taotie’s depiction is primarily found on ritual bronze vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, where it is characterized by a symmetrical, zoomorphic face, often without a lower jaw.

TaoTie/饕餮: Mythical Beast in Ancient China

2. Historical Context

Origin and Evolution: The origins of Taotie remain unclear, but it is thought to have evolved from earlier totemic symbols. 

Xu Yake

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《風竹圖》雪窗 元

Xu Yake(徐崖客), a man from Huzhou(湖州), was the son of a concubine. His father, misled by Yake’s stepmother, sought to put him to death. He fled and wandered the world. Every famous mountain, great river, deep cave, he endeavored to ascend, believing himself already doomed and therefore fearing nothing.

Once, while climbing Mount Yandang, Xu Yake couldn’t make it to the top. With nowhere to stay for the night, a monk nearby asked, “Do you enjoy traveling?” 

The Obstinate Rock of Nanshan

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《枯木竹石圖》蘇軾

In Haichang(海昌), there was a scholar named Chen(陳秀才某) who once visited the Yusu Temple(于肅愍廟) to seek dreams and divine the fortunes of his future. In his dream, Yusu opened the main gate to receive him, but instead of feeling at ease, Chen became restless. After a few steps, he stopped. Yusu said, ‘You are to be my future student, so according to protocol, you should enter through the main gate.’ Once settled, messengers arrived to report that the City God of Tangxi County(湯溪縣城隍) wished to see him. 

The Bald Spot of an Immortal

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《潑墨仙人圖》梁楷

In the autumn of the thirty-eighth year of the Qianlong reign(癸巳秋), Magistrate Zhang(張明府) encountered a Daoist named Yang(楊道人) in Changzhou. This Daoist had a youthful appearance with the exception of a one-inch square bald spot on the crown of his head, devoid of any hair. Zhang, the Magistrate, found this quite peculiar and inquired about the reason behind it. Yang chuckled and said, ‘Have you not noticed how grass grows on either side of a street, but in the middle, where people walk, not a blade of grass thrives?’ 

The Folding Immortal

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《果熟來禽圖》林椿

In the Hushi Pass of Suzhou(滸市關), there was a man named Chen Yiyuan(陳一元) who left home to pursue the Dao. He constructed a house solely for cultivating his practices. He would sit alone in the house, locking himself inside. At first, he stopped eating porridge, then abstained from fruits and vegetables, drinking only water from the Stone Lake. He instructed his son to bring a jug of water each month. On the second month, when his son came to visit, the jug remained outside the door, but the water had dried up. 

Cat Weddings in China

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《貍奴蜻蜓圖》李迪 宋

In China, bringing home a cat was a mix of tradition, poetry, & a touch of purr-suasion!

‘Cat Garden’ in the Song Dynasty records such an interesting ceremony: ‘Buying fish, threading through willows, escorting a cicada’.

《寫生圖冊·貓》沈周, 明
《寫生圖冊·貓》Shen Zhou, Ming

During the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty, Huang Han(黃漢) wrote the book ‘Cat Garden(《貓苑》),’ collecting stories about cats.

Among the common practices of raising cats, the easiest method was to wait for a neighbor’s or relative’s female cat to become pregnant and obtain permission from the owner. 

12 Chinese Cat Poems by Lu You

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An imaginary image of Lu You with his beloved cat, artist unknown

In the general impression, Lu You(陸游) is a famous patriotic Chinese poet of the Southern Song Dynasty, full of melancholy. However, compared to lofty mountains, flowing rivers, in reality, he was a devoted cat lover.

Chinese Cat Poems Written by Lu You

Lu You’s famous patriotic poem titled ‘Stormy Winds on November Fourth(《十一月四日風雨大作》)’ is well-known in China, as it appears in many high school textbooks.

僵臥孤村不自哀，尚思為國戍輪台。
夜闌臥聽風吹雨，鐵馬冰河入夢來。

~《十一月四日風雨大作》陸游

Lying stiff in a solitary village, no self-pity within, Still contemplating guarding the frontier for the nation’s win.

 

Zhuang Sheng

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《雪樹寒禽圖》李迪

Ye Xiangliu(葉祥榴), a Jinshi degree holder, said he had a friend named Chen, whose family had invited a teacher named Zhuang Sheng(莊生).

One August evening, after Zhuang Sheng finished teaching, feeling weary from watching the Chen brothers playing chess in the study, he stood up to return home. Zhuang Sheng’s house was a short distance from Chen’s, across a small bridge. As he walked onto the bridge that day, he stepped into emptiness, fell to the ground, hurriedly got up, and ran back home. 

Zheng/猙

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Zheng/猙: looks like a red leopard, with five tails and one horn. It makes a sound like the sound of striking stones.

In the mountains, there is a beast called 猙(Zheng). It looks like a red leopard, with five tails and one horn. It makes a sound like the sound of striking stones.

《山海經·西次三經》

又西二百八十裏，曰章莪之山，無草木，多瑤、碧。所為甚怪。有獸焉，其狀如赤豹，五尾一角，其音如擊石，其名如猙。