The Enchanted Otters of Luo River
During the reign of Emperor Ming of Wei, while he was strolling along the banks of Luo River, he noticed several white otters in the water, exquisite and pitiable, swiftly disappearing at the sight of people. The Emperor, intrigued, desired to see them up close but repeatedly failed in his attempts. Grand Preceptor Xu Jingshan (徐景山) suggested, “Otters are fond of loach, even at the risk of death.” He then painted two lifelike loaches on a board and hung it by the riverbank.