mythology

The God of Mount Taibai

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《神龍沛雨圖》宋 陳容

The god of Mount Taibai(太白山神) in central Qin is considered the most efficacious. At the summit of Mount Taibai, there are three ponds known as the Big Taibai, Middle Taibai, and Three Taibai. If leaves, weeds, or mud fall into these ponds, flocks of birds will come and carry away these impurities. Therefore, the local people refer to these birds as the ‘Pond-cleaning Birds(淨池鳥).’

Once, a carpenter accidentally fell into the Taibai Pond and discovered another world beneath its surface. 

Chiyou/蚩尤: Chinese God of War

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Table of Contents
  1. Who is Chiyou/Chi You?
  2. Chi You As the God of War and Master Weapon Smith
  3. Chiyou in Chinese Mythology
  4. Different Versions of the Chiyou Myth
  5. Chiyou’s Cultural Influence
  6. Reference

Who is Chiyou/Chi You?

Chiyou/Chi You, the god of war in Chinese Mythology
  • Name: Chiyou
  • Parentage: Offspring of Yan Di, also known as the Flame Emperor
  • Title: God of War
  • Attributions: Credited with inventing military weapons
  • Rebellion Against Huang Di:
    • Rebelled against Huang Di, his father
    • Faced defeat in the ensuing war and met his demise
    • The chains that bound him transformed into a maple tree
  • Weapon Creation:
    • Created weapons such as the spear, dagger-axe, sword, and halberd
    • Different versions depict him with numerous brothers, each possessing unique features
      • Animal body, bronze head, iron forehead
      • Ability to speak human language
      • Human body, horned head, ox hooves, four eyes, six hands
      • Ears and temples resembling swords and spears
  • Central Event in Shanhaijing:
    • Attack on Huang Di(the Yellow Emperor), described as one of the fiercest battles in Chinese mythology
    • War involved powerful gods on both sides
    • Chiyou’s formidable abilities posed a challenge for Huang Di
  • Strategies Used Against Chiyou:
    • Use of a drum made from the hide of Kui to prevent Chiyou from flying away
    • Use of horns sounding like dragons to ward off Chiyou’s mythical animals
    • Chiyou’s manipulation of clouds and mist countered by Huang Di’s invention of the compass
  • Post-Death Reputation:
    • Huang Di used Chiyou’s image to maintain peace in troubled times
    • Revered as the god of war by military leaders during the Qin and Han dynasties
  • Influence on Customs and Beliefs:
    • “Chiyou’s Game,” a horn-butting tradition, emerged in Ji Province during the Han period
    • Sacrifices to Chiyou in Taiyuan excluded ox heads, reflecting Chiyou’s ox-headed portrayal
    • Miao ethnic group regarded Chiyou as their remote ancestor
    • Oxen worshipped as symbols of luck and heroism
    • Ox horn designs adorn clothes and silver decorations
  • Miao Mythology and Festivals:
    • Jiangyang, an ancestor in Miao mythology, born from a goddess hatched from a maple tree’s egg
    • Festivals like “Trembling the Flower Mountain” in Yunnan Province trace their origins to the Chiyou myth
    • After defeat, Chiyou planted a trunk with a red waistband, encouraging dancing and reed pipe playing to gather scattered tribes
    • “Chiyou’s flag” commemorates the ancestral struggle against Huang Di and the migration of the Miao people to southern mountains

Read on for more details and learn about Chi You’s story in Chinese mythology. 

The Monkey and Ape Wine

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《戲猿圖》明宣宗

Scholar Cao Loyin(曹學士洛禋) once told me this story.

In the spring of the forty-third year of Kangxi(康熙)’s reign, he and his friend Pan Xichou(潘錫疇) traveled to Huangshan(黃山) and arrived at the Wenshu Monastery(文殊院), where they dined with monks including Xuezhuang(雪莊). Suddenly, the monks disappeared from the table, leaving only their heads visible. Xuezhuang said, ‘This is the ‘floating cloud atop(雲過),’ no need for the two guests to be surprised.’

The next day, they reached the Yunfeng Cave(雲峰洞) and found an old man living there. 

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.

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. 

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。