Chinese Mythology -TRANS-

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 The Chinese Mythology:

 

Let's start talking about one of the most popular things within Chinese culture: Chinese Mythology, which refers to those myths found in the geographical area of China. These includes myths in China, transmitted from person to person. Chinese mythology includes myths and legends about the creation of different things in this country. Some myths are widely shared across multiple ethnic groups, but there may exist other versions with some differences. Most of the myths that are actually still being told and are popular in the country were transmitted through spoken word or traditions; such as theater and songs (As proof of this we have the Chinese opera) before being registered as novels.

One of the most interesting myths that this country owns is: Mythical Creatures

 Yinglong

Being the Chinese dragon, one of the most important mythical creatures in Chinese mythology. Considered to be the most powerful and divine creature as well as controller of all waters. They were believed to be able to create clouds with their breath. The dragon symbolized great power and was very supportive of heroes and gods.

One of the most famous dragons in Chinese mythology is Yinglong (this name means "responsive dragon"), said to be the god of rain. Several sources describe Yinglong as a four-winged dragon with eagle talons, deer antlers, and demonic eyes. He is also considered the ancestor of four-legged creatures according to the Huainanzi.

Once known as the Winged Dragon, Yinglong was said to have lost his wings after killing the drought-causing demon Kua Fu. Even without the ability to fly, he still had the power to conjure rain by responding to the prayers of the people who gratefully named him the Responsive Dragon. The Shanhaijing, contains two versions of this story; one where Yinglong also kills the rebellious rain god Chi You and another in which Chi You escapes the dragon's wrath only to die by the hands of the drought demon.

The Chu Ci attributes King Yu's efforts to stop the Great Flood of China due to Yinglong's guidance. With the dragon showing him where to dig and irrigate, the king Yu was able to end the deluge and establi the Xia Dynasty.

Many people in different places pray to Yinglong in order to receive rain. Chinese people sometimes use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of their ethnic identity. 

But, Chinese mythology isn’t just limited to dragons. There’s the Qilin; the dragon-headed horse-like beast that appears only in places ruled by the wise, and punishes the wicked, sometimes by breathing fire. We have Bashe; the gigantic snake whose regular diet consists exclusively of elephants. There are the Jian; cyclops birds with one wing who must pair with another bird to survive (an ancient symbol for the bond between husband and wife). There’s the Kui, a one-legged ox beast.

 

                       Quilin                                               Bashe                                       Jian

Many Chinese believe that when one dies, for example, the first things you’ll meet in hell are the gruesome (and aptly-named) Oxhead and Horseface. The Chinese underworld is full of demons, many of whom are looking to gain immortality by eating souls especially the souls of holy men. Many of these demons called Yaoguai. Can take human form with ease to trick their victims. Their true forms were generally more bizarre. 

 

                                        Oxhead y Horseface                                Yaoguai

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Huainanzi: The Huainanzi or the teachers of Huainan is an ancient Chinese text that consists of a collection of essays that resulted from a series of scholarly debates held at the court of Liu An, King of Huainan, sometime before 139 BC.

Shanhaijing: The Classic of Mountains and Seas or Shan Hai Jing, formerly romanized as the Shan-hai Ching, is a Chinese classic text and a compilation of myths.

Chu Ci: Variously translated as Verses of Chu or Songs of Chu, is an anthology of Chinese traditional poetry .

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