China
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Shachihoko
The Shachihoko is a mythical creature from Japanese and Chinese myth. They’re known to have a striped tiger head or the head of a dragon. The body is described as resembling a carp covered in poisonous spikes or scales. It’s believed they can crawl onto land to transform fully into a tiger. Carvings of Shachihoko are used similar to Gargoyles in Japan. Duer to their ability to make rain, it was thought their statues deterred fire. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us,…
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Yu Siang:
Yu Siang is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the blue version, and goes alongside the Fung, Hwa Yih, To Fu, and Yin Chu. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Yin Chu/Yu Chu
Yin Chu is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the black version, and goes alongside the Fung, Hwa Yih, To Fu, and Yu Siang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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To Fu
To Fu is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the yellow version, and goes alongside the Fung, Hwa Yih, Yin Chu, and Yu Siang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Jingwei
The Jingwei is a bird from Chinese myth. Her name is thought to be onomatopoeia, and she’s seen as an ambiguous figure. She represents lone heroes and figures dealing with acts of futility. Her origin comes from a figure named Nu Wa, the daughter of another figure Yan Di. She was on a beach when she was suddenly washed away in the Eastern Sea where she drowned. She was reborn as a small bird whose call sounded like “jingwei. This bird remembered its past life and death and despised the ocean. To avenge her previous death she worked every day to try and fill the ocean with twigs and pebbles.…
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Hwa Yih
Hwa Yih is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the white version, and goes alongside the Fung, Yin Chu, To Fu, and Yu Siang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Fung
Fung is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the red version, and goes alongside the Yin Chu, Hwa Yih, To Fu, and Yu Siang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Xing Tian
Xing Tian was a Chinese Giant. His name means “one punished by heaven” or “punished one.” He was decapitated in a battle by Huang Di. He continued to fight with his nipples becoming eyes and his navel becoming a mouth. His head was buried in the Changyang mountains. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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White Tiger/Baihu/Byakko/Chien Ping
The White Tiger is a creature that was initially a Chinese symbol and was later adapted into Japanese myth. It is one of the Shijin along with the Vermillion Bird, Azure Dragon, and the Black Tortoise. It is connected with the West, the color white, metal and Autumn. It was thought to represent warmth, clarity, and calm and was also often connected to the Sanyo-Do/San-In-Do Trunk Road. It is often depicted as a white tiger fringed with gold, and sometimes is even depicted with serpentine features. It has the associated mansions (these being associated with the phases of the moon) Tokaki-Boshi, Tatara-Boshi, Ekie-Boshi, Subaru-Boshi, Amefuri-Boshi, Toroki-Boshi, Karasuki-Boshi. These mansions lie…
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Vermillion Bird/Zhūquè/Suzaku/Meng Chang Phoenix/Su-Zaku/Ling Kuang
The Vermillion Bird is a creature that was initially a Chinese symbol and was later adapted into Japanese myth. It is one of the Shijin along with the White Tiger, Azure Dragon, and the Black Tortoise. It’s associated with the South, the color red, fire, and summer. It was thought to represent heat, passion, and love, and was also often connected to the Ogura-No-Ike pond. It resembles a large bird with big wings and a long tail, covered in bright red and orange feathers, and these features typically lead to this creature being related to, and confused with, the Phoenix. It has the associated mansions (these being associated with the…
