The main mythical creatures of China. Dragon Boat Festival. Frog in Chinese mythology

The totality of ancient folk ideas described in sacred sources or transmitted orally to the present day occupies most of Eastern mythology. It includes ancient Chinese, Taoist and Buddhist systems.

Chinese mythical creatures

Chinese mythology is based on two pillars - Yin and Yang. The feminine Yin energy is embodied in the Phoenix, and the masculine energy is personified by the Dragon. No less important mythical creatures of China are the Ao Turtle and the Qilin.

Dragon

The Chinese dragon has nothing in common with its international fire-breathing brothers. The main creature in the mythology of the Celestial Empire is the ruler of the water element. In winter, it sleeps in frozen waters, and waking up in the spring, it rises up and erupts with rain.

Such a dragon has the body of a snake covered with golden scales (necessarily 117 pieces). A series of sharp teeth runs along the ridge. It has a frog's belly, tiger-like paws and a long tail covered with coarse hair. The head of the mythical creature is crowned with straight horns, beneath them are cow ears and red hare eyes. Mandatory attributes of the Chinese dragon are a mustache and a long beard.

The creature has a special weakness for jewelry. His most valuable treasure is a huge pearl, which the dragon either swallows or wears under his beard. This pearl contains all the power of the creature. If it is taken away, he will become helpless.

The most famous Chinese dragons are: Longwang, Ruo Shui, Fenghuang, Zhang Tianshi, Zhong Kui, Choijin, Yanbwan.

Chinese phoenix

This is a mythical bird that is considered a harbinger of significant events. The phoenix does not burn in fire and when flying is capable of carrying loads of any weight in its paws. When a bird's lifespan ends, it burns and is immediately reborn from the ashes.

From the front the Phoenix looks like a swan, and from the back it looks like a Qilin. In the bird:

  • cock's beak;
  • swallow's crop;
  • snake neck;
  • turtle back;
  • fish tail.

The Phoenix's body is decorated with painted patterns, and its feathers glisten in the sun.

Turtles Ao

Ao is a giant turtle that swims in the sea. Its size is like an island. On Ao's back there are 3 mountains: Yingzhou, Penglai and Fangzhang. According to Chinese beliefs, immortals live in these mountains.

Ao the turtle has no paws. When the Great Battle of the Gods took place, the 4 pillars holding up the heavens broke and the sky began to shake. The goddess Nuiva cut off the turtle's legs and propped up the sky with them.

Chinese unicorn

Qilin or Chinese unicorn is a symbol of longevity and prosperity. According to legend, Qilin brought a long-awaited heir to desperate parents, so he was often depicted with a baby on his back.

In Chinese mythology, the Qilin is described as a unicorn with the head of a dragon. The creature's body is covered with iridescent scales. Qilin's skin has a turquoise tint. This creature can live for about 2000 years.

Other creatures

The rest are Chinese mythical creatures play minor role in Chinese beliefs. In the mythological hierarchy, they occupy places one order of magnitude lower and are subordinate to the Dragon, Phoenix, Ao and Qilin. In the myths of China there are such minor mythical creatures: Jiangshi, Nyuwa, Kitsune, More, Baku, Jimmenju, Katsura-Otoko, Shojo, Huli-Jing, Shangyang.

  1. Jiangshi is a living corpse, i.e. a zombie. Other names for this character are "Leaping Ghost" or "Leaping Vampire". This definition is not accidental, because due to rigor mortis, Jiangshi's body is motionless. The ghost can only move by jumping with its arms extended forward. Appearance Jiangshi depends on the biological death of his body. A relatively recent corpse is unremarkable in a crowd, but over time, the zombie's body begins to show signs of rot and decomposition. Like all undead creatures, Jiangshi has pale green, moldy skin and ever-growing hair and nails. The monster is dressed in a cloak and wears a pointed hat on his head. A paper talisman is invariably pinned to Jiangshi's forehead. Jiangshi received the definition of “vampire” for his passion for fresh blood. It kills the victim and sucks all the blood out of it, saturated with the person’s vital energy. The monster lives in caves, where he rests peacefully in his coffin during the day, and goes out hunting at night.
  2. Nuwa is the great goddess of the Taoist pantheon, the patroness of marriage. This is the first Chinese goddess to marry. In all sources she is depicted with her husband Fusi (who was also her brother), with intertwined snake tails. The goddess looked like a snake with a human head and arms. Nuiva always holds a compass in her hands, which indicates her involvement in the creation of the world. The goddess was reborn 70 times, and with each of her reincarnations the Universe became more perfect. On the 70th circle of rebirth, Nuiva created humanity. From yellow clay she sculpted rulers and nobles, from clay mixed with dust she created peasants, and from the remains mixed with dirt she created slaves. Nuiva was so powerful that 10 deities emerged from her insides, and when the Great Battle of the Gods took place and water and fire fell on people through holes in the sky, Nuiva melted multi-colored stones and covered the heavenly holes with them.
  3. Kitsune is a wise fox borrowed by the Chinese from Japanese mythology. This fox was born with one tail, but as she gained wisdom in life, she grew another tail. The wise Kitsune with 9 tails changed her red color to silver (the color of wisdom) and became Kumiho - a creature who knew all the secrets of the Universe. The fox collected wisdom from its male victims. Kitsune knew how to take shape beautiful women. She charmed men so much that they lost their minds, which the fox quickly appropriated. In all sources, Kitsune is depicted with a glass ball in her hands. According to legend, this ball contained power over the Kitsune; whoever took possession of it would have a fox for his slave, so the Kitsune zealously guarded their balls and never let them out of their hands.
  4. The sea is an evil Chinese mythical creature, a swamp spirit. He was depicted as a 3-year-old child with beautiful long hair. The monster had red skin, red glowing eyes and long ears. More made his living by stealing people's corpses and eating their entrails. The sweetest thing for the monster from China were the fresh dead, which he managed to snatch right from the funeral. It did not disdain the buried dead. In ancient China, there was a belief that Morë was afraid of the oak and the tiger, which is why there are statues of tigers and oak trees in the cemeteries of China.
  5. Baku is a creature that ate bad dreams. The enemy of nightmares was depicted by the Chinese as a chimera with the trunk of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, a bull's tail and tiger paws. Images of Baku hung in the bedrooms of the ancient Chinese as a talisman against bad dreams.
  6. Jimmenju is a sacred Chinese tree. The peculiarity of this tree is its flowers and fruits. Jinmenju flowers are unripe fruits in the form of human faces framed by petals. When the fruits ripened, the facial features became clearer, the faces were constantly smiling. It was believed that a person who tasted sweet fruit Jimmenju will replenish your vital energy.
  7. Katsura-Otoko is a man of indescribable beauty who lives under the moon. He is always busy trimming the Moon Tree. As the crown grows, the moon changes: from waxing to waning. According to Chinese beliefs, the beautiful face of Katsura-Otoko attracts people who look at him. With each swing, a person loses his vitality, which is why death occurs.
  8. Shojo is a kind sea monster borrowed by the Chinese from Japanese mythology. Shojo is depicted as slightly drunk little man. He has bright red hair on his head and skin the color of cherry blossoms. The mythical creature constantly has algae hanging from its belt, since ponds and lakes are considered its habitat. According to legend, Shojo always has a flask with magic sake with him. kind man Having drunk a drink with the monster, he gains youthfulness of soul and body. If a villain tries sake, he will immediately fall dead.
  9. Shangyang is the Chinese rain bird. In anticipation of a natural disaster, she flew into the house and danced on one leg. The ancient Chinese could have prepared for the coming storm.
  10. Huli-Jing is a werefox, a relative of Kitsune. She also transformed into beautiful women and harassed men. Unlike their wise relatives, the Huli-Jing collected male semen and blood for their magical experiments, and left the bloodless victims to die. Huli-Jing is capable of reincarnation. After 50 years of life, she takes on a female form, after 100, she turns into a witch. After 1000 years of life, Huli-Jing becomes the Heavenly Fox, having comprehended the secrets of the universe. You can distinguish Huli-Jing from an ordinary woman only with the help of her tail - it does not disappear when changing appearance.

Korean mythical creatures

Korean mythology is part of Asian mythology. The main mythical creatures here are borrowed from Chinese or Japanese mythology. This is the Jumping Vampire of Jiangshi, the Nightmare Eater of Baku, the werefox Kitsune and the symbol of Qilin prosperity.

The Korean dragon deserves special attention. In Korea it is a positive being. He is the patron of rain and rice fields. The description of the Korean dragon completely matches the description of its Chinese brother. The only difference is that the Korean dragon has membranous wings, thanks to which it flies high into the sky and irrigates rice fields with rain. The dragon from Korea lives in large bodies of water: seas, oceans and deep rivers.

Other prominent Asian mythical creatures

The most outstanding mythical creatures of Asian mythology are also: Pontianak, Mananangal, Lilith, Kali, Rahu, Surabhi.

  1. Pontianak is the ghost of a woman who died during childbirth. Pontianak seduces men and brutally kills them by sucking their blood. The ghost is dressed in a white robe, has long fangs and claws, and tangled hair develops on his head. In flight, the Pontianak makes a long sound reminiscent of the rustling of leaves. There is a belief that if you stick a nail into the back of a ghost’s head, Pontianak will turn into a beautiful woman who is capable of becoming a wonderful wife and loving mother.
  2. The Mananangal is a hermaphrodite vampire that sucks blood from sleeping pregnant women. At night, the Mananangal splits in half: the upper part spreads its membranous wings and flies off to hunt, while the lower part remains on the ground.
  3. Lilith is Adam's first wife, a demon who kills babies. In all myths, Lilith’s indispensable companion is her owl, which whispers to the mistress the name of the next victim. The demon is known for its cruelty to infants: it causes damage, drinks blood and brutally kills. Lilith has the power to make a woman infertile and spoil the male seed.
  4. Kali in Asian mythology is a demon who sows destruction. This is a blue four-armed woman with three eyes. 4 hands symbolize the 4 cardinal directions, and 3 eyes - past, future and present. In her hands Kali holds a bloody sword and a head cut off by this sword. One hand of the demon is constantly extended for protection, and the other is raised as a sign of blessing for terrible deeds. The demon's waist is decorated with a belt made from the heads of the victims she killed.
  5. Rahu is a demon who periodically swallows the sun and the month, causing eclipses. In myths, Rahu is depicted as a dragon's head, which moves in a chariot with 8 black horses. In Asian mythology, the demon is the patron of intrigue and deception.
  6. Surabhi is a sacred magical cow. This is the only absolutely good mythical creature. Surabhi came out of the Ocean of Milk and began to serve the sage Vasishta. Surabhi is also called the “cow of desires” because she can fulfill any desire of her owner.

Mythical creatures in Islam

A special place in Asian mythology is occupied by Islamic mythology - a set of mythological ideas described in the Koran and oral retellings of Muslims. Islamic mythology introduces the concept of jinn - spirits living in parallel with people.

Jinns are spirits born from smokeless fire. They live among people, but a person is not able to perceive them with any of his senses. The life of the jinn is similar to human life. They are born and die, only their life span is much longer than that of humans. To maintain the body, they need food, air and water. Among the jinn there are righteous people and apostates (shaitans). They are distinguished from people by their superpowers, which they skillfully use.

There are 4 categories of jinn in Islam:

  1. Ifrit are evil creatures, lords of fire.
  2. Gul are fallen, live in cemeteries and feed on carrion.
  3. Sipats are ordinary genies.
  4. The Marids are wise, lords of the air.

According to Islamic beliefs, marids and sipats periodically engage in fights with ifrits and ghouls.

Conclusion

A distinctive feature of Eastern mythology is euhemerization - the sacralization of history, manifested in all creatures.

Shennong ("divine farmer"), in ancient Chinese mythology the god of agriculture. It was believed that he had the body of a snake, the face of a man, the head of a bull and the nose of a tiger; skin color - green (vegetation color). When Shennong was born, 9 wells suddenly appeared in the ground, and millet rained down from the sky.

The god of agriculture Shennong in Ancient China was recognized as the first healer - he prepared decoctions of medicinal herbs and was considered immortal. Shennong died after swallowing a centipede, each leg of which turned into a huge worm. According to legend, they tore apart the body of God

Yudi(“jade sovereign”), in Chinese mythology, the supreme ruler to whom the entire universe was subordinate: heaven, earth and the underworld, all deities and spirits. The ancients imagined him sitting on a throne in a magnificent imperial robe with embroidered dragons, in a royal headdress, with the indispensable jade tablet in his hand.

The emperor's palace was located in the highest, 36th heaven, from where he ruled all things, and Saint Wang Lingguan stood at the gates of the palace as a gatekeeper. It was believed that the emperor's wife was the goddess of sericulture, Matodnian; his daughter Qigunyan ("seventh maiden") was very popular character fairy tales and beliefs. For example, girls summoned her spirit by telling fortunes about their betrothed. In Ancient China, Yudi, the great sovereign who had the gift of reincarnation and changing his appearance in 72 ways, had many temples dedicated to him.

Longwang

Longwang, in Chinese mythology, the master of the water element; The god of thunder Leigong, the lord of rain Yushi and the god of wind Fengbo obeyed him. According to early texts, Longwang is a creature that stands out among other dragons for its extraordinary size - about 1 li, that is, about half a kilometer in length. The image of Longwan was formed in the first centuries of our era.

The Taoist classification became widespread - the idea of ​​Longwang as the supreme dragon of the four seas (in accordance with ancient Chinese cosmogony): Guan-te ("increasing virtue") - Longwang of the Eastern Sea, Guan-li ("increasing wealth") - Southern, Guan -rong ("increasing favor") - Western and Guang-tse ("increasing generosity") - also Western. All of them are considered brothers, of whom the eldest is Guan-de. There was also an idea about the Longwang of the four main rivers of China.

IN folk tales and legends usually appear simply as Longwan or Donghai Longwan ("king of the dragons of the Eastern Sea"). In later folk beliefs, Lunwang is often seen as the lord of the elements, to whom the god of thunder, the goddess of lightning, the god of wind and the master of rain are subordinate. In the later folk syncretic mythological system, Longwang is subordinate to the supreme lord Yudi. Lunwan, the king of dragons who brings rain, had his own army, consisting of sea inhabitants: turtles, cuttlefish and other inhabitants of the depths. The intercession of this dragon king, the giver of rain, was sought by farmers, sailors, fishermen and water-carriers. The cult of Longwang was extremely popular in old China. There were temples dedicated to him in every city, every village. Longwang was believed to bring rain.

Shang Di is the supreme deity of the Yin era in Chinese mythology.

Inari

eight immortals

The last immortal of the Taoist pantheon is Lan Caihe. He is depicted as a very handsome young man, dressed in a blue robe and holding chrysanthemums or wooden rattles and a flute. Sometimes he holds a bamboo basket with chrysanthemums in his hands. (Doe also means basket and the color blue). He is the patron of flower merchants and gardeners, as well as musicians.

Lan Caihe is described in many medieval treatises. In Shen Fen's "Continuation of the Lives of the Immortals" he is a holy fool. Lan Caihe was a very peculiar holy fool. He wore a torn blue robe with a wide belt and ebony plaques. There is a boot on one foot and the other is barefoot. In the summer he insulated his robe with cotton wool, and in the winter he slept in the snow. He was constantly cheerful, and his cheerfulness spread to everyone around him. He also loved to drink, and one day he made all the immortals drunk. After this, in search of immortality, they moved from external alchemy to internal forces.

Lan wandered through the city bazaars, singing songs, of which he knew a great many, and often composed them himself, thereby earning his living. He distributed the money that was given to him to the poor people he met or strung it on a long cord and dragged it along the ground with him, not noticing that it was scattered.

One day, when he was singing and dancing near Lake Haoliang, a crane appeared in the clouds, the sounds of a reed pipe and flute, and the singing of Taoist saints were heard. At the same moment, the Doe silently rose into the sky - he was picked up by a cloud. Lan Caihe threw down his boot, robe and belt. The cloud rose up, becoming smaller and smaller, and finally disappeared. Since then, no one else on earth has heard of Lan Caihe.

Legends about eight immortals developed in the 1st millennium AD, but the saints were canonized no earlier than the 11th century. In all subsequent centuries, this topic was actively developed in various literary works poets and writers of China.

There are many stories about the joint activities of immortals. These legends were formed by the 16th century and were used by the writer Wu Yun Tai in his novel Journey of the Eight Immortals to the East. It told how eight immortals were invited to the mistress of the west, goddess Xi Wangmu, and how they decided to present her with a scroll with a dedicatory inscription from Lao Tzu himself. After the feast at Xi Wangmu, they went across the Eastern Sea to the Lord of the East, Dong Wang Gun, and here each of them showed his wonderful art.

Li Tie Guai floated on his iron staff, Zhong Li Quan on a fan, Zhang Guo Lao on a paper donkey, Han Xiang Zi on a basket of flowers, Lü Dong Bin on a bamboo flywheel handle, Cao Guo Jiu on a wooden a paiban castanet, He Xian Gu on a flat bamboo basket, and Lan Cai He stood on a jade plate inlaid with wonderful stones emitting light.
A sparkling plate floating on the sea attracted the attention of the son of Long Wang, the dragon king of the Eastern Sea. Long Wang's warriors took away the record, and Lan was dragged into the underwater palace. Lü Dong Bin went to rescue and set the sea on fire. The Dragon King was forced to release Lan, but still did not return the record. Then Lu Dong Bin and He Xian Gu again came to the seashore, where a grandiose battle took place, in which the son of the dragon king was killed, and his second son died of wounds. Long Wang tried to take revenge on the immortals, but was again defeated. During the battle, the immortals threw a mountain into the sea, which destroyed Long Wang's palace.

Only the intervention of the Jade Emperor Yu Di led to the establishment of peace on earth and in the underwater kingdom.
That's all about the eight immortals. Once upon a time they actually lived in different provinces great country. They were all a little strange, mastered various magics and tried to do good to people, which is probably why stories about them were heard more often than others, passed on from generation to generation and have survived to this day.

Eight Immortals

Heavenly lord. Relief of the Song era

Tree of money. Chinese folk painting.

Nuiva holding the sun. Relief from Sichuan. Han era.

The image of Nuiva and the mythological plots associated with it force one to assume in this character an ancient goddess of fertility, a mother goddess, similar to the ancient Rhea and Cybele. The “maternal” qualities of Nuwa in relation to the universe in general and people in particular are confirmed by reports of the veneration of this goddess as the Great Matchmaker and the founder and patroness of marriages - Gaomei: “Nuwa made sacrifices with prayers to God and turned into a matchmaker... She was made a matchmaker goddess , established sacrifices for her...” According to E.M. Yanshina, “individual features of Nüva together give a complex characteristic of the image of the ancient mother-progenitor - the deity of fertility at that stage when the cult of ancestors merged with the cult of nature. The versions of myths about Nuiva that have reached us combine various historical layers and indicate that in the oral tradition there were various options stories about this goddess. But, changing and varying, cosmogonic themes continue to group around Nuwa - one of the largest figures in the cosmogonic myths of ancient China."

Through the efforts of the Confucians, the cult of Nuwa was pushed into the background in historical times and subordinated to the cult of Fuxi, and then completely consigned to oblivion. The other ancient gods suffered much the same fate. However, the reconstruction of myths makes it possible, to a certain extent, to restore the ancient Chinese pantheon, characteristic feature which was the absence of “group” deities, like the Olympians of the Greeks, the Aesir and Vanir of the Scandinavians, the Devas, Adityas and Asuras of the Indians, Amesha Spenta of the ancient Iranians. The gods of Ancient China were purely individual, which may be explained by the disunity of the tribes.

Fusi and Nuwa holding the sun and moon. Relief from Sichuan. Han era.

Spirits of the Western Mountains. Illustration for the “Catalogue of Mountains and Seas”.

Ancestor. Bronze (2nd millennium BC).

Xingtian, who was at enmity with the Yellow Ancestor. Illustration for the “Catalogue of Mountains and Seas”.

Wise ruler Shun. Han era drawing.

Shun was chosen by Yao for his virtue, since the ruler's own son, Danzhu, was extremely disrespectful. In Sima Qian we read: “The people close to him said: “There is a lonely man living among the people, his name is Yu Shun.” Yao said: “Yes, I heard about him. What is he like?” The advisers replied: “[He] is the son of a blind man, his father [is] prone to vices, his mother is quarrelsome, his younger brother is arrogant, but [Shun] with his filial piety knows how to maintain [among them] harmony, gradually guiding [them] for good, so that they did not reach the point of crime.” Yao exclaimed: “I will test him!” Then he gave [Shun] his two daughters as wives, [to] see how his virtues [would affect] two women.

Shun ordered the women to be settled on the Gui-zhui River, and they [strictly] observed the duties of wives. Yao approved of this and then ordered Shun to diligently harmonize the five relationships so that they could be followed. Thus [the five relations] penetrated among the officials, and all the officials began to carry out their tasks on time.

[Shun] received visitors at the four gates, and strict order reigned at the gates, and the sovereign princes and guests arriving from distant places all behaved with respect. Yao then sent Shun into forested mountains and into lowlands crossed by rivers. Hurricanes and severe thunderstorms raged there, but Shun did not lose his way. Yao began to consider Shun to be completely wise and, calling him, said: “For three years your plans were perfect, and your words led to success. You will ascend to the imperial throne." Shun began to refuse, yielding to the [more] virtuous and not expressing joy. [However] on the first day of the first moon, Shun took over the affairs of government."

During the reign of Shun, many melodies were invented (in Chinese tradition music - “coded” knowledge of ancestors), including the melody of the Xiangshao, which even phoenixes came down to listen to. Shun was succeeded by the flood suppressor Yu.

Along with the descendants of Huangdi, who acted as completely wise rulers, Chinese mythology also knows his “duplicates” - characters with similar and even analogous functions, ranked among the ancestors. These are Dijun (Outstanding Ancestor in the Russian translation of the “Catalog”), Shennong and Fuxi.

Dijun was worshiped by the Eastern Yin, as evidenced by the inscriptions on oracle bones. After the conquest of the Yin Kingdom by the Zhous, the cult of Dijun as supreme deity was supplanted by the Huangdi cult, but the echoes of this cult persisted for a long time. The Catalog of Mountains and Seas states that Dijun's wife gave birth to twelve moons, that Dijun was the father of the fire god Zhurong and the millet god Houji, and that Dijun's other sons "were the first to create songs and dances."

Reliefs of mythological content from the Wu Liang temple: the upper world, the god of thunder and the goddess of rain, the rite of expulsion, preparation for sacrifice to the ancestors.

Nether world. Funeral banner from the Mavandui excavations. Silk (mid-2nd century BC).

Taoist saint on the clouds. Wall painting from Yonglegun Temple.

Scheme of mutual transformation of the Boundless and the Great Limit. Drawing from a medieval Taoist treatise.

Taoist deities (XV century).

Diagram of the ascent and descent of vital energy in the human body, represented as a mountain. Engraving (XIII century).

Miraculous river spirits. Chinese folk painting from the collection of academician V. M. Alekseev. Top center is the dragon lord Zongtong Heshen-zhi Longwang, the far right is the dragon king Longwang. Below are the water deities.

Palace of the Celestials. Painting on silk (XII century).

Qilin Chinese creature

Qilini inhabited the forests of China, but they could appear in front of people in clearings, on the banks of a river, and sometimes even in palaces.
The signs that Emperor Fu Xi copied from the back of the unicorn are called Pa Ku, or eight trigrams. Each of these eight symbols consists of three horizontal lines, and these lines are either solid or broken.
Emperor Huang Di, to whom the unicorn appeared, did many good deeds for the Chinese people, he stopped wars between tribes, invented the axe, bow and arrows, dresses and shoes, musical instruments, taught people to make carts and boats.
According to legend, in the 6th century BC, a unicorn appeared to the mother of the Chinese philosopher Confucius and predicted the upcoming birth of her great son.
The last qilin was seen by the Chinese Emperor Wu Di (140-87 BC), who honored this animal by setting up a room in his palace dedicated to the unicorn.

Some qilini are depicted as covered in hard green scales. The qilin has a particularly majestic horn, in some species reaching a length of five and a half meters. The qilin does not offend any living creature and walks so carefully that its hooves will not crush a single blade of grass or crush a single insect. The body of a qilin can take the form of a goat, a doe, a deer, and even a dragon.
A magical qilin pulling a flaming chariot is a powerful symbol in both ancient and modern times. Chinese society. This unicorn has the head of a goat, the body of a dragon and the tail of a lion. Unicorns appeared to many Chinese emperors. For example, Emperor Huang Di saw a qilin wandering through his palace in 2697 BC, and when the emperor died, a unicorn carried his soul to heaven. The qilin was considered a symbol of good luck and appeared in times of peace and prosperity.

A famous story in China about a shooter named Yi

Myths ancient China have a very diverse subject matter. But most myths tell about natural disasters that befell the earth and heroes who saved the world. A very famous story in China is about a shooter named Yi. When one day ten suns appeared in the sky at once, in the form of “sun birds,” the world began to perish from the heat. Then the brave shooter And struck down all ten suns with his arrows. After killing the suns, the shooter continued to fight the monsters that still inhabited the earth and harmed people. Having completed his heroic deeds, he indulged in fun and amusements, and according to one version, he was killed by envious people.

One of the main roles in ancient Chinese myths, as well as in Russian folk tales, is given to animals. Animals act as patrons of heroes or intermediaries between people and spirits. According to legend, the first kings of the world had two dragons on which they could ascend to heaven. And, by the way, it will be said that it is dragons - these mythical animals that deserve to become the heroes of one of our next programs.

To summarize our today's broadcast, I would like to note that the mythology of ancient China is, as it were, the basis of the culture of China as a whole; it had a great influence both on the philosophy of the country, and on literature, art, and even on the Chinese language itself.

Longwang, in Chinese mythology, the master of the water element; The god of thunder Leigong, the lord of rain Yushi and the god of wind Fengbo obeyed him. According to early texts, Longwang is a creature that stands out among other dragons for its extraordinary size - about 1 li (about 0.5 km) in length. The image of Longwan was formed in the first centuries AD. The Taoist classification became widespread - the idea of ​​Longwang as the supreme dragon of the four seas (in accordance with ancient Chinese cosmogony): Guan-te ("increasing virtue") - Longwang of the Eastern Sea, Guan-li ("increasing wealth") - Southern, Guan -rong ("increasing favor") - Western and Guang-tse ("increasing generosity") - also Western. All of them are considered brothers, of whom the eldest is Guan-de. There was also an idea about the Longwang of the four main rivers of China. In folk tales and traditions, the name usually appears simply as Longwang or Donghai Longwang ("king of the dragons of the Eastern Sea"). In later folk beliefs, Lunwang is often seen as the lord of the elements, to whom the god of thunder, the goddess of lightning, the god of wind and the master of rain are subordinate. In the later folk syncretic mythological system, Longwang is subordinate to the supreme lord Yudi. Lunwan, the king of dragons who brings rain, had his own army, consisting of sea inhabitants: turtles, cuttlefish and other inhabitants of the depths. The intercession of this dragon king, the giver of rain, was sought by farmers, sailors, fishermen and water-carriers. The cult of Longwang was extremely popular in old China. There were temples dedicated to him in every city, every village. Longwang was believed to bring rain.

Fenghuang, in Chinese mythology the wonderful king bird; V Western European literature it is interpreted as a phoenix bird. There is an assumption that in ancient times the word "fen" meant the deity of the wind, who was the messenger of the gods. The Chinese believed that the fenghuang, a bird with multi-colored feathers, has the beak of a rooster, the crop of a swallow, the neck of a snake, on its body there are patterns like a dragon, a fish tail, in front it is like a swan, in the back it is like a qilin unicorn, and the back is like a turtle. The appearance of fenghuang promised peace and prosperity for China. There is reason to believe that this bird with huge eyes and a peculiar crest on its head, reminiscent of a peacock, has a solar nature, that is, close to the elements of fire and the sun.


CREATURES

Fenghuang

Fenghuang, in Chinese mythology the wonderful king bird; in Western European literature it is interpreted as a phoenix bird. There is an assumption that in ancient times the word "fen" meant the deity of the wind, who was the messenger of the gods.

The Chinese believed that the fenghuang, a bird with multi-colored feathers, has the beak of a rooster, the crop of a swallow, the neck of a snake, on its body there are patterns like a dragon, a fish tail, in front it is like a swan, in the back it is like a qilin unicorn, and the back is like a turtle. The appearance of fenghuang promised peace and prosperity for China. There is reason to believe that this bird with huge eyes and a peculiar crest on its head, reminiscent of a peacock, has a solar nature, that is, close to the elements of fire and the sun.

Ruo Shui

Ruo, in ancient Chinese mythology, a sacred tree growing beyond the South Sea, between the Heishui ("Black") and Qingshui ("Green") rivers in the far west near Mount Kunlun. Its leaves are dark green, its flowers are red, resembling lotuses, their light illuminates the earth. According to myth, ten suns set on the top of Jo, completing their journey across the sky. Zhuo is the western equivalent of the solar (sunrise) Fusang tree, located in the far east. The image of Ruo was repeatedly used in Chinese poetry (Qu-Yuan - 4th century BC, Li Po - 8th century AD).

Ruo Shui (“weak water”), in ancient Chinese mythology, the river under Mount Kunlun, where the owner of the potion of immortality, the ruler of the Western Paradise of the Immortals, Xi Wangmu (“Lady of the West”) lived. The water in this river did not hold even a light swan feather on the surface. It can be assumed that Ruo Shui was considered as a special river that separated the kingdom of the living and the dead. Ruo Shui is a typical sliding toponym; real rivers in various outlying and neighboring lands of China were also called by this name.

Longwang
Dragon King


Longwang, in Chinese mythology, the master of the water element; The god of thunder Leigong, the lord of rain Yushi and the god of wind Fengbo obeyed him. According to early texts, Longwang is a creature that stands out among other dragons for its extraordinary size - about 1 li, that is, about half a kilometer in length. The image of Longwan was formed in the first centuries of our era.

The Taoist classification became widespread - the idea of ​​Longwang as the supreme dragon of the four seas (in accordance with ancient Chinese cosmogony): Guan-te ("increasing virtue") - Longwang of the Eastern Sea, Guan-li ("increasing wealth") - Southern, Guan -rong ("increasing favor") - Western and Guang-tse ("increasing generosity") - also Western. All of them are considered brothers, of whom the eldest is Guan-de. There was also an idea about the Longwang of the four main rivers of China.

In folk tales and traditions, the name usually appears simply as Longwang or Donghai Longwang ("king of the dragons of the Eastern Sea"). In later folk beliefs, Lunwang is often seen as the lord of the elements, to whom the god of thunder, the goddess of lightning, the god of wind and the master of rain are subordinate. In the later folk syncretic mythological system, Longwang is subordinate to the supreme lord Yudi. Lunwan, the king of dragons who brings rain, had his own army, consisting of sea inhabitants: turtles, cuttlefish and other inhabitants of the depths. The intercession of this dragon king, the giver of rain, was sought by farmers, sailors, fishermen and water-carriers. The cult of Longwang was extremely popular in old China. There were temples dedicated to him in every city, every village. Longwang was believed to bring rain.


Zhong Kui

Zhong Kui, in late Chinese mythology, the lord of demons. The image of Zhong Kui arose approximately in the 6th century BC and was originally associated with a peach tree club that drove away evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, he was replaced by an anthropomorphic image of the leader of demons.

The word Zhong Kui literally means "demon club". It became a Chinese custom to paint Zhong Kui, who caught demons, in red paint and hang this image of him for magical purposes. Usually the Chinese performed such a ritual on the Duanyang holiday, that is, on the fifth day of the fifth moon. On popular popular prints, Zhong Kui was usually depicted in the costume of an official, in a pose threatening demons. It was customary to paste images of the demon lord Zhong Kui on both doors, so that he performed the duties of the god of doors. It was also believed that Zhong Kui administered justice to the souls of the dead.

Historical information. Zhong, in ancient history China's famous Manchurian princely surname, belonging to those eight families whose ancestors rendered especially important services to the Manchu sovereigns during their conquest of China. A representative of this family was one of the main leaders of the Big Fist society or the so-called Boxer movement, which tried to preserve the fading influence of the dynasty of Chinese emperors, for which, at the request of foreign powers, he was executed in 1901, and the princely title was transferred not to his son, but to another face.

Zhang Tianshi

Zhang Tianshi (literally, Zhang heavenly master), in Chinese, Taoist and later folk mythology chief magician and lord of demons. The image of the mythical Zhang Tianshi is based on the idea of ​​the head of the Taoist religion, Zhang Dao-ling, who lived in the third century AD, and was given the honorary title of Tianshi in the fifth century.

In ancient times, when shamanism dominated in China, Tian (sky), or Huang-tian (royal sky) was the main object of veneration: it still plays outstanding role in the religious beliefs of the people. The sky, in Chinese folk mythology, is the external manifestation of the power of the ruler of the destinies of the world, or Shandi, with whom it is constantly mixed by the people; This is providence, fate, which maintains the inviolability of the eternal laws on which order in the universe is based. The representative of heaven on earth is the Bogdokhan, who in this role bears the name Son of Heaven (Tian Tzu); he is the only mediator between people and heaven, responsible to the latter for the welfare of his subjects; he alone, on behalf of the entire people, has the right to make a sacrifice to heaven, for which a special altar, Tian-tan, was built in Beijing.

According to legend, Zhang Dao-ling, traveling around the country, reached the mountains in Xinanxian County, Jiangxi Province, where he began making a medicine of immortality. When the medicine was ready, he took it and, although Zhang Dao-ling was sixty years old at the time, he turned into a young man; At the same time, he received the magical secrets of the composition and acquired power, thanks to which he could cast out demons and werewolves, and also penetrated into the secrets of transformations. After this, Zhang Dao-ling ascended to heaven, leaving his children and grandchildren works on magic, spells, a seal and a wonderful sword. According to another version, he, having taken half a tablet of the drug, became an earthly immortal under the name Zhang Tianshi.

On behalf of Zhang Tianshi, decrees against evil spirits were issued for centuries, spreading throughout the country. As the commander of all chthonic forces, Zhang Tianshi was credited with power over animals living in the earth, which could damage the graves of their ancestors, which were especially revered in China. At the same time, Zhang Tianshi’s “specialty” was considered to be the fight against poisonous insects, that is, scorpions, snakes, poisonous spiders and other evil spirits. It was believed that Zhang Tianshi was also subordinate to five thunders, which, on his orders, killed evil spirits, therefore, in the paintings around the figure of Zhang Tianshi, five fire-breathing drums were drawn - symbols of these thunders. Since the functions of Zhang Tianshi are close to those of the chief of demons, Zhong Kui, their images and attributes were often mixed.


Yanwan
Lord of the Dead

Yanwang ("prince"), in Chinese mythology the lord of the underworld; it was believed that he was investigating earthly life of the dead, and then sends them for punishment to one of the ten king-judges, each of whom has his own court. Eight kings punished souls, and those who went to the other two judges were given new bodies for reincarnation.

However, according to other versions of the myth, every soul certainly had to go through all ten courts. The ancient Chinese believed that terrible tortures awaited great sinners: corrupt officials of all ranks swallowed molten gold, and the most ingrained in sin were boiled in boiling oil, ground with huge stone millstones, or cut in half.

Choijins

Choijins or sakhius, in the Buddhist mythology of the Tibetan and Mongolian peoples, are a category of formidable deities included in the category of dokshits or coinciding with it. The word Choijin in Tibetan means "guardian of the teachings", in the Mongolian language sakhius means "guardian", the correspondence of this concept in Sanskrit is dharmapala. In Tibetan mythology, the number of choijins is replenished by local spirits. Among the Tibetans, a particularly revered choijin is Jamsaran, who has the epithet “Red Guardian,” the exact name of this deity among the Mongols Ulan Sakhius.

His father is a fierce spirit, a copper-haired yakshas, ​​who lives in the bloody sea on copper mountain or in a cemetery; in one hand he has a copper sword, in the other - the lungs and heart of the enemy. By origin, Jamsaran is a pre-Buddhist deity, possibly Mongolian, who took the place of the god of war in Tibet, close to Pehar. In Northern Buddhism, Jamsaran is one of the eight dokshits; associated with Kubera and with Geser, who is sometimes considered one of his incarnations. In the epic of the Khorin people, Jamsaran is the enemy of Geser.

The group of “five choijins” is especially revered by the Mongols, who in Mongolian legends are called the “five great sovereigns” or the tabun khagan, that is, the defenders of the temple. Their cult is closely intertwined with the cult of Padmasambhava, to whom they vowed to protect the religion. Their rebirth is considered to be the abbot of the Lhasa temple, acting as the state oracle, revered at the same time as the embodiment of Pehar. In the process of synthesis of shamanic and Buddhist mythology, ideas about choijins are transformed. Chojin are perceived as fierce, warlike, protective spirits who conquer demons and disease.

(from Chinese mythology)

CHINESE MYTHOLOGY, a set of mythological systems: ancient Chinese, Taoist, Buddhist and later folk mythology...

Characters of Chinese myths and legends

Basian

Baxian, Paxian ("eight immortals"), in Chinese Taoist mythology the most popular group heroes, symbols of good luck. All of them achieved immortality as a result of comprehension of the Tao, or “way.” The first to achieve immortality was Li Tieguai (“iron stick”), a disciple of the founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu. Lee, having achieved immortality, went to the sacred mountain, and upon returning and discovering that his body had been accidentally burned, he entered the body of a lame tramp who had died of hunger. Li did not want to live in a disgusting body, but Lao Tzu convinced him not to give up life and gave him an iron stick. It was believed that Li Tieguai introduced Zhongli Quan, the second of the "eight immortals", to Taoist doctrine. According to one of the myths, the wall of his home split in front of Zhongli Quan, and he found instructions there on how to become immortal. Zhongli heeded them and flew into the sky on a cloud, becoming the messenger of the gods. He was usually depicted as fat, bald, with a long beard, often with a fan of feathers or palm leaves. Immortal Lu Dongbin, seeing prophetic dream about the futility of everything earthly, he decided to leave the world and headed for the mountains. Lü Dongbin is the founder of many Chinese sects and the most popular immortal in Chinese mythology. Another immortal, Han Xiangzi, is believed to be a disciple of Lü Dongbin, who took him to heaven and showed him a peach tree with the fruits of immortality. So Han became immortal; he was depicted with a peach, a flute or a bouquet of flowers. The Immortal Cao Guojiu was the younger brother of Empress Cao, who lived during the Song era. One day he left the court and went to the mountains to lead an ascetic life there. Zhang Guolao, also one of the Eight Immortals, is an elder who lived during the time of Empress Wu of the Tang Dynasty. Zhang, bringing children to the childless and newlyweds, was often depicted with eternal peaches
Lan Caihe is an immortal whom the Chinese imagined as a girl or an effeminate man with a basket of flowers and fruits.

Illustration - Han Xianzi, ivory, Ming period, XIV - XVII centuries.

Shooter I

Yi, Xoy Yi ("divine archer"), in Chinese mythology, the son of the supreme deity, an archer who performed many brave deeds: he struck nine suns with arrows; received the elixir of immortality from Xi Wangmu; subdued the winds that devastated the empire. When ten suns appeared in the sky at the same time, the great god gave And a red bow and a quiver with white arrows, so that he would pacify the luminaries drying up the fertile lands. Shooter And he shot arrow after arrow into the sky, and each time one of the suns disappeared, and a three-legged raven fell to the ground. So only the sun remained in the sky, and I killed the wild animals and monsters that were devouring people. Peace and order reigned on earth, and everyone praised Yi. The Divine Archer, along with his wife Chang E, ascended to heaven, but, to his surprise, God ordered them to return to earth. Shooter Yi was happy, and Chang E, fearing death, forces his husband to go to the “Mistress of the West” Xi Wangmu for the elixir of immortality. The goddess gives them a potion that is enough to become immortal. However, Chang E secretly drinks the elixir and flies to the moon, and Yi becomes desperate: after all, he, a mortal, must certainly give up his life. According to one of the myths, Yi was killed by his beloved disciple, Fengmen. According to another version, the gods forgave And, returning him to heaven.

Huangdi

Huangdi (“yellow ancestor”, “yellow sovereign”), in Chinese mythology the personification of the magical powers of the earth; hence his connection with yellow loess soils. It was believed that Huangdi was of enormous height (about 3 m), had the face of a dragon, a solar horn, four eyes or four faces. He was credited with the invention of the axe, mortar, bow, arrows, clothing and shoes; allegedly he taught people how to cast bells and tripods, drill wells, and make carts and boats. The beginning of healing and medicine as a science was associated with Huangdi. The “Yellow Emperor” skillfully wielded a spear and punished the ruler of the south of Yandi, who did not come to him with tribute. Huangdi gathered all the tigers, leopards, and bears, fought with the disobedient one and defeated him. According to some sources, he was never at peace. Huangdi cleared mountain slopes for crops and laid roads. He was revered as the first sovereign of China, allegedly ruling from 2698 to 2598 BC. e. It is believed that Huangdi, who had 25 sons, was buried on Mount Caoshan, although many believed that only his clothes were buried there, and that he himself, having become immortal, ascended to heaven.

Yu

Yu, in ancient Chinese mythology, a hero, a flood suppressor; he was revered for his hard work; in ancient times, Yu was depicted as half dragon, since the dragon Gun was considered his father, and later - in the guise of a man. Yu worked for 13 years to stop the flood. He directed the waters, cutting channels in the mountains, creating rivers, springs and estuaries. His hands and feet were covered with calluses, he was exhausted and could barely walk. However, Yu continued to work, creating an irrigation system to divert water to the sea. As a result of his activities, the land became suitable for growing crops, and all nine provinces of China were united. The emperor was so grateful to Yu that he abdicated and gave the throne to him. Thus Yu became the first emperor of the mythical Xia dynasty. Yu is believed to have reigned from 2205 to 2197 BC. e., and each subsequent emperor is an incarnation of the dragon Yu. There is a well-known myth about how Yu turned into a bear in order to complete his work. When it was time for lunch, he took the form of a man and beat a drum. Then his wife brought him food. One day Yu broke the rocks, and his wife thought she heard drums beating. She brought lunch to her tired husband, but when she saw the bear, she ran away in fear. Yu rushed after her; the wife was expecting a child, and it was hard for her to escape. She fell and turned into a stone that began to grow. When the birth came, Yu broke the stone, and his son Qi appeared from there.

Demon Zhong Kui

Zhong Kui ("club"), in late Chinese mythology the lord of demons. It was usually painted with red paint catching demons, and the design was then hung for magical purposes. It was customary to paste images of the demon lord Zhong Kui on both doors, so that he performed the duties of the god of doors. It was also believed that Zhong Kui administered justice to the souls of the dead.

Yanwan

Yanwang ("prince"), in Chinese mythology the lord of the underworld; it was believed that he was investigating earthly life dead, and then sends them for punishment to one of the ten king-judges, each of whom has his own court. Eight kings punished souls, and those who went to the other two judges were given new bodies for reincarnation. However, according to other versions of the myth, every soul certainly had to go through all ten courts. The ancient Chinese believed that terrible tortures awaited great sinners: corrupt officials of all ranks swallowed molten gold, and the most ingrained in sin were boiled in boiling oil, ground with huge stone millstones, or cut in half.

Illustration - Lord of the Dead Yanwang, ceramics, 1523

Dragon Longwang

Longwang, in Chinese mythology, the master of the water element; The god of thunder Leigong, the lord of rain Yushi and the god of wind Fengbo obeyed him. According to early texts, Longwang is a creature that stands out among other dragons for its extraordinary size - about 1 li (about 0.5 km) in length. The image of Longwan was formed in the first centuries AD. The Taoist classification became widespread - the idea of ​​Longwang as the supreme dragon of the four seas (in accordance with ancient Chinese cosmogony): Guan-te ("increasing virtue") - Longwang of the Eastern Sea, Guan-li ("increasing wealth") - Southern, Guan -rong ("increasing favor") - Western and Guang-tse ("increasing generosity") - also Western. All of them are considered brothers, of whom the eldest is Guan-de. There was also an idea about the Longwang of the four main rivers of China. In folk tales and traditions, the name usually appears simply as Longwang or Donghai Longwang ("king of the dragons of the Eastern Sea"). In later folk beliefs, Lunwang is often seen as the lord of the elements, to whom the god of thunder, the goddess of lightning, the god of wind and the master of rain are subordinate. In the later folk syncretic mythological system, Longwang is subordinate to the supreme lord Yudi. Lunwan, the king of dragons who brings rain, had his own army, consisting of sea inhabitants: turtles, cuttlefish and other inhabitants of the depths. The intercession of this dragon king, the giver of rain, was sought by farmers, sailors, fishermen and water-carriers. The cult of Longwang was extremely popular in old China. There were temples dedicated to him in every city, every village. Longwang was believed to bring rain.

Fenghuang

Fenghuang, in Chinese mythology the wonderful king bird; in Western European literature it is interpreted as a phoenix bird. There is an assumption that in ancient times the word "fen" meant the deity of the wind, who was the messenger of the gods. The Chinese believed that the fenghuang, a bird with multi-colored feathers, has the beak of a rooster, the crop of a swallow, the neck of a snake, on its body there are patterns like a dragon, a fish tail, in front it is like a swan, in the back it is like a qilin unicorn, and the back is like a turtle. The appearance of fenghuang promised peace and prosperity for China. There is reason to believe that this bird with huge eyes and a peculiar crest on its head, reminiscent of a peacock, has a solar nature, that is, close to the elements of fire and the sun.

Illustration - Fenghuang, sculpture of Nanjing City Park, China


Myths and legends Ancient East, -M.: Norint, 2002

April 29, 2019

1380- Catherine of Siena (Catherina Benincasa), Italian religious leader and writer, nun of the Dominican Order, died

1923- the “renovation” council of the Russian Orthodox Church was opened, abolishing the patriarchate

1977- V Sistine Chapel For the first time, the Pope and the head of the Anglican Church, the Bishop of Canterbury, held a joint service

Random Aphorism

If Jesus Christ appeared today, no one would crucify him. They would have invited him to dinner, listened to him and laughed heartily.

Carlyle T.

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    Circassians (self-called Adyghe) are a people in Karachay-Cherkessia. In Turkey and other countries of Western Asia, Circassians are also called all people from the North. Caucasus. Believers are Sunni Muslims. The Kabardino-Circassian language belongs to the Caucasian (Iberian-Caucasian) languages ​​(Abkhazian-Adyghe group). Writing based on the Russian alphabet.

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