Ox-Head and Horse-Face (牛头马面)
Alternative Names (異名):
牛頭馬面(traditional Chinese), 牛头马面(simplified Chinese), niú tóu mǎ miàn(pinyin), Ox-Head and Horse-Face
Ox-Head (simplified Chinese: 牛头; traditional Chinese: 牛頭; pinyin: niú tóu) and Horse-Face (simplified Chinese: 马面; traditional Chinese: 馬面; pinyin: mǎ miàn) are two fearsome guardians of the Underworld in Chinese mythology, where the dead face judgement (and punishment) prior to reincarnation. As indicated by their names, one has the head of an ox, and the other has the face of a horse. They are the first people a dead soul meets upon arriving in the Underworld; in many stories they directly escort the newly dead to the Underworld. Usually, the two are mentioned together (牛头马面, 牛頭馬面).
In the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West, at one point Horse-Face and Ox-Head are sent to capture Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. Sun Wukong overpowers both of them and scares them away. He then breaks into the Underworld and crosses out the names of himself and his people from the record of living souls, hence granting immortality to himself and his monkey followers.
Notable representations in popular media
In Lone Wolf and Cub, the protagonist, Ogami Itto, has visions about Ox-Head and Horse-face. He refers to them as "Gozu Mezu" and uses drawings of them to advertise his services as an assassin.
In the animated version of Rumiko Takahashi's InuYasha, the cast fights with Ox-Head and Horse-Face in order to enter the underworld - but only Sesshomaru, with the sword Tenseiga, is allowed to pass without fighting Ox-Head and Horse-Face.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox-Head_and_Horse-Face
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology stubs | Chinese mythology | Legendary mammals
Friday, December 8, 2000
Monday, September 1, 1997
Nian (年獸)
Nian (年獸)
Alternative Names (異名):
年獸(traditional Chinese), 年兽(simplified Chinese), nián shòu(pinyin), Nian
In Chinese mythology, Nian (traditional Chinese: 年獸; simplified Chinese: 年兽; pinyin: nián shòu) is a beast that comes in spring. The Chinese word for year is based on the arrival of this beast. A phrase for celebrating Chinese New Year, guo nian (traditional Chinese: 過年; simplified Chinese: 过年; pinyin: guò nián) means the passing of the beast. It is believed that it lives under the sea. It came to attack people at the same time of the year. The Chinese tradition of decorating in red, burning firecrackers, and the lion dance with loud drums and gongs was to scare the beast away.
Nian (Beast)
The Nian would come to China and eat up people it saw, but in some stories, an immortal was said to have made use of Nian's powers (eating up venomous snakes and killing wild beasts like tigers and lions) before taming it (by flashing his red undergarment to scare Nian, who feared the colour red). Since then, people put up red spring couplets to prevent Nian from coming back.
During Chinese New Year, there are two kinds of lion dances. The northern lion Rui Shi (traditional Chinese: 瑞獅; simplified Chinese: 瑞狮; pinyin: ruì shī) has long hair, floppy ears and a round head without horns. Their name is translated as lions, but they definitely are not the same as African lions. The northern lions fit the description of a Fu Dog. The southern lions, mainly Cantonese, have a single horn at the top center of their heads. The Cantonese lions fit the description of a Nian, but they are not the same as the northern lions. Some legends said the Cantonese lion dance is a reenactment of how Bu Dai tamed the Nian.
See also
Imperial guardian lion (獅, also known as a Fu Dogs) for the use of the lion image stylized statuary at entrances to important places. Note that Nian (horned) and the guardian lion (hornless) are different creatures.
Pixiu similar beast but with wings.
Qilin combining elements of fish, lion, deer, and ox.
Luduan (甪端) another beast with a single horn.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Chinese words and phrases
Alternative Names (異名):
年獸(traditional Chinese), 年兽(simplified Chinese), nián shòu(pinyin), Nian
In Chinese mythology, Nian (traditional Chinese: 年獸; simplified Chinese: 年兽; pinyin: nián shòu) is a beast that comes in spring. The Chinese word for year is based on the arrival of this beast. A phrase for celebrating Chinese New Year, guo nian (traditional Chinese: 過年; simplified Chinese: 过年; pinyin: guò nián) means the passing of the beast. It is believed that it lives under the sea. It came to attack people at the same time of the year. The Chinese tradition of decorating in red, burning firecrackers, and the lion dance with loud drums and gongs was to scare the beast away.
Nian (Beast)
The Nian would come to China and eat up people it saw, but in some stories, an immortal was said to have made use of Nian's powers (eating up venomous snakes and killing wild beasts like tigers and lions) before taming it (by flashing his red undergarment to scare Nian, who feared the colour red). Since then, people put up red spring couplets to prevent Nian from coming back.
During Chinese New Year, there are two kinds of lion dances. The northern lion Rui Shi (traditional Chinese: 瑞獅; simplified Chinese: 瑞狮; pinyin: ruì shī) has long hair, floppy ears and a round head without horns. Their name is translated as lions, but they definitely are not the same as African lions. The northern lions fit the description of a Fu Dog. The southern lions, mainly Cantonese, have a single horn at the top center of their heads. The Cantonese lions fit the description of a Nian, but they are not the same as the northern lions. Some legends said the Cantonese lion dance is a reenactment of how Bu Dai tamed the Nian.
See also
Imperial guardian lion (獅, also known as a Fu Dogs) for the use of the lion image stylized statuary at entrances to important places. Note that Nian (horned) and the guardian lion (hornless) are different creatures.
Pixiu similar beast but with wings.
Qilin combining elements of fish, lion, deer, and ox.
Luduan (甪端) another beast with a single horn.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Chinese words and phrases
Thursday, March 7, 1996
Mogwai (魔怪)
Mogwai (魔怪)
Alternative Names (異名):
魔怪(Cantonese), 魔鬼(Mandarin Chinese), móguǐ(pinyin), Mogwai, Mogui
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 (mo1 gwai2) (Mandarin Chinese: 魔鬼; pinyin：móguǐ) meaning "ghost", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".
In Chinese culture
According to Chinese tradition, mogui are certain demons, which often inflict harm on humans. They are said to reproduce sexually during mating seasons triggered by the coming of rain. Supposedly, they take care to breed at these times because rain signifies rich and full times ahead.
The term "mo" derives from the Sanskrit "Mara", meaning 'evil beings', which shares a cognate with the Persian "Magi" from which the English word "magic" derives. In Hinduism and Buddhism, Mara determines fates of death and desire that tether people to an unending cycle of reincarnation and suffering. He is the source of evil and purposely leads people to sin, misdeeds and self-destruction. Meanwhile, "gui" does not necessarily mean 'evil' or demonic spirits. Classically, it simply means deceased spirits or souls of the dead. Nevertheless, in modern Chinese, it has evolved to refer usually to the dead spirits or ghosts of non-family members that may take vengeance on living humans who caused them pain when they were still living. It is common for the living to redress their sins by sacrificing money to gui by burning (usually fake) paper banknotes so that gui can have funds to use in their afterlife.
Notably, the modern popular use of mogui as 'demonic' and gui as 'devils' is somewhat a consequence of Western influences as Chinese-language biblical texts translate the Satan in the Book of Job and the Greek term 'diabolos' as mogui.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogwai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Fictional species | Ghosts
Alternative Names (異名):
魔怪(Cantonese), 魔鬼(Mandarin Chinese), móguǐ(pinyin), Mogwai, Mogui
The word mogwai is the transliteration of the Cantonese word 魔怪 (mo1 gwai2) (Mandarin Chinese: 魔鬼; pinyin：móguǐ) meaning "ghost", "evil spirit", "devil" or "demon".
In Chinese culture
According to Chinese tradition, mogui are certain demons, which often inflict harm on humans. They are said to reproduce sexually during mating seasons triggered by the coming of rain. Supposedly, they take care to breed at these times because rain signifies rich and full times ahead.
The term "mo" derives from the Sanskrit "Mara", meaning 'evil beings', which shares a cognate with the Persian "Magi" from which the English word "magic" derives. In Hinduism and Buddhism, Mara determines fates of death and desire that tether people to an unending cycle of reincarnation and suffering. He is the source of evil and purposely leads people to sin, misdeeds and self-destruction. Meanwhile, "gui" does not necessarily mean 'evil' or demonic spirits. Classically, it simply means deceased spirits or souls of the dead. Nevertheless, in modern Chinese, it has evolved to refer usually to the dead spirits or ghosts of non-family members that may take vengeance on living humans who caused them pain when they were still living. It is common for the living to redress their sins by sacrificing money to gui by burning (usually fake) paper banknotes so that gui can have funds to use in their afterlife.
Notably, the modern popular use of mogui as 'demonic' and gui as 'devils' is somewhat a consequence of Western influences as Chinese-language biblical texts translate the Satan in the Book of Job and the Greek term 'diabolos' as mogui.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogwai
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Fictional species | Ghosts
Sunday, September 4, 1994
Luduan (甪端)
Luduan (甪端)
Alternative Names (異名):
甪端, lù duān, Luduan
A luduan (甪端 pinyin lù duān) was a beast which could detect truth, in the Chinese mythology. Thus in the Qing dynasty, rulers such as the Emperor Qianlong would surround his throne with luduan in order to properly subdue his subjects. In the adjacent image, the luduan were incense burners. The enamelled charcoal braziers next to the Dragon Throne may not actually have been so close, but since Forbidden City in Beijing is at the latitude of Chicago, the Emperor may have required the braziers for comfort. (These artifacts from the Forbidden City are currently visiting the U.S. on loan from Beijing.)
Above the throne, not shown in the image, was secreted a box in which the name of the next emperor was written. This was the way that Qianlong himself learned that he was the successor to the Dragon Throne
See also
Nian (年獸) : another beast with single horn.
Pixiu : similar beast but with wings.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luduan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Divination | Chinese words and phrases | Chinese mythology stubs
Alternative Names (異名):
甪端, lù duān, Luduan
A luduan (甪端 pinyin lù duān) was a beast which could detect truth, in the Chinese mythology. Thus in the Qing dynasty, rulers such as the Emperor Qianlong would surround his throne with luduan in order to properly subdue his subjects. In the adjacent image, the luduan were incense burners. The enamelled charcoal braziers next to the Dragon Throne may not actually have been so close, but since Forbidden City in Beijing is at the latitude of Chicago, the Emperor may have required the braziers for comfort. (These artifacts from the Forbidden City are currently visiting the U.S. on loan from Beijing.)
Above the throne, not shown in the image, was secreted a box in which the name of the next emperor was written. This was the way that Qianlong himself learned that he was the successor to the Dragon Throne
See also
Nian (年獸) : another beast with single horn.
Pixiu : similar beast but with wings.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luduan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Chinese mythology | Divination | Chinese words and phrases | Chinese mythology stubs
Wednesday, September 15, 1993
Lion and the Mouse
Lion and the Mouse
A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by st ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaim
"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; I now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion."
Aesop's Fables | Lion | Mouse
A LION was awakened from sleep by a Mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying: "If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness." The Lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by st ropes to the ground. The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came gnawed the rope with his teeth, and set him free, exclaim
"You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; I now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to con benefits on a Lion."
Aesop's Fables | Lion | Mouse
Tuesday, September 1, 1992
Kua Fu (夸父)
Kua Fu (夸父)
Alternative Names (異名):
夸父, Kua Fu
Kua Fu (Chinese: 夸父) is a giant in Chinese mythology who wished to capture the sun.
One day out of the blue, Kua Fu was perplexed by the Sun's whereabouts at night and decided to chase and catch the Sun. With each stride he gets closer to the Sun, however, he could never catch up to it.
He followed the Sun from the East to the West, draining all rivers and lakes crossing his path as sources of water to quench his burning thirst as he closed in on the star. However, he wasn't able to finish his quest because he died of the extreme heat and exhaustion.
The wooden club he was carrying grew into a vast forest. In modern day Chinese usage, the story of Kua Fu chasing the Sun is used to describe a person who fails to obtain his goal because he greatly overestimates himself.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kua_Fu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Alternative Names (異名):
夸父, Kua Fu
Kua Fu (Chinese: 夸父) is a giant in Chinese mythology who wished to capture the sun.
One day out of the blue, Kua Fu was perplexed by the Sun's whereabouts at night and decided to chase and catch the Sun. With each stride he gets closer to the Sun, however, he could never catch up to it.
He followed the Sun from the East to the West, draining all rivers and lakes crossing his path as sources of water to quench his burning thirst as he closed in on the star. However, he wasn't able to finish his quest because he died of the extreme heat and exhaustion.
The wooden club he was carrying grew into a vast forest. In modern day Chinese usage, the story of Kua Fu chasing the Sun is used to describe a person who fails to obtain his goal because he greatly overestimates himself.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kua_Fu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_mythology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chinese_mythology
Wednesday, March 18, 1992
Korean dragon (龍)
Korean dragon (龍)
Alternative Names (異名):
The Korean dragon is a certain type of dragon associated with Korean mythology. Like its peers, the Korean dragon is culture-specific, which means it has unique properties that differentiate it from dragons in other cultures. It is generally comparable to its Chinese counterpart in appearance and cultural significance.
Korean dragons
The Korean dragon is derived from Chinese dragon. Whereas most dragons in Western mythology are generally related to the elements of fire and destruction, dragons in Korean mythology are mostly viewed as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture, often considered bringers of rain and clouds. Hence, many Korean dragons are said to have resided in rivers, lakes, oceans or even deep ponds within mountains.
The symbol of the dragon has been used extensively, both in Korean mythology and ancient Korean art. Politically, the dragon represents the Emperor, who himself was associated with rain and agriculture. Hence, those who used the title of King (Wang) were forbidden from wearing dragon adornments; the Fenghuang is the creature traditionally associated with a king.
Ancient texts sometimes mention sentient speaking dragons, capable of understanding such complex emotions such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude. One particular Korean legend speaks of the great King Munmu, who on his deathbed wished to become a "Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea."
The Korean dragon was said to have certain specific traits: no wings, for example, in addition to a long beard. It is in many ways very similar in appearance to dragons of Chinese and Japanese mythology, which is not hard to understand since they all have the same Chinese origin.
Very occasionally a dragon may be depicted as carrying a dragon orb known as the Yeo-ui-ju (여의주) in one or more of its claws. It was said that whoever could wield the Yeo-ui-ju was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will, and that only four-toed dragons (those which had thumbs to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs (as opposed to the lesser, three-toed dragons).
As with Chinese dragons, the number nine is significant with Korean dragons and they are said to have 81 (9x9) scales on their backs.
Imoogi
A close relative to the dragon is a native Korean mythological creature known as an Imugi. There are different stories about the Imoogi: Some, for example, say that they are hornless creatures resembling dragons but have been cursed, and thus were unable to become dragons. Other say that an Imugi is a proto-dragon which must survive one thousand years in order to become a fully fledged dragon. In either case they are said to be large benevolent python-like creatures that live in the waters or caves. Their sighting is associated with good luck.
In the Korean film titled D-War, two Imoogi were seen, one of which took a dragon orb and became a dragon. In this film, however, one of the Imoogi (the one that failed to become a dragon) was portrayed as totally evil, and was killed by the one that became a dragon.
Korean cockatrice
The Korean cockatrice is known as a kye-ryong (계룡), which literally means chicken-dragon; they do not appear as often as dragons. They are sometimes seen as chariot-pulling beasts for important legendary figures or for the parents of legendary heroes. One such legend involves the founding of the Kingdom of Silla, whose princess was said to have been born from a cockatrice egg.
See also
Chinese mythology
Fenghuang
Culture of China
Dragon
Dragon boat race
Dragon dance
Dragon Kung Fu
Imperial guardian lions
Lion dance
Persian dragon
European dragon
Japanese dragon
Korean dragon
Vietnamese dragon
List of dragons in mythology and folklore
Long Mu (Dragon's Mother)
An Instinct for Dragons, hypothesis about the origin of dragon myths.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_dragon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dragons
Alternative Names (異名):
| 龍(Hanja), 룡(Hangul), 용, ryong, yong, 미르(Traditional Korean) | Korean dragon |
| 龍(Traditional Chinese), 龙(Simplified Chinese), Lóng(Hanyu Pinyin) | Chinese dragon |
| 龍(Kyūjitai), 竜(Shinjitai), りゅう(Hiragana), たつ | Japanese dragon |
| 龍(Hán tự), rồng(Quốc ngữ), long | Vietnamese dragon |
The Korean dragon is a certain type of dragon associated with Korean mythology. Like its peers, the Korean dragon is culture-specific, which means it has unique properties that differentiate it from dragons in other cultures. It is generally comparable to its Chinese counterpart in appearance and cultural significance.
Korean dragons
The Korean dragon is derived from Chinese dragon. Whereas most dragons in Western mythology are generally related to the elements of fire and destruction, dragons in Korean mythology are mostly viewed as benevolent beings related to water and agriculture, often considered bringers of rain and clouds. Hence, many Korean dragons are said to have resided in rivers, lakes, oceans or even deep ponds within mountains.
The symbol of the dragon has been used extensively, both in Korean mythology and ancient Korean art. Politically, the dragon represents the Emperor, who himself was associated with rain and agriculture. Hence, those who used the title of King (Wang) were forbidden from wearing dragon adornments; the Fenghuang is the creature traditionally associated with a king.
Ancient texts sometimes mention sentient speaking dragons, capable of understanding such complex emotions such as devotion, kindness, and gratitude. One particular Korean legend speaks of the great King Munmu, who on his deathbed wished to become a "Dragon of the East Sea in order to protect Korea."
The Korean dragon was said to have certain specific traits: no wings, for example, in addition to a long beard. It is in many ways very similar in appearance to dragons of Chinese and Japanese mythology, which is not hard to understand since they all have the same Chinese origin.
Very occasionally a dragon may be depicted as carrying a dragon orb known as the Yeo-ui-ju (여의주) in one or more of its claws. It was said that whoever could wield the Yeo-ui-ju was blessed with the abilities of omnipotence and creation at will, and that only four-toed dragons (those which had thumbs to hold the orbs) were both wise and powerful enough to wield these orbs (as opposed to the lesser, three-toed dragons).
As with Chinese dragons, the number nine is significant with Korean dragons and they are said to have 81 (9x9) scales on their backs.
Imoogi
A close relative to the dragon is a native Korean mythological creature known as an Imugi. There are different stories about the Imoogi: Some, for example, say that they are hornless creatures resembling dragons but have been cursed, and thus were unable to become dragons. Other say that an Imugi is a proto-dragon which must survive one thousand years in order to become a fully fledged dragon. In either case they are said to be large benevolent python-like creatures that live in the waters or caves. Their sighting is associated with good luck.
In the Korean film titled D-War, two Imoogi were seen, one of which took a dragon orb and became a dragon. In this film, however, one of the Imoogi (the one that failed to become a dragon) was portrayed as totally evil, and was killed by the one that became a dragon.
Korean cockatrice
The Korean cockatrice is known as a kye-ryong (계룡), which literally means chicken-dragon; they do not appear as often as dragons. They are sometimes seen as chariot-pulling beasts for important legendary figures or for the parents of legendary heroes. One such legend involves the founding of the Kingdom of Silla, whose princess was said to have been born from a cockatrice egg.
See also
Chinese mythology
Fenghuang
Culture of China
Dragon
Dragon boat race
Dragon dance
Dragon Kung Fu
Imperial guardian lions
Lion dance
Persian dragon
European dragon
Japanese dragon
Korean dragon
Vietnamese dragon
List of dragons in mythology and folklore
Long Mu (Dragon's Mother)
An Instinct for Dragons, hypothesis about the origin of dragon myths.
Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_dragon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Dragons
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