Luo Yu | The Classic of Mountains and Seas

27th Illustration of 山海经 (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) - 蠃鱼 (Luǒ Yú)
🐟🪽The Classic of Western Mountains explains: Two hundred and sixty miles west of 中曲山 (Zhōngqū Mountain) lies 邽山 (Guī Mountain). The 蒙水 (Méng River) originates from this mountain and flows southward into the 洋水 (Yáng River). The waters are filled with yellow clams. There is a kind of fish called the Luo Yu, which has the body of a fish belongs to the carp branch, couple wings, bright body color, a round head, a straight snout, a wide and transparent tail fin, folds its wings to swim when migrating and has sound like a mandarin duck. Wherever it appears, it brings floods.
🐟🪽Luo Yu enjoys playing in the water. Its appearance often foreshadows the coming of floods, therefore it considered as an ominous symbol and called as a disaster beast. However, in some legends, Luo Yu is not entirely ominous. One theory holds that Luo Yu was originally just an ordinary fish living in the deep sea. Its longing and sorrow for a passing bird moved 天帝 (Emperor of Heaven) who gifted it with a pair of beautiful wings. Although these wings become heavy when wet in water, restricting for flight, also give it a unique form and a mysterious aura. These legends imbue Luo Yu with a touch of romance and melancholy.
🐟🪽There is also a theory that the historical Yu the Great, the founder of Xia Dynasty, may have killed this fish, as Luo Yu was associated with floods, and Yu The Great likely encountered it during his flood control efforts. It is said that after five hundred years of cultivation, this fish evolved into a dragon, capable of bringing wind and rain. The dragon killed by Yu The Great was most likely a Luo Yu after five hundred years of cultivation. While these claims lack conclusive evidence, they add to the mysticism and fantasy surrounding about Luo Yu.
🐟🪽In ancient times, people believed that the appearance of this mythical beast would inevitably lead to floods in their cities. Therefore, hunting Luo Yu became an important defensive measure, and hanging their carcasses at city gates was a ritual to ward off floods. In short, the Luo Yu is a mythical creature in Chinese folklore, carrying both ominous and auspicious connotations.
🐟🪽Overall, Luo Yu as one of the strange beasts of the mountains and seas, holds a special place in ancient Chinese mythology and legends for its unique form and mysterious symbolic significance. From ancient mythology to the present day, it has been continuously given new interpretations and connotations, demonstrating the profound heritage of ancient Chinese culture and people's boundless longing for a better future.
Speed Painting:
https://youtube.com/shorts/-6ZfuEbEk4g