Yiyu | The Classic of Mountains and Seas

29th Illustration of 山海经 (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) - 鮨魚 (Yìyú)
🐶Another hundred miles further north is the 北嶽山 (Běiyuè Mountain), which is rich in thorny and hardy trees. 諸懷水 (Zhūhuái River) flows from here and then flows westward into 囂水 (Xiāo River). In this basin, there are many Yiyu fish. It has a bizarre combination of a dog's head and a fish's body. They make sounds like a baby crying. If people eat its meat, they can cure epilepsy and suppress insanity.
🐶Modernists often compare ancient texts to modern biology, but the marine Yiyu described in the classics are actually two different species. Guo Pu's annotation states that the Zhuhuai River is located north of Yanmen, Shanxi, suggesting a freshwater basin, distinct from a saltwater habitat.
🐶Some people and sources speculate that Yiyu is the modern-day giant salamander. However, the modern analogy of Yiyu to giant salamander is untenable. The giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) belongs to the family Cryptobranchidae; its short snout and rounded skull differ significantly from the skull structure of canines and clearly contradict the description of a "fish body". There is another rumour that Yiyu is actually a fur seal nowadays. This might reflect the differing perceptions and judgments of people in ancient and modern times.
Speed Painting:
https://youtube.com/shorts/gyARCYdiFZQ