Yu's father, Gun, was put in charge of flood control by Yao, but failed to alleviate the problem after nine years. A copious and eclectic source of information on Chinese mythology is the written materials recovered from the Dunhuang manuscripts library, now scattered in libraries around the world. They live in a deep underwater realm named the Encante. A few creatures, like Many astronomically observable features were subjects of mythology or the mythological locations and settings for mythic scenes these include the sun, stars, moon, planets, Milky Way (sometimes referred to as the River of Heaven), clouds, and other features. Witkul is a synonym, apparently related to locality witkul are found in lakes, and witk in rivers. Maeonian Drakon, a dragon that lived in the kingdom of, Nemean dragon, a dragon that guarded Zeus' sacred grove in, Ophiogenean dragon, a dragon that guarded Artemis' sacred grove in, Rhodian dragons, serpents that inhabited the island of, Thespian dragon, a dragon that terrorized the city of, The Ethiopian Dragon was a breed of giant serpent native to the lands of. The concept of noisy animals in their mothers womb precedes the Questing Beast. The content produced by YourTango is for informational and educational purposes only. The Keledones, singing maidens sculpted out of gold by Hephaestus. The category shen is rather comprehensive and generic in Chinese myth and religion, shen may be spirits, goddesses or gods, ghosts, or other. A pontarof will wait in the water until a child enters the river to bathe, whereupon the fish immediately seizes them. Cats, feral and domestic, are found all over Japan: in houses as pets, on farms as exterminators, and in cities and towns as strays. For a list of major non-pony creatures and animals, see list of non-pony characters. However, this is not a static quality, since Daoist adepts, shamans, or others are said to become immortals through right effort and various practices. Ykai (, "strange apparition") are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore.The word ykai is composed of the kanji for "attractive; calamity" and "apparition; mystery; suspicious." Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology and folklore. A beautiful mortal, Medusa was the exception in the family, until she incurred the wrath of Athena, either due to her boastfulness or because of an ill-fated love affair with Poseidon.Transformed into a vicious monster with They can infect the human population with a bite, and the creatures transformation is often associated with a full moon. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Malory, T. (1956) Le Morte dArthur, v. I. J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London. [13] And, Yandi is also a Red Emperor. In Greece the word drakn, from which the English word was derived, was used originally The fins of the pontarof are the largest fins Thevet had seen. Whether youre a writer looking for inspiration for your fiction, a lover of myths and folklore, or someone whos just curious, youll find plenty of interesting beasts in this A-Z list of Irish mythological creatures. This is also the definition of questing; a more accurate modern name would be the Yelping Beast or Barking Beast. In the prose Tristan, the Beste Glatissant has the legs of a stag, the thighs and tail of a lion, the body of a leopard, and the head of a snake; its yelping is equal to that of a hundred hunting hounds. Legend has it that once, there was a Maya shaman who dedicated himself to the healing and care of children and maidens of the place where he lived. The Xia dynasty is a real, historical dynasty known through archeology and literary accounts. Generally, these abilities are said to develop through such practices of Chinese alchemy, obtaining an Elixir of life,[33] and/or various austerities of diet or sexuality. When theres a newborn child at home, some families put scissors under the cribs of their babies since the tlatepuchi hates metals. They often bring down great curses and misfortune upon their masters. Physical descriptions of banshees vary from a young beautiful virgin to a one-foot-tall old woman. If you spot a dog with mangled black fur, glowing red eyes and a foul odor, run the other way. Selkies are creatures found in Faroese, Icelandic, Irish, and Scottish mythology. Due to the ambiguity of this word when translated into English, it is not always clear how to classify in English the entities described shen (not to be confused with the mythological clam). Wakmangganchi Aragondis droppings are rocks in which seeds can still be seen, and red areas of land are where the monster-boars blood was spilled. Lavellan A Lavellan, lbh-allan, la-mhalan or la-bhallan etc. Ba is the daughter of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi) whom she aided during his Battle at Zhuolu against Chiyou: after Chiyou had fielded a wind god (Feng Bo) and a rain god (Yu Shi), Ba descended from heaven to use her drought power to defeat their wind and rain powers. Philippine folklore is a treasure trove of strange mythical creatures that have stood the test of time. Once an old man stole a silk handkerchief with silver coins that was meant for the witk. Guandi is a prominent example, but there are many others. The captivating and alluring human/fish hybrids rule the underwater world, but according to some, they are able to transform into a human form while dry and on land. It is one of the few mythical creatures unquestionably derived from paleontological evidence in this case, from the remains of woolly mammoths. Various birds are found in Chinese mythology, some of them obviously based on real birds, other ones obviously not, and some in-between. According to "The Iliad," the king of Lycia ordered the hero Bellerophon to kill the hybrid beast, hoping that Bellerophon would instead be killed. Eventually, they turn into metaphors and allegories used to frighten people into good behavior. Some of these form the totem animals of the Chinese zodiac. Some myths present a chronology of prehistoric times, many of these involve a culture hero who taught people how to build houses, or cook, or write, or was the ancestor of an ethnic group or dynastic family. As Daoism developed as a concept from its traditional roots in Chinese folk religion and mythology, its legitimacy was bolstered by claims of originating with Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor. From ancient tales of Banshees and goblins to modern depictions of teenage vampires and werewolves on television and in movies, mythological creatures have always intrigued humankind. Each one represented and ruled over a class of animals. Its appearance is that of a blackbird with a very large beak, it has no eyes and looks like a shell because it seems to have no soul. Similar behavior is described in The Iliad, in which warriors are possessed by Gods and given the power to exhibit superhuman abilities. It enables the creature to trick, deceive, hunt, and kill humans. [21] Diku is said to have consorted with the semi-divine females Jiang Yuan and Jiandi. Shircore also attributes to the crowing crested cobra or Inkhomi a diet of maggots, explaining that it kills indiscriminately to create more food for maggots. [26] After several generations, Xie (or Qi)'s descendant Tang became king of Shang by overthrowing Jie, the last king of the Xia dynasty, said to be a very drunken and bloodthirsty tyrant. Three-Bodied or Triple-Bodied Daemon, a winged monster with three human bodies ending in serpent-tails. Pre-Hispanic cultures worshipped gods seeking an answer to natural disasters as well as unexplained events. Various deities and spirits have been mythologically associated with the welfare of areas of land and with cities. These include divinities of wealth, longevity, fertility. They are said to ask men to dance with them in order to Librairie Ancienne Honor Champion, Paris. Alphabetical lists. After discussing the end of Xia and the beginning of Shang, Mozi describes the end of Shang and the beginning of the succeeding Zhou dynasty: During the reign of Shang Zhu, Heaven could not endure Zhu's morality and neglect of timely sacrifices. The zodiacs in order are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Various Chinese literature addresses the subject area of Chinese mythology. Books in the shenmo genre of vernacular fiction revolve around gods and monsters. It was a creature with small ears, a long tail that resembled that of a monkeys hand, claws and sharp teeth with the appearance of a very shaped dog. Golems are created with clay or mud and a little bit of magic. Some accounts give it flowering boughs for antlers. Mythological creatures. Basically, the ancient Germanic culture existed during the middle ages in Northern and Western Europe. Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, sisters of the Graeae, Echidna, and Ladon all dreadful and fearsome beasts. It seems more likely that it was a manta ray. Various German Mythological creatures may attract your interests. They are said to ask men to dance with them in order to The Chinese household was often the subject of mythology and related ritual. Various snakes and reptilians appear in Chinese mythology, folklore, and religion. (1944) Two Notes on the Crowing Crested Cobra. But before old-school horror stories scare the living daylights out of you, lets take a look back on some not-so The atotolin is known as the bird king of Aztec culture. Most people of his hometown thought he [], Echidna The She-Viper Mother of Monsters Echidna is a somewhat obscure, but nevertheless fearsome monster in Greek mythology. [JFrater: I am going to a Halloween party, but I have no idea what I should go assomething that reflects a topic from the site might be nice. Philippine folklore is a treasure trove of strange mythical creatures that have stood the test of time. Huang Di's wife Leizu is supposed to have invented sericulture. Finally, it is commonly pursued or hunted, whether by knights or by its own offspring within its belly, and often ends up giving birth in the process. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years or so been depicted as a white horse-like or goat-like animal with a long straight horn with spiralling grooves, cloven hooves, and sometimes a goat's It was said that there were ten suns, each one taking a turn on its allotted day to cross the sky (this has been thought evidence of a ten-day week used at one time). Some Dracaenae were even known to have had in place of two legs, one (or two) serpent tail. When she could not have him, she instead turned to a devil, who slept with her and convinced her to accuse her brother of attempting to rape her. 143-322. Various myths contain explanations of various origins and the progress of cultural development. After Dionysus was born, Zeus entrusted the infant Dionysus to Silenus care to be raised and taught. Seven perennial streams flowed down its back. This category has the following 14 subcategories, out of 14 total. [23] Yu was said to be the founder of the Xia dynasty. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. Zeitschrift fr Romanische Philologie, 56, pp. Tweet. By some accounts Arion was born from a union of the Sea god Poseidon in the form of a stallion and the Earth goddess Demeter in []. (Sometimes Chinese mythology is called Mandarin Chinese: Zhnggu Shnhu). Zeus (Jupiter, in Roman mythology): the king of all the gods (and father to many) and god of weather, law and fate; Hera (Juno): the queen of the gods and goddess of women and marriage The translation of its name would be the thorny water. One of the founders of Daoism was Old Man Laozi, who himself entered into legend or mythology. Noah: Directed by Darren Aronofsky. [29], Fuxi is the first of the Three Sovereigns. Often, mythological creatures inhabit the furthest reaches of the exotic imagination. This category contains creatures in mythologies that are classified as monsters Subcategories. This page was last edited on 18 October 2022, at 07:21. The king had seen the beast because he, too, had just done something unforgivable. Yao and Shun were important mythological rulers, exemplars of propriety in rulership. In the 1890's, something changed in the way common Scandinavians saw themselves and their culture. If you're lucky enough to catch one of the mischievous men, then they will grant you three wishes. One of the main legacies of the rise of Zhou was the insemination of the classic book I Ching, however the eight trigrams must be from a far earlier period than Wengong, and even more than the editing and commentary by Confucius mythology references the culture hero sometimes named Fuxi.[27][28]. Traditions say that we are all born with an animal spirit that protects and guides us, so the nahual seeks to become them to improve their capabilities. With Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins. Sometimes wattles are present as well. An alchemical hare or rabbit lives on the moon. Every culture around the world has its fair share of mythological creatures. Yak tails are mentioned as magical whisks used by Daoist sorcerers. One notable [], Arion was an ancient Greek mythical creature that took the form of a giant, extremely swift horse. Together, Echidna and Typhonraised some of the most well known monsters and creatures in all mythology. She is currently a popular goddess. The hideous, man-like legendary creatures are depicted as dumb and dim-witted, yet violent. [45] One such vessel (a xu (), with the characters appearing on the inside-bottom) is a Zhou bronze with a 98-character description of the deeds of Yu draining the flood.[46]. They are characterized as having bloodshot eyes, incredible strength, and endurance. Share 1K. Photos of Pablo Picasso -- the 20th century's archetypal creative genius -- crafting simultaneously fleeting and enduring works of art. Mythological creatures. This list may not reflect recent changes. Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology Places. Various bodies of water appear in Chinese mythology. However, some scholars have questioned whether this is a later development stemming from comical portrayals of the beings. Automatons, or Colossi, were men/women, animals and monsters crafted out of metal and made animate in order to perform various tasks. Tian appeared in literature c. 700 BCE, possibly earlier as dating depends on the date of the Shujing (Book of Documents). Besides his active life in mythology, Yhung is a major divinity of worship in modern Daoism. Pan's Labyrinth (Spanish: El laberinto del fauno, lit. Noah: Directed by Darren Aronofsky. Wakmangganchi Aragondi roamed where it pleased, ate anyone it encountered, and destroyed crops at will. The concept of the labyrinth, or the endless underground maze, also originates [], The Ancient Greeks were a creative people, and their mythology is filled with all sorts of amazing creatures. The most famous examples of those are the boar Twrch Trwyth and the sow Henwen. Non-divine mythological beings are sometimes divided into several parts each ruled over by a particular type of beinghumans ruled over by the Emperor, winged creatures ruled over by the phoenix, and scaly, finned, or crawly creatures ruled over by the dragon. Another example is the immortality sometimes obtained by the lohans, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas of Buddhist religion and mythology (this contrasts with indefinitely prolonged series of unenlightened re-births). Malory, T. (1956) Le Morte dArthur, v. II. From there they took the progenitor of all the worlds birds back to the surface. There are many types. Some Chinese mythology becomes specific about chronological time, based on the ganzhi system, numbers of human generations, or other details suggesting synchronization between the mythological chronology and the ideas of modern historians. Although Questing Beast has been popularized in the English-speaking world by Malorys Le Morte dArthur, the creature is more commonly known as the Beste Glatissant or Beste Glapissant (in modern French, Bte Glatissante or Bte Glapissante). Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, by Pu Songling contains many stories of fox spirits, and other phenomena. (1996) Handbook of the Birds of the World vol. by BryanJ. The legitimacy of the Confucian movement was bolstered by the claim that its origins could be found in the mythology (often claimed to be history) of Yao and Shun.[31]. Immortals are more a category of quality than a description of an actual type. Here are some of these Irish mythological creatures, and their Below was a vast under ground land, also known as Diyu, Yellow Springs, Hell, and other terms. Giantomachian dragon, a dragon that was thrown at Athena during the Giant war. There are a group known as the Four Heavenly Kings, one for each cardinal direction. Section 1: Terrifying Irish Mythological Creatures / Irish Monsters The first section of our guide is dedicated to Celtic mythological creatures that veer towards the terrifying side of things. Nowadays the chaneques are known as tiny beings with the appearance of children who make jokes, hide things from you and can even lead people into getting lost. A. Ahuizotl (mythology) In Ancient Greek mythology, gods and goddesses regularly interacted with mere mortals. These undead and immortal creatures, typically characterized by pale skin and sharp fangs, feed on the blood of the living and are burned by the sun. The lunar rabbit can be seen when the moon is full, busy with mortar and pestle, preparing the Elixir of Immortality. They mostly lived undersea and were of the Ao family, such as Ao Guang. Like many mythologies, Chinese mythology has in the past been believed to be, at least in part, a factual recording of history. is a mythological creature from northern Scotland. Sometimes the dragon is considered part of this category, related to it, or the ruler of all the swimming and crawling folk. Thevet tells of a West Indian fish called the Tebuch, Thbuch, or Pontarof, which means robber fish or evil fish. The tusks were believed to be antlers, shed by the witk much like reindeer and elk do. Soon a snow-white, emerald-eyed creature, between a fox and a hare in size, enters the glade. Poseidon, God of the Sea, gave King Minos a magical bull that rose from the sea. Sometimes, in mythology, certain humans develop the ability to live indefinitely, avoiding death, and becoming divine xin. Fuxi is closely associated with the I Ching.[30]. The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead.. There are supposed to be the Jin (; jian1): the mythical one-eyed bird with one wing; Jianjian (): a pair of such birds dependent on each other, inseparable, hence representing husband and wife. Lseth, E. (1891) Le Roman en Prose de Tristan, analyse critique. The Kun (or Peng) was a giant monstrous fish transformation of the Peng bird. He found the gigantic boar wallowing in mud, asleep, at Ahnima Gruram Chinima Rangsitram. Nwa (or Ngua) is considered a mother goddess of Chinese mythology. Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology and folklore. The Tripodero of the Californian chaparral and foothills defies all scientific attempts at classification. Golden Dog, a dog that guarded the infant god Zeus. Just mention the names aswang, encanto, kapre, tikbalang or tiyanak and youll get most Filipinosespecially the young onesturning into scaredy cats.. Chinese mythology (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhnggu shnhu) is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. A few creatures, like A mighty archer Yi, or Houyi, shot down all but one of them, saving humanity. The heroes are probably the best-known part of Greek mythology, but what makes a hero?. William of Malmesbury describes a dream that was had by King Eadgar. For this reason, the natives of the land despise pontarofs and will hunt and kill them wherever they are seen. Nuwa's companion, Fuxi, was her brother and husband. There are many stories about its origin, some mention that it is the mixture between a sorceress and vampire, others that it is a type of witch with the ability to turn into steam. The surviving texts from this era often reflect evolution of the mythological substratum. Lykos () of Athens was a wolf-shaped her, whose shrine stood by the jurycourt, and the first jurors were named after him. Throughout centuries, Irish mythological creatures have peppered the stories passed on from generation to generation. Some of these locations are associated with real geography, others are known only through mythological imagination. fact checked by Alex Hanton. It is one of the most widespread legends in East African folklore, and it is also known from the West Indies, especially Jamaica and Santo Domingo. Harpies are also creatures with the head of a woman and the body of a bird, but compared to Siren, they are known to be much more horrid and evil. Some information on Chinese mythology is found in the verse poetry associated with the ancient state of Chu such as "Lisao", "Jiu Ge", and "Heavenly Questions", contained in the Chuci anthology, traditionally attributed to the authorship of Qu Yuan of Chu. [47] In modern times, Chinese mythology has both become the subject of global study and inspiration, including popular culture. Every month the Immortal Wu Gang cuts away at the tree, chopping it smaller and smaller. Variations:Collapsofemoris geocatapeltes (Cox). The fierce Nguluka has the head of a snake on the body of a guineafowl. Thevet, A. Many myths are oral associations with ritual acts, such as dances, ceremonies, and sacrifices. While some mermaids collect thingamabobs and whatchamacallits, others are said to be responsible for disastrous floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings. The earliest known written inscriptions of Chinese mythology are found on the shells and bones from about 3000 years before present. Those cautionary tales served as warnings to Ancient Greeks while continuing to teach valuable lessons today. Its appearance is that of a man with a very long beard, as an older man. Your email address will not be published. Origin: Ancient Mesopotamian, Indian, Greek and Chinese mythology. Email. Pontarof meat is not eaten. The earliest written evidence is found in the Oracle bone script, written on scapulae or tortoise plastrons, in the process of the divination practices Shang dynasty (ended approximately 1046 BCE). This may have something to do with them being his nephews as sons of Poseidon, and no, there are no female cyclopes. A Lion, [], The island of Crete was the home of the legendary King Minos, who worshiped bulls. Traditional Chinese accounts of the early emperors chronologically locate the Yellow Emperor as having lived in the Northern Chinese plain around 2698 to 2599 BCE,[11] about seventeen generations after the time of Shennong. Pre-Hispanic cultures worshipped gods seeking an answer to natural disasters as well as unexplained events. A. Ahuizotl (mythology) It was the job of Cerberus to guard the entrance to Hades. For example, the Red, or Scarlet River was supposed to flow to the south of Kunlun.[4]. There has been extensive interaction between Chinese mythology and Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Leshies have beards made of living grass and vines and are often depicted with a tail, hooves, and horns. Akadmiai Kiad, Budapest. The name of the witk or witkul is derived from wit, water. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. This beast is often described as a gigantic cephalopod-like creature. Often they are part of a mythological geography, and may have notable features, such as mythological islands, or other mythological features. The microcosm on Wakmangganchi Aragondis back was home to a pair of langurs and their offspring, and seven pairs of moles. For example, many stores and restaurants in China or of the Chinese diaspora have shrines to Guan Yu, also known as Guandi. Philippine folklore is a treasure trove of strange mythical creatures that have stood the test of time. Every culture around the world has its fair share of mythological creatures. Various mythology involves the sun. Once established, the Zhu were characterized by their volume of literature, in the beginning much of it justifying their overthrow of the Shang. There are deities mythologically associated with various intimate aspects of human life, including motherhood, general sodality and formal syndicals, lifespan and fate, and war and death. For example, the Taoist belief of a spiritual Paradise became incorporated into mythology as the place where immortals and deities used to dwell. The Jingwei is a mythical bird which tries to fill up the ocean with twigs and pebbles symbolizing indefatigable determination. One of our favorites are the sea creatures from Greek mythology. The gods used the body of this creature to create heaven and earth. Many villagers will not go near the Amazon River at night because of this. It has a crayfish-like tail, numerous legs along its body which it uses like oars to move and extremely long hairs that protrude from its nostrils. According to legends, they were tiny beings older than the sun. J. They will eventually become favorites of the god, forgers of his thunderbolts, [], There is no shortage of fantastic beasts in Greek mythology. Although they are known to be lovers of wine, music, dancing and women, most notably they are known to always be naked and in a constant state of arousal. Jade Emperor being associated with Daoism and Buddhas with Buddhism.