Wuzhiqi
Wuzhiqi (Chinese: 巫支祁) is a creature from Chinese mythology, often seen as a water monkey demon. It first appeared in tales from the 9th century. According to a Chinese Legend, it emerged when Emperor Yu was fighting floods. It looks like a monkey with a white head and blue body, and could stretch its neck very far. Some stories say it is as strong as many elephants and can move very fast.[1][2]
The earliest story about Wuzhiqi is from a book written in the Tang dynasty. It talks about a fisherman meeting a monkey demon with a black body and white head in the Huai River. Another old book from the Song dynasty tells how Wuzhiqi lived in the Huai River and was defeated by Emperor Yu. It was then trapped under Turtle Mountain to stop floods. Sometimes Wuzhiqi appears as a woman and has other names like Guishan Shuimu and Sizhou Virgin.[3][4]
Mythology
The first complete story about Wuzhiqi was in a legendary book called "Li Tang" from the Tang Dynasty. It described Wuzhi Qi as a creature like an ape, with special features like a long neck, strength like nine elephants, and great speed. Legend says that during King Yu's efforts to control floods, he met Wuzhiqi, who caused trouble in the Huaihe River. After a tough fight, King Yu used an iron rope to capture Wuzhi Qi and pinned him down. Another book, Supplement to the History of the Tang Dynasty, also talked about this legend. Some scholars think Wuzhiqi's story might be connected to a tale called "Xia Yao" from Yu Town. This story is still known in the mountains near Taihu Lake. Over time, the legend of Wuzhi Qi changed. In the Southern Song Dynasty, Buddhist versions of the story appeared, and Wuzhiqi became linked with the Jellyfish Empress. Later, the story transformed into dramas and operas, like "The Great Sage of Sizhou Drops the Jellyfish". Flooding in the Huaisi River Basin made the legend more popular, and different versions spread widely.[3][5]
Relation with Sun Wukong
Because Wuzhiqi shares similarities with Sun Wukong (Monkey King), the main character in "Journey to the West", some think he might be one of Sun Wukong's early forms. Eiichiro Ishida explains this by pointing out how monkeys and water are connected, and how Wuzhiqi's legend involves being tied up and sealed away, which relates to water legends.[6]
In the 1920s, Lu Xun suggested that Sun Wukong's image was influenced by Wuzhiqi. He believed that Wuzhiqi's traits, like being fast and agile, were passed on to Sun Wukong. Lu Xun also mentioned a old drama where Wuzhiqi is called Sun Wukong's sister, showing a connection between them. But, Hu Shi thought differently. He believed Sun Wukong was inspired by Hanuman, a monkey god from the South Asian epic "Ramayana". This idea sparked debates among scholars. Later, some scholars suggested that Sun Wukong's character is a mix of different influences, including Wuzhiqi and Hanuman.[7]
References
- ↑ Andersen, Poul (2001). The demon chained under turtle mountain: the history and mythology of the Chinese river spirit Wuzhiqi. Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst. Berlin: G-und-H-Verl. ISBN 978-3-931768-55-3.
- ↑ Lagerwey, John; Goossaert, Vincent, eds. (2015). Modern Chinese religion. Handbook of oriental studies Section 4, China. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-27164-7.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Saso, Michael R (2004). "The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain: The History and Mythology of the Chinese River Spirit Wuzhiqi (review)". China Review International. 11 (1): 23–24. doi:10.1353/cri.2005.0034. ISSN 1527-9367.
- ↑ Uschan, Michael V. (2014-05-09). Chinese Mythology. Greenhaven Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-4205-1146-8.
- ↑ FU, ZHU HENG (2013-01-01). Into the Chinese classic legend with the world of the novel(Chinese Edition) (in Chinese). Shanghai University Press. ISBN 978-7-5671-0573-7.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ↑ Wu, Cheng'en (2012). The journey to the West (3rd ed.). Chicago: The Univ. of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-97137-7.
- ↑ Wu, Cheng'en (2012-12-21). The Journey to the West, Revised Edition, Volume 1. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-97131-5.