Tradition / Region: Chinese mythology
Category: Fish
The Myth
Lingyu is a strange fish of the sea, known for its human-like face and barbels shaped like hands. Its body moves through the water like an ordinary fish, yet its features mark it as something far from natural.
Lingyu lives in the sea near Lieguye Mountain, appearing and disappearing among the waves. When it emerges, the sea does not remain calm. It is said that whenever Lingyu appears, violent winds rise and storms suddenly break out, churning the water and darkening the sky.
Because of this, Lingyu is feared as an omen of chaos and upheaval. Sailors and coastal people believe its presence signals danger, and its human face is seen as a warning rather than a comfort.
Lingyu does not attack ships or people directly. Instead, it moves the sea itself, bringing sudden storms as it travels, leaving destruction in its wake before vanishing again into the depths.
Gallery
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 陸魚. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%99%B5%E9%B1%BC
Interpretive Lenses
Religious Readings
- Christian Ascetic Deep Dive
Philosophical Readings
- Nietzschean Deep Dive
Psychological Readings
- Jungian Deep Dive
Esoteric Deep Dive
- Hermetic Deep Dive
Political / Social Readings
- Marxist Deep Dive
Other
- How to Invite The Lingyu