Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: 火鼠, Fire Rat, Firelight Beast, Huǒguāng Shòu
Category: Rat
The Myth
Huǒshǔ, the Fire Rat, is a legendary creature in Chinese mythology said to dwell amid supernatural flames. Some accounts place it among the burning trees of a volcanic region at the southern edge of the world, while others associate it with Mount Kunlun or the fiery mountains of the western and southern lands. It is described as a gigantic rat weighing around 250 kilograms, with fur approximately 50 centimetres long and as fine as silk.
The Fire Rat’s most remarkable feature is its fire-resistant fur. Cloth woven from its hair is known as huǒhuàn bù, or fire-washed cloth. Unlike ordinary fabric, it does not burn; when it becomes dirty, it can be thrown into a fire, emerging pure white as the flames consume the impurities.
The creature appears in Chinese texts such as the Shényì Jīng and is mentioned in later encyclopaedias and natural histories. Its legend also travelled to Japan, where the fire rat’s pelt became the impossible treasure sought by Prince Abe in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. The Fire Rat thus became closely associated with a magical garment that could withstand fire.
Sources
“火鼠 (Huǒshǔ).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%81%AB%E9%BC%A0