Tradition / Region: China, Han Dynasty
Alternate Names: —
Category: Nature spirit / Gnome
The Myth
In legends dating to the Han Dynasty, Algae is a small supernatural being described as the essence of water and wood. It is recorded in the Funming Record, where the scholar Dongfang Shuo identifies and names the creature as “Algae.”
Algae is said to live quietly within nature. In spring, it dwells deep in forests, and in winter it resides in cold, hidden rivers. The creature is very small, only eight or nine inches tall, and resembles a frail old man. It walks slowly with the aid of a crutch, taking careful steps as it moves.
According to tradition, Algae appeared during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. When the emperor ordered the construction of a palace and cut down the land where Algae lived, the spirit emerged to admonish the ruler directly. In doing so, Algae revealed itself as a manifestation of the vital forces of water and wood, responding to the disturbance of its natural dwelling.
Later texts, including the Taiping records, repeat these accounts, preserving Algae as a symbol of nature’s living essence that can appear before humans when its domain is harmed.