Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: 吉弔, Chō
Category: Turtle
The Myth
The Jíchō is a turtle-like creature believed to be born from the eggs of dragons. According to the Wakan Sansai Zue, which draws on the Chinese Bencao Gangmu, dragons always lay two eggs, one of which may produce a Jíchō with the head of a snake and the body of a turtle. It inhabits the Lingnan region of southern China, living in water or among trees.
The Jíchō’s fat, known as chōshi, was traditionally believed to treat malignant swellings and deafness. It was said to seep away easily through ordinary containers, so it had to be stored in special vessels to prevent it from leaking.
A pale blue-yellow substance resembling cattail fluff, sometimes found clinging to driftwood near water, was also believed to be the Jíchō’s reproductive fluid and was called shishōka. Traditional texts attributed medicinal properties to it and described its use in sexual health practices. However, later Japanese naturalists disputed this explanation, identifying the substance found in Lake Biwa and elsewhere as a natural material rather than the essence of a mythical creature.
Sources
“Kitcho.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1083015723.html