Chinese Mythology

Lingyu

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Tradition / Region: Chinese mythology
Alternate Names: –
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.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 陸魚. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%99%B5%E9%B1%BC

Dan Fish

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Tradition / Region: Chinese mythology
Alternative name: –
Category: Fish

The Myth

The Dan fish is a legendary fish surrounded by a red, glowing aura. When it appears, its body shines as if lit by fire, and the light rises above the water. It is said to live in deep pools and only comes close to the surface at certain times.

According to belief, if a person cuts the Dan fish and smears its blood on their feet, they gain the power to walk across the surface of water. Because of this ability, the fish is regarded as extraordinary and dangerous to approach.

In some stories, people who see the glowing fish are filled with awe and fear. They believe it is not an ordinary creature, and many refuse to touch or eat it, considering it a sacred or divine being.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 丹鱼. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%B9%E9%B1%BC.

Red Carp

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Tradition / Region: Chinese mythology
Alternative name: –
Category: Fish

The Myth

The Red Carp is a strange and unusual fish described in Chinese legend. It has the body of a fish but the face of a human, making it both familiar and unsettling in appearance. The creature is said to live in the Winged Marsh, a remote and mysterious wetland.

When the Red Carp cries out, its voice is said to resemble the call of a mandarin duck. Despite its uncanny form, the fish is associated with healing rather than danger. According to tradition, eating the Red Carp can cure scabies.

The Red Carp is recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, specifically in the Southern Mountains Classic, where it appears as one of the many strange beings inhabiting distant and mythical landscapes.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). 赤鱬. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, from https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B5%A4%E9%B1%AC

Flower Fairy

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Tradition: Chinese mythology
Alternative Names: Flower Spirits, Flower Demons
Category: Fairy

The Myth

Flower fairies are flowers that have acquired spiritual life and become supernatural beings. In Chinese tradition, flowers are believed to possess their own spirituality and, through long cultivation, can transform into spirits or even supernatural demons. It is said that after a hundred years, a flower may become a spirit and eventually continue its cultivation toward immortality. These beings retain their connection to the flowers from which they originated, but can take on their own personalities and interact with humans.

One famous story of a flower spirit is Xiangyu from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. Xiangyu is a peony flower spirit who becomes involved with a scholar surnamed Huang. The story presents the flower spirit as a supernatural being capable of forming a relationship with a human, while retaining her nature as a cultivated flower spirit. Flower fairies also appear throughout Chinese poetry, where flowers are imagined as beautiful supernatural beings descending among blooming gardens or appearing beneath the moon.

The idea of flower spirits became a recurring part of Chinese imagination, appearing in stories, poems, and accounts of supernatural phenomena. They could be imagined as beautiful fairies, cultivated spirits, or flower demons, reflecting the belief that nature itself could develop spiritual power over great lengths of time.

Sources

“花妖 (Huāyāo; Flower Spirit).” Chinese Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 4, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8A%B1%E5%A6%96