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Merfolk

"Merpeople" redirects here. For other uses, seeMerfolk (disambiguation).

Merfolk,Mercreatures,MermenorMerpeopleare legendary water-dwelling, human-like beings. They are attested infolkloreandmythologythroughout the ages in various parts of the world. Merfolk, Merpeople, or simply Mer refers to humanoid creatures that live in deep waters like Mermaids, Sirens, Cecaelia etc.

In English, female merfolk are calledmermaids,although in a strict sense, mermaids are confined to beings who are half-woman and half-fish in appearance; male merfolk are calledmermen.Depending on the story, they can be described as either ugly or beautiful.

Chineserényú(Nhân ngư) stands for "merfolk", but in ancient geographical or natural historical tracts, the term referred to "human-fish" or "man-fish" purported to inhabit rivers or lakes in certain parts of China. The Japanese analogueningyo(Nhân ngư) likewise translates to "merfolk" while, at the same time, having also applied to various human-like fish recorded in writings from medieval times into the Edo Period.

China

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Certain fantastical types of "fish", generically referred to asrenyu(NgườiCá,"human-fish" ) are alleged to occur in various parts of China according to theShan Hai Jing(Classic of Mountains and Seas,4th century BC). It is mentioned in theBei Shan Jing( "Classic of the Northern mountains" ),Zhong Shan Jing(Central Mountains), andXi Shan Jing(Western Mountains) sections of this work.[1][2]

This work and others also mention several additional types of "anthropomorphic fish"[3]with limbs in other regions such as thechiru[zh](XíchNhư;"red ru fish"[4]) andlingyu[zh](LăngCá;"hill-fish" ), considered to be in the same category of creatures. Certain tribes or races of humans were also described being part-fish, namely theDi people[zh].[5][1]

It is recorded that theMausoleum of the First Qin Emperorwas illuminated with lamps fueled by the oil of the human-fish (renyu), whose flames were meant to last a very long time.[6][7]

In the Chinese Song Dynasty's supernatural tale collectionYi gian Zhi( di kiên chí ), there are stories of sea sirens similar to those in other folklore. One tale describes a beautiful female demon living on a cliff of an island. A man sailed to the island, married a woman there, and she taught him how to recognize plants and avoid dangers, protecting him from wild beasts. They had two sons together. However, when a fellow townsman arrived on the island and took the man back by boat, the woman cursed him, throwing their sons into the water in a fit of rage and yelling at him to leave. The man stayed silent after boarding the ship.[8]

Another tale fromGuangzhoutells of a merchant who, upon reaching an island, was captured by two women and taken into the mountains. They fed him daily, but he couldn't tell if he was still alive. After about a year, he overheard the women discussing magic, and he begged them to take him to the place where it was performed. When they did, he sought help, causing the women to flee by flying away. Though he was revived, his food gradually dwindled, and he died two months later.[8]

Renyuor human-fish

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(akahaieryu.subtypestiyuandniyu)
Renyuof Jueshui ( "Bursting River" ), Mt. Dragon-Marquis.
Described as resembling afei𩵥type of fish.
― Wang Qi.Sancai Tuhui(1609)[9][a]
Described as resembling atiyu䱱 cá.[b]
―Wang Fu[zh](d. 1759)Shan hai jing cun,pub. 1895[10]

Therenyu(Nhân ngư;human-fish) is described in theBei Shan Jing( "Classic of the North Mountains" ) section as dwelling on Mt. Longhou (Long hầu sơn,"Dragon-Marquis Mountain" ) in the waters of the Jueshui (Quyết thủy,"Bursting River" ), which flows eastward into theYellow River.[12]It is said to "resemble thetiyu"[13][14](translated as "resemble catfish"[15][11][16])[17][c][21]possess four legs, with a voice like baby crying.[22]

Eating the fish purportedly cured idiocy[15]or dementia.[23][24]This fish as a cure was also quoted in theCompendium of Materia MedicaorBencao Gangmu(1596) under its entry forTiyu(Chinese:䱱 cá)[22]

TheBencao Gangmucategorized thetiyu(䱱Cá) as one of two types of "human-fish" (renyu). The human-fish were also known as "child-fish" orhaieryu(HàiNhiCá;Hài nhi cá).[22][30]

The other type, called theniyu(NghêCá) is elaborated in a separate section.[33]It has been noted byLi Shizhenthat the character for theNiyu(NiNghêfish) consists of the "fish"inde xing component(Cá) and "child" (Nhi) radical.[32]

Translators of theBencao Gangmuattempt to match entries with actualtaxaof animals, forbs, etc., where possible, and thetiyutype is glossed as "newts" while theniyutype is "Chinese giant salamander".[27]

Chiruor red ru fish

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Thechiruor "red ru fish".
― Hu Wenhuan hồ văn hoán (fl. 1596–1650).Shanhaijing tuSơn Hải Kinh đồ ( "Illustrations to the Classic of Mountains and Seas", 16th century).[d]

Thechiru[zh](Xích như;"red ru fish".[4]Wade-Giles:ch'ih-ju;"red ju"[35]) is described in theNan Shan Jing( "Classic of the Southern Mountains" ) as a human-headed fish. It is said to be found in the Qingqushan (Thanh Khâu Sơn"Green-Hills Mountains" ) in the Pool-of-Yi (Yì zhī zéCánh chi trạch;"Carp-Wings Lake" ). It is described as basically fish-form but having a human face, and issuing sounds like themandarin duck.Eating it purportedly preventedscabiesor itchy skin.[36][4]

The illustration of thechirufrom China may have influenced the legless, human-faced fish visualization of some of theningyoin Japan, according to the hypothesis ofMorihiko Fujisawa[ja].[37]

Jiaoren

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Thejiaoren(GiaoNgười"flood dragonpeople "orGiaoNgười"shark people" )[39][e]that appear inmedievalwritings are considered to be references tomerfolk.[3][41][42]

This mythical southern mermaid ormermanis recorded inRen Fang[zh]'sShuyi ji[zh]"Records of Strange Things" (early 6th century CE).[44][45]

In the midst of the South Sea are the houses of thekău(Chinese:Giao;pinyin:jiao;Wade–Giles:chiao[46]) people who dwell in the water like fish, but have not given up weaving at the loom. Their eyes have the power to weep, but what they bring forth is pearls.[47]

Similar passages appear in other texts such as theBowuzhi(Bác Vật Chí,"Treatise of Manifold"c. 290 CE) as "weep[ing] tears that became pearls".[48][49][50][f]

These aquatic people supposedly spun a type of raw silk calledjiaoxiaoGiaoTiêu"mermaid silk" orjiaonujuanGiaoNữLụa"mermaid woman's silk".Schaferequates this withsea silk,the rare fabric woven frombyssusfilaments produced byPinna"pen shell" mollusks.[51][g]

Loting

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Artist interpretation of Lu Heng fish activity by Author Hwlisc

Loting ( Lư đình ) is a mysterious ethnic group residing in Hong Kong's Myths.[53]They are legendary merfolk half human and half fish, also known as Lo Yu, Lu Heng, or Lo Ting Fish Man.[54]They have lived on Tai O' Lantau Island in Hong Kong since the local civil uprising in the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China.[55]It is said that Loting has fish scales on his fish-like human body, a face that resembles humans, and he enjoys sucking chicken blood.[56]They could use their catch to fish from Tai O and trade chickens with the local human inhabitants to survive.

Japan

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Main article:ningyo

Theningyo(Nhân ngư"human-fish" ) of Japan has its own history in the country's literary record. The earliest references (in theNihon shoki,entry for year 619, reign ofEmpress Suiko) do not specifically use the termningyo,and the "thing" appeared in fresh water (a river inŌmi Province,canalSettsu Province), and may presumed to be a giant salamander.[57]Later accounts claim that Empress Suiko's regentPrince Shōtokuknew the creature to be aningyowhen one was presented to him by representatives of Ōmi.[58]The appearance of the human-fish was strongly associated with ill omen in later treatments of the Prince's encounter with the human-fish.[59]

During the Kamakura Period,ningyoof the marine sort were frequently reported as washing ashore, and these were taken to be ominous signs usually prefiguring bloody battles.[60]

Theningyo,or ratherrenyu(Nhân ngư) and the like found in Chinese sources (chiru,tiyuetc., etc., discussed above) were also discussed in Japanese literature, for example, works of scholars of herbal and traditional medicine, such asKaibara Ekiken(d. 1714) andOno Ranzan(d. 1810). These Japanese scholars were also aware of European discussions on "sirens", "anthropomorphic fish", "peixe muller(fish-woman) ", etc.[61][62]

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See also

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Look upmerperson,merpeople,merfolk,merchild,ormerchildrenin Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Explanatory notes

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  1. ^The accompanying text here says therenyuresembles a fish calledfei.
  2. ^Image for thetiyu(renyu/haieryu) inSuzuki tr. 1929Benca Gangmuis reproduced inKuzumi 2006b,p. 60 which resembles this picture.
  3. ^Thetiyuis not literally a catfish but a subtype ofrenyu"human-fish", according to theBencao Gangmu,as given below. However, this translation may be justified in the light ofGuo Pu's commentary to theBei Shan Jing,which reads "Therenyuis, namely, theniyu.It resembles catfish with four feet/legs, and voice like a child crying. Nowadays this catfish is also called thetiNhân ngư tức nghê cũng. Tựa niêm mà bốn chân, thanh như nhi đề. Nay cũng hô niêm vi 䱱. Âm đề (テイ) ". In Naoaki Maeno ed. (1975).Sengaikyō retsu sennin denapudYamaguchi (1995)[18]
  4. ^A close copy of this woodcut occurs in Wu Renchen's edition of 1667.[34]
  5. ^The conception of them seems to have shifted from half-reptilian to half-fish in later periods.[40]
  6. ^A 15th-century compilation of quotations from Chinese literature, theChengyu kao[zh](Chinese:Thành ngữ khảo;"Idioms investigated" ) merely gives a partial quote from theBowuzhias "The mermaid wept tears that became pearls".[50]
  7. ^Chinese writings claimed that the raw material for such "silk" came fromshuiyangThủy dương "water sheep" orshuicanThủyTằm"water silkworm" akabingcanBăngTằm"ice silkworm".[52]Cf.sea silk.

References

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Citations

  1. ^abKuzumi (2006b),p. 53.
  2. ^Kong Chao; Chen Fengheng (1808).Yì zhōu shū, juàn 17. Wáng huì jiě, dì 59Dật chu quyển sách mười bảy vương sẽ giải thứ năm mươi chín[Supplementary Notes # 59 to the Wang Hui ( "Royal Assemblies" ) Chapter of the Lost Book of Zhou]. Chenshi Dusao lou congshu Trần thị đọc tao lâu bộ sách 38. fol. 21b..Commentary relating to the Huì people (Yemaek) in the east.
  3. ^abMagnani (2022),p. 87.
  4. ^abcStrassberg, Richard E., ed. (2018)."15. Red Ru-fish (Chiru)"Xích như.A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from theGuideways Through Mountains and Seas.University of California Press.p. 89.ISBN978-0-52029-851-4.
  5. ^Magnani (2022),p. 89.
  6. ^Sima Qian (1993)."Mushi-bu dai-42-kan furoku suiko"Trùng bộ thứ 42 cuốn phụ lục thủy hổ.Records of the Grand Historian: Qin dynasty.Vol. 3. Translated byWatson, Burton.Columbia University Press. p. 3.ISBN9780231081689.
  7. ^Strassberg, Richard E., ed. (2018)."292. Hill-fish (Lingyu)"Lăng cá.A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from theGuideways Through Mountains and Seas.University of California Press.pp. 203–204.ISBN978-0-52029-851-4.
  8. ^abDi kiên chí(in Chinese). Trung Hoa thư cục. 2006. p. 54.ISBN978-7-101-05236-7.
  9. ^Wang Qi[in Chinese];Wang Siyi, eds. (1609)."Niaoshou 6-juan Linjie-lei Renyu"Điểu thú sáu quyển động vật sống dưới nước loại nhân ngư[Birds & Beasts, Book 6 / Fish & Shellfish / Human-fish.].Sancai Tuhui Book 94 of 106Tam tài đồ sẽ đệ 94 cuốn ( toàn 106 cuốn ).N. p.;AlsoHuaiyin caotang hòe âm thảo đường published version of 1609,with additional proofing editors ( đàm tân hoàng ・ thịnh đông thự ) listed at the book 5 title page.
  10. ^Wang Fu[in Chinese],ed. (1895)."Book 3.Bei Shan Jing,No. 3 "Quyển chi tam Bắc Sơn kinh đệ tam.Shan hai jing cunSơn Hải Kinh tồn.Wang Yi Bo. fol. 19a.(illustration atfol. 27a)
  11. ^abBirrell tr. (2000),p. 45.
  12. ^Alternatively, River BurstBurst (Quyết quyết thủy) on Mount Dragonbutt.[11]
  13. ^"Juan 03. Bei Shan Jing"Cuốn 03 Bắc Sơn kinh[Classic of Northern Mountains].Shan Hai Jing (SKQS)Sơn Hải Kinh ( bốn kho toàn sách vở ).1773–1782 [c. 400BC] – viaWikisource.Lại Đông Bắc hai trăm dặm rằng long hầu chi sơn vô cỏ cây nhiều kim ngọc quyết quyết chi thủy ra nào 〈 âm quyết 〉 mà chảy về hướng đông chú với hà trong đó nhiều nhân ngư này trạng như 䱱 cá bốn chân này âm như trẻ con〈䱱 thấy trung sơn kinh có người nói rằng nhân ngư tức nghê cũng tựa niêm mà bốn chân thanh như tiểu nhi đề nay cũng hô niêm vì 䱱 âm đề 〉Thực chi vô si tật
  14. ^Cf.Unschuld tr. (2021),p. 733: "TheBei shan jingstates: "The Jue shui river has manyren yuNhân ngư sea-cows. They are shaped liketi yu䱱 cá, newts, but have four feet.. "
  15. ^abStrassberg, Richard E., ed. (2018)."125. Human-fish (Renyu)"Nhân ngư.A Chinese Bestiary: Strange Creatures from theGuideways Through Mountains and Seas.University of California Press.p. 129.ISBN978-0-52029-851-4.
  16. ^Cf.Luo tr. (2003),p. 3606: "Beishan Jing:In Jueshui River there are many dugongs. They look like catfish but have four legs.. ""
  17. ^Cf.Unschuld tr. (2021),p. 733:
  18. ^Yamashita, Tetsurō[in Japanese](1995-06-30),"Hōbutsushū shikai (4): Shukke tonsei setsuwa kiji no kōshō (sono 1)"『 bảo vật tập 』 tư giải ( bốn ) - xuất gia lánh đời nói chuyện ký sự の khảo chứng ( そ の một ) -(PDF),Meiji daigaku Nihon bungaku,23:21,hdl:10291/14933
  19. ^Yuan, Ke[in Chinese],ed. (2004).Shānhāijīng jiàozhùSơn Hải Kinh chú thích.Liren shuji.ISBN9789579113359.
  20. ^Fujisawa (1925),pp. 45–46.
  21. ^This Guo Pu quote as commentary toBei Shan Jingis hard to confirm in other secondary sources, but similar phrases aboutrenyuresembling catfish were written by other near-contemporaries, one being "Guangzhi" quảng chí (attributed to Guo Yigong Quách Nghĩa cung ) as preserved in theShui Jing Zhu:Yi River,cf. commentary to theHainei bei jingTrong nước bắc kinh (Classic of regions within the seas: North), by Yuan Ke.[19]Another isXu Gugang[zh],probably from hisShiji Yinyior "Pronunciation and Meaning of the Shiji"; both these are quoted in annotations to theShiji:Books of the First Emperor of Qin, 6, which mentions the human-fish oil used for lanterns in the Emperor's tumulus.[20]
  22. ^abcLi Shizhen,Bencao Gangmu,(Chapter 44 §42) "Animals with Scales 4": §Tiyu. (Chinese);[25][26](English translations);[27][28](Japanese tr.).[29]
  23. ^Unschuld tr. (2021),p. 733.
  24. ^Luo tr. (2003),p. 3606.
  25. ^abLi Shizhen (1596).
  26. ^abLi Shizhen (1782).
  27. ^abUnschuld tr. (2021),pp. 732–733.
  28. ^Luo tr. (2003),pp. 3606–3607.
  29. ^abSuzuki tr. (1929).
  30. ^Luo tr. (2003), index.6:4255
  31. ^Unschuld tr. (2021),pp. 733–734.
  32. ^abLuo tr. (2003),pp. 3607.
  33. ^Li Shizhen,Bencao Gangmu,(Chapter 44 §43) "Animals with Scales 4": §Niyu. (Chinese);[25][26](English translations);[31][32](Japanese tr.).[29]
  34. ^Guo Pu(1667)."Juan 3. Shouzu. Gu điểu"Sơn Hải Kinh đồ quyển tam Thú tộc cổ điêu[Book 3. Beast-kind.Poison-Eagle]. InWu Zhiyi (Wu Renchen)[in Chinese](ed.).Tuxiang shanhaijing xiangzhuHình ảnh Sơn Hải Kinh tường chú.Wang Shihan proofing ed. Fu Wen Tang.
  35. ^Schiffeler (1977),p. 120.
  36. ^"Juan 01. Nan Shan Jing"Cuốn 01 Nam Sơn kinh[Classic of Southern Mountains].Shan Hai Jing (SKQS)Sơn Hải Kinh ( bốn kho toàn sách vở ).1773–1782 [c. 400BC] – viaWikisource.
  37. ^Fujisawa (1925),p. 26.
  38. ^Schafer, Edward H.(1952)."The Pearl Fisheries of Ho-p'u".Journal of the American Oriental Society.72(4): 156.doi:10.2307/596378.JSTOR596378.
  39. ^Edward H. Schaferalso refers to "shark" here being interchangeable withjiaodragon (which he suggests translating as "cockatrice" ).[38]
  40. ^Nakano (1983),p. 143.
  41. ^Sugimoto, Akiko (2006)."Chasing the Moon (Part 9)"Truy nguyệt nhớ.Journal of the American Oriental Society.42(3). Translated by William Wetherall: 40.Jiaoren ( giao nhân mythical fish-human, mermaid, merman).website
  42. ^Nakano (1983),p. 143;Matsuoka (1982),p. 49
  43. ^Nakano (1983),p. 140.
  44. ^Ren Fang,Shuyi Ji,second volume.:[43]"Nam Hải trung có giao nhân thất thủy cư như cá không phế cơ dệt này mắt khóc tắc ra châu tấn mộc 𤣥 hư hải phú trời cao sâm thủy quái giao nhân chi thất" (translation quoted below).
  45. ^Schafer (1952),p. 160, quoting theShu-i shark-people(extracted inPiya1.17): "In the South of the Sea are the houses of the shark people.."
  46. ^Schafer 1967,pp. 217–218
  47. ^Schafer 1967,p. 220
  48. ^Zhang Hua trương hoa."Book 2, "Foreigners" section; cuốn chi nhị “Dị nhân”".BowuzhiBác Vật Chí– viaWikisource.Nam Hải ngoại có giao nhân, thủy cư như cá, không phế dệt tích, này mắt có thể khóc châu.
  49. ^Magnani (2022),p. 91.
  50. ^abLockhart, James Haldane Stewart, Sir(1893).A Manual of Chinese Quotations: Being a Translation of the Ch'êng Yü K'ao.Kelly & Walsh, Limited. p.280.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  51. ^Schafer 1967,p. 221
  52. ^Schafer, Edward H.(1963).The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of T'ang Exotics.University of California Press. pp. 202–203.ISBN9780520054622.
  53. ^"Lư đình: Đại đảo sơn Hong Kong thần thoại".Cảng văn hóa 18 khu(in Chinese).Retrieved2024-07-20.
  54. ^"Loan khu chuyện xưa / nói Lư đình - đại công báo".Đại công văn hối tkww.hk.Retrieved2024-07-20.
  55. ^"Lư theo",Duy cơ bách khoa, tự do bách khoa toàn thư(in Chinese), 2023-04-12,retrieved2024-07-20
  56. ^Bàn phím đại chanh (2019-11-30)."“Hong Kong nhân ngư” mình người đuôi cá, thích thực máu gà truyền vì cảng người tổ tiên thê lương thân thế tàng hành tây | vịt trứng thanh | bàn phím đại chanh | ETtoday tin tức vân ".ettoday.net(in Traditional Chinese).Retrieved2024-07-20.
  57. ^Castiglioni (2021),pp. 8–9.
  58. ^Castiglioni (2021),pp. 9–10.
  59. ^Castiglioni (2021),pp. 9–13.
  60. ^Castiglioni (2021),pp. 13–15.
  61. ^Castiglioni (2021),p. 22.
  62. ^Kuzumi (2006a),pp. 61–65.

Bibliography

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