Topic Archive

Myths about Chinese mythology

Explore myths connected by the recurring theme of Chinese mythology across cultures, characters, and sacred places.

115 myths currently featured for Chinese mythology.

Nezha Ripping Out the Spine of Ao Bing

🐉 Chinese MythologyBohai Sea, Tianjin, ChinaNezha • Ao Bing • Ao Guang

A rebellious divine child named Nezha engages in a violent conflict with the East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang, and his third son, Ao Bing. After causing devastation in the undersea realm, Nezha kills Ao Bing and removes his dragon tendon to appease his parents.

Nezha Washing His Magical Red Armillary Sash and Shaking the Dragon Palace

🐉 Chinese MythologyBohai Sea, Tianjin, ChinaNezha • Ao Guang • Ao Bing

A mischievous child deity, Nezha, disrupts the undersea realm of the East Sea Dragon King, Ao Guang, by washing his magical sash. His actions cause devastating floods on land, leading to a cosmic confrontation between the child and the Dragon King's forces.

Nezha Born as a Fleshy Ball

🐉 Chinese MythologyChengtang PassNezha • Li Jing • Taiyi Zhenren

The story of Nezha, a divine being born after an abnormally long pregnancy, who emerged from his mother's womb as a ball of flesh before transforming into a powerful boy. His rebellious nature and supernatural strength lead to conflicts with the Dragon King of the East Sea.

King Wen Personally Pulling Jiang Ziya's Carriage for 800 Paces

🐉 Chinese MythologyWeishui River, Shaanxi, ChinaKing Wen of Zhou • Jiang Ziya

The legendary tale of King Wen of Zhou, who displayed ultimate humility by personally pulling the carriage of the strategist Jiang Ziya. This act of devotion secured the wisdom of a master strategist, eventually leading to the overthrow of the Shang dynasty. It remains a powerful symbol of the virtue of seeking talent regardless of social rank.

Jiang Ziya Fishing with a Straight, Unbaited Hook

🐉 Chinese MythologyWeishui River, Shaanxi, ChinaJiang Ziya • King Wen of Zhou • King Wu of Zhou

The story of Jiang Ziya, a wise strategist who spent his old age fishing with a straight, unbaited hook to signal his readiness to serve a virtuous ruler. His patience and unconventional methods eventually attracted King Wen of Zhou, leading to the foundation of a new dynasty.

Ji Chang Feigning Ignorance and the Sacrifice of Bo Yikao

🐉 Chinese MythologyZhaoge, Henan, ChinaJi Chang • King Zhou of Shang • Bo Yikao

The noble patriarch Ji Chang is imprisoned by the tyrannical King Zhou of Shang, who attempts to break his spirit through a gruesome psychological test. To protect his remaining sons and the future of the Zhou state, Ji Chang feigns ignorance while being forced to eat meat pies made from the remains of his eldest son, Bo Yikao. This story emphasizes the theme of endurance and the strategic...

Daji Inventing the Cruel Bronze Roasting Pillar Torture

🐉 Chinese MythologyZhaoge, Henan, ChinaDaji • King Zhou of Shang • Huli jing

The malevolent fox spirit Daji, possessing the body of a royal consort, manipulates King Zhou of Shang into a state of decadence and cruelty. To satisfy her thirst for blood and power, she invents the 'Pao Luo'—a massive bronze pillar heated from below—to torture and execute those who dare oppose her. This reign of terror eventually leads to the collapse of the Shang Dynasty.

Nüwa Summoning the Thousand-Year-Old Fox Spirit to Possess the Beautiful Daji

🐉 Chinese MythologyZhaoge, Henan, ChinaNüwa • King Zhou of Shang • Daji

After being insulted by a lustful poem written by King Zhou of Shang in her temple, the goddess Nüwa decides to end the Shang Dynasty. She summons three powerful spirits, including a thousand-year-old fox, and commands them to bewitch the king and hasten his downfall. The fox spirit kills and possesses the innocent Daji, daughter of Su Hu, using her beauty to manipulate the king into acts of...

King Zhou of Shang Offending the Goddess Nüwa with an Inappropriate Poem

🐉 Chinese MythologyNüwa Temple, Shexian, ChinaKing Zhou (Di Xin) • Nüwa • Daji (Fox Spirit)

During a pilgrimage to the temple of the goddess Nüwa, King Zhou of Shang is captivated by the goddess's beauty and writes a disrespectful poem on the temple walls. Offended by this act of hubris, Nüwa decrees the end of the Shang Dynasty and sends a fox spirit to possess the maiden Daji to lead the king into ruin. This event serves as the catalyst for the epic fall of the dynasty and the...

The Dragon King of the East Sea Guarding His Magnificent Underwater Crystal Palace

🐉 Chinese MythologyEast China SeaAo Guang • Nezha • Sun Wukong

Ao Guang, the Dragon King of the East Sea, is the divine ruler of the eastern waters and a central figure in Chinese mythology. Residing in a magnificent Crystal Palace made of gems and pearls, he governs the tides, marine life, and the essential rains for the human world. His tales explore the balance between celestial duty and the challenges posed by legendary heroes like Nezha and Sun Wukong.