Topic Archive

Myths about Ice

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

98 myths currently featured for Ice.

The Black and White Guards of Mortality Capturing the Souls of the Deceased

🐉 Chinese MythologyFengdu Ghost City, Chongqing, ChinaXie Bi'an (White Guard) • Fan Wujiu (Black Guard) • King Yanluo

The Black and White Guards, known as Heibai Wuchang, are the divine constables of the Chinese underworld responsible for escorting the spirits of the dead to Fengdu. Xie Bi’an, the White Guard, and Fan Wujiu, the Black Guard, represent the balance of yin and yang while ensuring that every soul faces justice before King Yanluo. Their presence serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death...

The Dragon King's Daughter and the Scholar Liu Yi

🐉 Chinese MythologyLake Dongting, Hunan, ChinaLiu Yi • The Dragon Princess of Dongting • The Dragon King of Dongting

The Dragon Princess of Lake Dongting is forced into an abusive marriage with the son of the Jing River Dragon King, where she is mistreated and forced to live as a commoner. She encounters a failed scholar named Liu Yi and entrusts him with a message for her father. Through his bravery and the intervention of her powerful uncle, she is rescued, eventually finding true love and reclaiming her...

Jigong the Mad Monk and the Magical Fan

🐉 Chinese MythologyLingyin Temple, Hangzhou, ChinaJigong • Daoji • Li Xiuyuan

Jigong, a Chan Buddhist monk of the Southern Song dynasty known for his eccentric behavior, used his supernatural powers to aid the downtrodden. Carrying a tattered magical fan, he roamed the streets of Hangzhou, disguising his profound wisdom under a mask of madness to outwit the corrupt and greedy.

Emperor Taizong Granting Zhong Kui the Title of King of Ghosts

🐉 Chinese MythologyXi'an, Shaanxi, ChinaZhong Kui • Emperor Taizong • Wu Daozi

During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong fell into a deep illness haunted by a mischievous ghost until a vision of the scholar Zhong Kui appeared in his dreams to devour the spirit. Upon waking fully healed, the Emperor realized that Zhong Kui was a brilliant scholar who had committed suicide after being unfairly rejected for his appearance. In recognition of his loyalty and power, Taizong...

Zhong Kui the Demon Queller

🐉 Chinese MythologyZhongnan Mountains, Shaanxi, ChinaZhong Kui • Emperor Xuanzong of Tang • Du Ping

Zhong Kui was a brilliant scholar who, after being denied his rightful academic honors due to his appearance, became a powerful deity in the afterlife. He is celebrated as the King of Ghosts, tasked with hunting, capturing, and consuming malevolent spirits to protect the mortal realm. His story emphasizes the triumph of internal virtue over outward appearance and the necessity of spiritual...

Bai Suzhen Stealing the Magical Lingzhi Herb from Kunlun Mountain to Revive Xu Xian

🐉 Chinese MythologyKunlun Mountains, Xinjiang, ChinaBai Suzhen • Xu Xian • Xiaoqing

After her husband Xu Xian dies of shock upon seeing her true snake form, the white snake spirit Bai Suzhen journeys to the forbidden Kunlun Mountains. She risks her life and immortality to steal the sacred Lingzhi herb, an elixir capable of restoring the dead. Through her bravery and the mercy of the celestial gods, she successfully retrieves the herb and revives her beloved.

Yang Jian (Erlang Shen) Opening His Third Eye to See Through Illusions

🐉 Chinese MythologyDujiangyan, Sichuan, ChinaYang Jian (Erlang Shen) • Sky-Howling Dog (Xiaotian Quan) • Six Sages of Meishan

The legend of Yang Jian, known as Erlang Shen, details his divine struggle against the chaotic forces of deception that once plagued the Min River in Sichuan. Using his celestial third eye, he was able to see through the shapeshifting illusions of a powerful water demon, ultimately allowing him to defeat the creature and bring peace to the region through the creation of the Dujiangyan...

Nezha Committing Suicide to Return His Flesh and Bones to His Parents

🐉 Chinese MythologyChengtang Pass, TianjinNezha • Li Jing • Lady Yin

Born as a divine manifestation in a ball of flesh, Nezha's early life was marked by rebellion and immense power. After killing the son of the Dragon King of the East Sea to defend himself, Nezha faced a cosmic ultimatum when the Dragon Kings threatened to flood his home city. To save his parents and the innocent people of Chengtang Pass from divine wrath, Nezha committed a ritual sacrifice,...

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...

Kuafu's Walking Stick Transforming into a Vast Forest of Peach Trees

🐉 Chinese MythologyZhongtiao Mountains, Shanxi, ChinaKuafu • The Golden Crow (The Sun) • Houtu

The myth of Kuafu tells of a giant who attempted to outrun the sun to capture its warmth and light for his people. After a grueling pursuit that saw him drink the Yellow and Wei Rivers dry, he succumbed to extreme thirst and exhaustion near the Zhongtiao Mountains. As he fell, his wooden walking stick transformed into the 'Denglin,' a massive peach forest that provided shade and nourishment...