MYTH-701 Lessons

As students filter into the stone classroom, once more there is little decoration, which is likely something that takes some adjustment. There is one unique thing in the room, though calling it an adornment may be a bit of a stretch. However, what the classroom lacks in number of decorations, the miniature figure of a Zouwu makes up for in pure showmanship and glamour. Prowling around the desks, chairs, and the front of the classroom is a strangely toothy tiger. It seems to jump from one end of the room to another without even passing the space in between, moving so quickly the eyes cannot follow. When one is able to get a fix on the creature, it is unclear what draws the attention more: its electrified mane or enormously long tail of silky, pink feathers. 

 Mesmerized and distracted by the creature’s flitting about, no one notices Professor Wessex approach until the small creature leaps over to her. It follows her to her desk, the movement of its tail somehow missing the steady strokes of the enchanted quill also located atop the dark oak surface. With the stroke of a finger, the creature stills completely, becoming nothing more that a figurine, albeit an eerily life-like one. 

Introduction
Today our topic is of the vast and varied dynasties of historical China. There are certainly many areas of overlap between this area and Japan, owing to a similar geographical region, similar religions, and a healthy dose of cultural borrowing (especially by the Japanese people). However, there is far more new to the area, and to the mythology, outweighing these similarities. The history and mythology of China are brimming with secrets and rich details of this ancient empire. We will not be able to do it true justice here in this one lesson, but I will at least give you a taste of it -- one able to entice the appetite of any student of magical civilizations.

Cultural Background
As mentioned, the cultural background that spawned the myths of China bears many similarities to that which began their Japanese counterparts. Religiously speaking, the main influences are Confucianism, Daosim, and Buddhism. The start of organized religion in China roughly corresponds with the Shang dynasty (1600 BCE to 1046 BCE) and ancestor worship. These, of course, also influenced the history, culture, and most importantly, the myths of the empire. 

Regardless of religion, however, there are many core beliefs that are constant, such as the presence of the five elements, discussed by Professor Morgan in your Fourth Year of History of Magic when you focused on Asia. Additionally, there is also the concept of yin and yang. Similarly, there are many myths that are universal, despite whatever religion was popular at the time or which religion the people practiced. As an example, the Eight Immortals, who we will discuss later, are inherently part of the Taoist tradition and are seen to have been great priests who achieved their immortality through their practice. However, non-Taoists do still believe in and revere these eight figures.

The Divine Sculptor
One prevalent story regardless of religion is that of P’an Ku, the first being that was born of (or alongside of, in some cases) Yin and Yang themselves. It was he who sculpted the universe and all its parts out of chaos with only a hammer and a chisel. He was born directly from an egg, which he then broke and emerged from to carry out his task. 

In some renditions, he was helped by the four main creatures of Chinese mythology (which each represent the main points of the five elements): the unicorn, the dragon (who features twice), the tortoise,¹ and the tiger. In other stories he works alone. In yet others, he is accompanied by the moon and sun, his first creations. However, in all accounts, one thing is the same; his toil took eighteen thousand years. Quite the time investment, to be sure. When you feel ill-used because of how much studying you’re doing for the N.E.W.T.s, remember this. In the end, he needed to die to complete his work, his body and all its parts becoming the world around us. 

Immortalized in Myth
Despite the similarities in universe creation between Chinese mythology and many others, there are certain marked differences. For example, there is no true pantheon. No unbroken line of gods and goddesses came from P’an Ku. He simply died and that was the end of it. There is, however, a host of revered spirits in Chinese culture. These beings, called the “shen” are similar enough to compare to the kami in that there are countless, they are revered, and immortalized in myth. However, there are many key differences.

The first hint lies in the definition of the word itself. “Shen” actually has quite a few meanings, but the two major ones refer both to the concept of deity as well as spirits. Shen is used as a concept to represent the human soul or life force, the ethereal quality that many have tried to define. However, it also serves as a term to represent spiritual deities, which sounds far more like the kami with which we are familiar. The subtle difference is that these gods and powerful beings are very abstract. They don’t come with names or backstories and they do not have shrines where their spirits are said to reside. While they are worshipped, they are worshipped from afar. 

Now, by and large, this concept has little to do with magic and magic users directly. Unlike with kami, there are no magical individuals believed to have become shen… simply because no individual shen are identified. However, there is the general idea that if a person is faithful enough, they are able to transcend earthly constraints and become immortal. That is, their soul can become part of the host of shen. There are many tales of people being “taken up” into the heavens, or ascending in some fantastical manner. While many of these are just stories, there is some proof to suggest that many of these individuals were in fact witches or wizards that, after the fact, were venerated through myth after their deeds were turned into legend. That is, people told the stories of their exploits so often that they added more to them, including making them immortal. 

To serve as exemplars, there is actually a group of witches and wizards called the “Eight Immortals,” a few of whom we shall discuss in detail. These powerful persons, believed to have actually lived either during the Han Dynasty or the Three Kingdoms period (depending on the particular immortal), consisted of six men and two women. We do not have time to do all of them justice in this lesson, as each on is included in myriad myths, but should these brief descriptions pique your interest, there’s much more information to be found on these and others in the library. 

Han Xiangzi
First, we come to Han Xiangzi. This immortal was rather untraditional as a young boy, wishing only to roam freely, commune with nature, and play his flute. Naturally, this did not sit well with his elders, and he was encouraged to head down a different path (with limited success). 

In the particular story about Han Xiangzi that we will look at today, there are underlying themes of tension between political parties as well as religious beliefs, but the upshot of the story is that he encountered Lu Dongbin (another one of the famous eight seen more as a mentor figure and teacher) and came away from his tutelage with many skills, both new, and newly honed. In particular, he was quite adept at both divination, and to some lesser extent, alchemy. 

In a less magical sense, he was also a skilled musician -- all that childhood flute playing was apparently good for something -- which, while may seem unimportant, features in a key myth surrounding the seer. The myth in question goes by many names, but the simplest is the “Dragon’s Daughter.”

In the myth, Han Xiangzi was playing his flute by the ocean, near enough for the seventh daughter of the dragon who lived there to hear him. She was so entranced by his music that she came onto the land to listen to him play and danced for him. This was repeated for several days and, as Han was equally entranced by her beauty and dancing, the pair fell deeply in love. That is, until the Dragon King discovered their relationship. Upon learning of his daughter’s activities, he locked her away below the seas. However, she was still able to send her love one last token to remember her by: a bamboo rod. Han Xiangzi transformed the rod to use it as a flute and carried it with him everywhere from that day forward. 

Other than fulfilling a role as a typical love story, this myth serves another purpose. This is commonly held to be one of the earliest accounts of wand use in Chinese culture, as many other types of foci were favored in the early years of the country’s history. This would also certainly not be the first example of enchanted musical instruments, though this is a bit different from Orpheus and his lyre.

Zhang Guolao
The next immortal we have to discuss is perhaps not as romantic or well-suited for sweet folktales, but interesting nonetheless. To begin with, Zhang Guolao was a skilled necromancer, and may have dabbled in many areas of the Dark Arts (or what his culture would term “black magic”). In myth, he most frequently resurrected himself, as he often used death to escape summons to the imperial court. One story details how, after he declined the politically loaded invitations of two successive emperors for many years, eventually, he received a summons by a third ruler, this time the Empress Wu. As she was not a woman to be trifled with, he had no choice but to obey her summons. However, as he reached the gate, he suddenly and inexplicably died. The myth goes into graphic detail about the sudden decomposition of his body, and the worms that riddled his corpse. The necromancer didn’t stay dead for long though. Not too much later, he was seen alive and well on the other side of the dynasty, and continued his antics for many years to come.  

Indeed, he was one of the showier immortals. He was fond of flamboyant displays of charms and transfiguration, and developed a dueling style (which has been adapted by Muggles into a form of martial arts) in which he would turn invisible at key times, perform daring acrobatics, and employ non-verbal magic to heighten his chances. Despite all of this non-traditional behavior for a revered religious figure, he is still seen as the patron of the poor and lowly as, according to myth, he himself came from incredibly humble beginnings. 

Here and Now
According to mythology, they still live today, inhabiting five mysterious islands in the Bohai Sea. These persons, generally agreed-upon as once living, breathing, witches and wizards, died long ago. However, numerous families allege they can trace their ancestry back to one of the eight. Aside from the obvious eight surnames attributed to the eight immortals, these families also include Hu, Ling, Shan, Yun, and Zhong. Despite the inability to prove these allegations, being a part of, or marrying into, these families carries a fair amount of prestige in magical Eastern circles, even though many of these surnames (like Li) are so popular that it is nearly impossible for all of them to be related. 

Mountains and Seas
With a few famous people out of the way, the prevalence of animals in Chinese mythology bears extensive mention. While it is not uncommon for creatures to be included in mythology, it is less common that they are the central protagonists (or antagonists) of a story, complete with personalities, motivations, and histories. As you will see in the few myths we go over in detail (as well as our glimpse of the myth behind Han Xiangzi’s life), this is very true in Chinese tales. Those of you thinking critically will of course note similarities to Native American and Inuit mythology, though they are not the only traditions to employ anthropomorphic creatures as the center of their myths. Notably, we have the 12 creatures of the zodiac, wise dragons, and an irksome monkey who became a king and a god. 

You will likely already be familiar with many creatures of Chinese myth, such as the Chinese Fireball (as well as many other long-extinct subspecies or breeds of dragon), the Ho-o from last week, and the yeti (along the Chinese border with the Himalayas). However, before we move on to look at some example myths, we should pause a moment to cover a few interesting animals specimens covered in Chinese myth.

Ba-Snake
First, we start with a creature only of myth. The Ba-Snake, also known as the Bashe, is an enormous serpent, known to eat large animals like elephants and livestock -- and humans, if it was convenient. However, this immense beast, which featured as a monstrous challenge, is nothing more than a fabricated story, perhaps based on various species of dragon. You may recognize this concept of huge, man-eating snakes, as they crop up all over the world (in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia), which is certainly a strange coincidence. 

Changfu 
Next, we have the strange magical bird known as the Changfu. For Westerners to contextualize this animal, it may be useful to call upon the image of the Runespoor. Similar to the African serpent, this bird has three heads which attach to one singular torso. However, the similarities end here. The Changfu then branches off again to have three pairs of legs, one for each head, and bears an additional wing on its back. Roughly larger than your average chicken, this bird is small, docile, and did not possess many natural defenses. 

The bird (and its parts) was used in a great number of potions, and could even simply be eaten on its own for benefit, as its meat provided great energy, stamina, and a boost to the immune system. Unfortunately, as one might expect, this combination of traits spelled doom for this unfortunate fowl, and it was eaten into extinction hundreds of years ago.

Nianshu
In your Herbology lessons, I am aware that you've been introduced to the concept of allowing Muggles to be “let in on” magical secrets that could protect them or that are generally seen to do no harm. This is most frequently done with regards to dangerous magical plants and animals. The Nianshu is one such example that Muggles have been allowed partial knowledge of, though there is more to the story, of course. 

While records of the Nianshu were purposefully stricken from all libraries starting with the implementation of the International Statute of Secrecy, oral tradition was not able to be stamped out quite so easily, despite attempts at Obliviation. Tales of the Nianshu (or, as the name became slightly twisted, the Nian) were passed along orally and the creature was even featured yearly in parades celebrating the new year. In the early 1900s, the Chinese Imperial Magical Institute gave in and removed the ban on mentions of the Nianshu, and the creature was finally noted in written records. 

The creature is shaggy like a lion with large ears as its most prominent feature. Its body is much more elongated than your average lion, however, and bears more resemblance to a furred reptile. Its pelt comes in many colors such as a light tan, darker brown, black, and even brindle, but the most common depiction is white, as these make for the most striking representations. The parade representations miss the mark in many ways in terms of physical similarities, but they do have one major thing correct: because of their enormous ears and keen sense of hearing, they are easily driven off by loud noises, a fact that is very fortunate, as hungry Nianshu will easily prey on small children or feeble or infirm adults if given the perfect opportunity.

Zouwu
Finally, we come to a creature you may be more familiar with due to its coverage in the Care of Magical Creatures textbook: the Zouwu. This elongated feline has a mane of sparks and an enormous, pink tail made of feather-like material. While a carnivore, this creature actively refuses to hunt, instead scavenging off the kills of others, which gave it an honorable reputation in ancient myth. In the past, they were allegedly domesticated and given tamed as very auspicious gifts. 

It can travel immense distances in a single leap, quite handy for the mythical adventurer of old. However, the Zouwu generally avoids human contact entirely. This avoidance has become increasingly difficult to maintain due to the population explosion in China, and therefore the Imperial Magical Institute have had to put many conservation programs in place in an attempt to create enough wizard space for them to allow both the Chinese citizenry and the creatures to coexist without bumbling into each other.

A Sampler of Stories
Finally, we come to the section where we can put all of this background knowledge together and examine a few full myths. In these two examples, you can see that they share many traits with the above topics, especially the emphasis on animals as well as the practice of important humans becoming immortal.

The Yellow Emperor
Dragons, despite their…potentially dangerous tendencies, were heroes in Chinese mythology and highly revered. They were considered the most powerful and divine creatures in existence, in possession of immense knowledge and skill. Often, dragons were personified; in other cases, humans were dragonified. The story of the “Yellow Emperor” is an example of the latter. 

Conceived from the strike of a lightning bolt, Xuanyuan was born on a mountain to an average village woman. But from his birth, he was immediately an impressive figure. He helped to teach the nomadic tribes around him many new skills, such as building homes for themselves, teaching them agriculture, and taming the animals of the countryside. 

As he went on in life and left his home, his knowledge and skills only expanded. He studied and mastered many branches of mathematics and astronomy, created laws and magical artifacts, and even had a hand in the invention of the Chinese writing system. His knowledge of taming beasts also expanded. With the help of a magical creature gifted with the power of speech -- the Bai Ze -- he learned all the secrets of all 1,552 supernatural creatures. 

His reign, understandably, was seen as a golden age for China, as he employed his skills for his nation’s betterment. Upon his “death” at 100, he turned himself into a dragon and flew into the heavens to live on in immortality.

The Legend of the White Snake
This next myth is a less joyous one, though it depicts an equal amount of interesting magical practices, policies, and traditions. The Legend of the White Snake, also known as Lady White Snake or Madame White Snake is a popular love story in China, but there is far more to this tale than simple romance. 

Once upon a time, a white snake and a green snake who had magical power and lived near 
the Mountain Er-Mei transformed themselves into two beautiful young ladies: one 
white, one green. They met a man named Xu Xian at the West Lake of 
Hang-Zhou city. The white snake fell in love with Xu Xian at first sight and the two got 
married soon after that.

The Lady White helped her husband to open a medicine store by writing the
prescriptions. Patients unable to pay were given free treatment and medicine.
The store quickly became popular. One day a monk called Fa Hai -- secretly a jealous
spirit that wished ill upon Lady White -- saw the couple, and warned Xu Xian that his
wife was a white snake, and a demon. Xu Xian did not believe the monk, and ignored his
counsel. His wife was sweet and kind, and could not secretly be a snake. 

 It was during the Dragon Boat Festival, when Chinese families like to decorate
with calamus and Chinese mugwort around the house and drink wine to drive
away spirits. This was dangerous to Lady White and Lady Green, since they 
were spirits, after all. Lady White was pregnant at that time and her magical
power had weakened because of this. However, she still tried to drink the wine
to please her husband and abate his curiosity.

Unfortunately, due to the wine’s power, she could not control her magic and regained
her snake body in her bedroom. Xu Xian saw the white snake and was literally scared
to death. In order to save her husband's life, Lady White went to steal resurrection
grass from Kunlun Mountain. She failed, but her true love won the resurrection grass
and the life of Xu Xian was restored.

Upon awakening, Xu Xian remembered Fa Hai and went to the Golden Mountain 
Temple to see him. Fa Hai suggested Xu Xian become a monk to forget his wife.
Fa Hai insisted that he could take care of the spirits for him. Lady White asked
a great army of underwater creatures for help and brought forth a flood over
the Golden Mountain Temple to fight Fa Hai. However, Fa Hai was also very
powerful and defeated her. 

Since the Lady White was pregnant, she was too weak to fight harder. She gave
up the battle and waited for the time after giving birth. Xu Xian went to see his
son and carried a magical hat from Fa Hai for his son. The magical hat captured 
the White Snake. Fa Hai imprisoned the White Snake inside the Thunder Pagoda.

The Green Snake wanted to avenge her sister, but was unable to fight Fa Hai
alone. She escaped and attempted to strengthen her powers, but to no avail.
When the son of Lady White -- Xu Shilin -- grew up, she told him about the
story of his mother. Xu Shilin took revenge by destroying the Thunder Pagoda
and rescued White Snake. Freed from her prison, Lady White was reunited
with her husband and her son, and the family lived in peace once more.

While I will be leaving the majority of this myth’s interpretation up to you, there is one glaringly obvious fact we can take away from this myth that I would be remiss not to discuss in some detail. This myth’s central character, the Lady White (also named as Bai Suzhen) and her sister, Green Snake (also called Xiaoqing), are believed to be one of the earliest records of Maledictuses. Bai Suzhen’s struggle to control herself and maintain her human form clearly parallels the struggle that a Maledictus undergoes towards the end of their human lives. However, the fact that the end of the story closes with Bai Suzhen regaining her human form (and indeed, being able to give birth to a human son at all in her advanced stages of the blood curse) is taken to be proof that the curse laid upon Maledictuses can be cured. This is, of course, incredibly tenuous proof at best. The story could have easily been altered over the course of centuries to fabricate a happy ending. However, believers point to the fact that all characters in the story possess great magical knowledge and power, especially among the healing arts. Whatever the truth, in present times, there is still no known cure for the malediction.

 Closing
And with that we close a chapter on the East and its mythology. While we, of course, have more ground cover in Asia, we are moving on from the Far East into the south next week. The area has much to impart, and many myths and concepts unique to it alone. Before we move on, however, there is the matter of assignments. In addition to the quiz and N.E.W.T. review assignments, there is an essay assignment on one of the eight immortals covered in the lesson and their magic use. 

 Footnotes

1. Though, if you recall, it was not a tortoise, as it had many additional body parts that do not in fact belong on this animal.

Original lesson written by Professor Venita Wessex
Image credits here, here, here, here, here, here, and here