The _I-Tung-Chi_ says: "Twenty _li_ west of Lin-fung-hien is a stone
dragon, among the cliffs is a rock like a dragon. In a year of drought
wash it, and it rains." Again, it says: "At Yen-T‘ang there is a pond
called Smoky Pond; it is north-east of the city ten _li_. Its depth has
never been ascertained. It is reported that long ago a man caught a white
eel, and was about to cook it, when an old man said, 'This is the dragon
of the river Siang; I fear calamity will follow.' The man was angry, and,
regarding the words as vain, proceeded. The next day the whole village was
submerged."
The _Kwoh-Shi-Pu_ says: "At the time of the spring rains the carp springs
through the dragon gate and becomes transformed. At the present time, in
Fan-cheu of Shansi, there is a cave in the mountains; in it are many cast
bones and horns of dragons. They are collected for medicine, and are of
five colours. It is recorded in the _Chw‘en_ that north of the Wu-t'ai
hills, below the terrace, is Azure Dragon Pool, about one-third of an acre
in extent. The Buddhist books say five hundred evil dragons are confined
(here). Whenever it is mid-day a thick mist gradually arises. A pure
priest and candidates for the priesthood may see it. If a nun or females
approach then there is great thunder, lightning, and tempest. If they come
near the pool, he certainly will belch forth poisonous breath and they
will die at once. Foreigners say that in Piolosz there is a spiritual
dragon which goes and comes among the granaries. When a servant comes for
rice the dragon vanishes. If the servant comes constantly for rice the
dragon does not suffer it. If there is no rice in the granaries, the
servant worships the dragon, and the granaries are filled."
_Yuin-Chu-Tsih_ records: "If one sees a dragon's egg in the lake or river
there will certainly be a flood."
The _Nan-Pu-Sin-Shu_ says: "The dragon's disposition is ferocious, and he
fears bees'-wax, loves jade, and the King-ts‘ing delight to eat the flesh
of cooked sparrows. For this reason men who eat sparrows do not cross the
sea."
The _Pah-mung-so-yen_ says: "The perverse dragon, when rain is wanted,
sneaks away into old trees or into the beams of houses. The thunder god
pulls him out."
_Wu-ch‘ăn-tsah-ch‘ao_ says: "There is a great dragon which sloughed his
skin on the brink of the Great Lake. Insects come out from his scaly
armour. Instantly they are transformed into dragon-flies of a red colour.
If men gather them they get fever and ague. If men now-a-days see these
red dragon-flies they call them dragon-armour, also dragons' grandsons,
and are unwilling to hurt them."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account