Fei (蜚) — Chinese Mythology Creature

蜚Fei

The one-eyed plague beast of Mount Tai in the Shan Hai Jing: with a white head and snake tail, its steps wither water and grass and its sighting brings universal pestilence.《山海经》记载太山凶兽蜚：状如牛而白首，一目而蛇尾，行水则竭，行草则死，见则天下大疫。

Head头首

White head with one eye纯白面额独目

白首

Body身形

Ox-like torso and snake tail健硕如牛蛇尾

其狀如牛

Peril灾异

Causes universal pestilence招致四海瘟疾

見則天下大疫

Power异能

Withers waters and grasses枯涸川泽焦卉

行水則竭，行草則死

Original Text & Translation原文与译文

山海經·東山經 · Shan Hai Jing · Wikisource

有獸焉，其狀如牛而白首，一目而蛇尾，其名曰蜚，行水則竭，行草則死，見則天下大疫。

There is a beast here shaped like an ox with a white head, one eye, and a snake tail, named Fei; walking through water dries it up, and walking through grass kills it; when seen, there will be a great plague throughout the world.

Comparing the Books典籍对比

The Shan Hai Jing portrays Fei alongside Heyu on the Eastern Mountain peaks as dread calamity beasts, bringing plague just as Heyu brings primordial deluges.

The one-eyed plague beast of Mount Tai in the Shan Hai Jing: shaped like an ox with a white head and snake tail, its sighting brings dread universal pestilence.

The Beast of Mount Tai太山异兽：其名曰蜚

Fei is a one-eyed plague beast dwelling on Mount Tai.《东山经》记载太山多金玉桢木，其中有兽名曰蜚。

In the Classic of the Eastern Mountains, Fei dwells upon Mount Tai, two hundred li northeast of Mount Shan.

The mountain summit is rich in gold, jade, and glossy privet trees, where the Gou River flows north into the Lao River.

Ox Form, Pestilence, and Dried Waters水竭草死：天下大疫

Its passage dries waters, kills grass, and brings plague.经文记其行水则竭，行草则死，见则天下大疫。

The Shan Hai Jing details that Fei resembles an ox with a pure white head, a single centered eye, and a serpent tail.

Whenever it wades into water the streams instantly evaporate, walking through grasses instantly withers them, and its sighting portends universal pestilence ('jian ze tian xia da yi').

The Gujin Tushu Jicheng Woodblock Print清代图谱：独目蜚兽

Woodblock prints illustrate it with bovine horns and trailing snake tail.《古今图书集成》画其为一头牛形独目、后拖细长蛇尾之灾异神兽。

The 1726 imperial encyclopedia Gujin Tushu Jicheng depicts Fei standing amidst crags with curled bovine horns and a sinuous snake tail.

The woodblock engraving illustrates its solitary forehead eye, cloistered flanks, and title cartouche reading Fei Tu in the upper right.

Record Card档案卡

Type	Plague Beast (one-eyed, snake-tailed ox beast whose sighting brings universal pestilence)
Also known as	Fěi 蜚; Taishan Fei (太山之蜚)
Habitat	Mount Tai (太山) in the Eastern Mountains, rich in gold, jade, and glossy privet trees
Omen	Widespread universal pestilence across the entire world (見則天下大疫)
Earliest source	山海經·東山經
Source books	山海經·東山經
Image source	Chen Menglei 陳夢雷 (ed.) · Wikimedia Commons
License	Public domain

Type

Plague Beast (one-eyed, snake-tailed ox beast whose sighting brings universal pestilence)

Also known as

Fěi 蜚; Taishan Fei (太山之蜚)

Habitat

Mount Tai (太山) in the Eastern Mountains, rich in gold, jade, and glossy privet trees

Omen

Widespread universal pestilence across the entire world (見則天下大疫)

Earliest source

山海經·東山經

Source books

山海經·東山經

Image source

Chen Menglei 陳夢雷 (ed.) · Wikimedia Commons

License

Public domain

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Fei look like in the Shan Hai Jing?

The classic describes Fei as resembling an ox with a white head, a single eye, and a snake tail ('shaped like an ox with a white head, one eye, and a snake tail').

What catastrophic powers are attributed to Fei?

Ancient texts record that walking through water dries it up and walking through grass withers it ('walking in water dries it up; walking in grass kills it').

What omen is associated with the sighting of Fei?

The classic states that when Fei appears, there will be great pestilence throughout the world ('when seen, there is great plague throughout the world').