Qǐyú

鮨魚Qiyu-fish

The dog-headed fish of the Zhuhuai River from the Shan Hai Jing: fish-bodied with a canine head and infant-like voice, eating it cures madness.《山海经》记载北岳诸怀水异鱼鮨鱼：鱼身而犬首，音如婴儿，食之已狂，能疗心疾疯魔。

Form体貌

Fish body, dog head身形如鱼而端生犬首

魚身而犬首

Voice叫声

Like an infant's cry幽鸣清脆若婴孩啼叫

其音如嬰兒

Water水系

Zhuhuai stream发源北岳诸怀之水

諸懷之水

Cure食效

Cures madness入药滋补解救疯癫

食之已狂

Woodblock print from Gujin Tushu Jicheng showing the dog-headed fish Qiyu swimming through rippling water, inscribed 'Qiyu Tu'犬首Dog head狗首头面犬首Dog head狗首头面魚身Fish body鳞甲鱼躯魚身Fish body鳞甲鱼躯魚尾Fish tail灵动鱼尾魚尾Fish tail灵动鱼尾如嬰兒Infant crying mouth啼如婴儿如嬰兒Infant crying mouth啼如婴儿
西流注于嚻水，其中多鮨魚

Flowing west into the Xiao waters, where there are many Qiyu fish.

山海經·北山經
鮨魚圖, Gujin Tushu Jicheng 古今圖書集成, Qin Chong Dian (Section on Birds and Animals), woodblock print, 1726清·陈梦雷等编《古今图书集成·禽虫典》“鮨魚图”，雍正四年（1726）铜活字印本 · Public domain公有领域

Highlighted words: anatomy part · feature · form type — tap to jump标色词：形态部位 · 特征 · 形态类别，点击可跳转

The texts原文

Original Text & Translation原文与译文

山海經·北山經 · 山海經·北山經 · Wikisource

諸懷之水出焉，而西流注于嚻水，其中多鮨魚，魚身而犬首，其音如嬰兒，食之已狂。
Within it there are many Qiyu-fish, with fish bodies and dog heads, their sound like an infant; consuming them cures madness.

山海經·北山經 · 山海經·北山經 · Wikisource

諸懷之水出焉，而西流注于嚻水，其中多鮨魚，魚身而犬首，其音如嬰兒，食之已狂。
Within it there are many Qiyu-fish, with fish bodies and dog heads, their sound like an infant; consuming them cures madness.

Comparing the Books典籍对比

The Classic of the Northern Mountains documents the Qiyu-fish of Mount Beiyue: a canine-headed aquatic creature whose infant-like cry and healing meat restore sanity to the deranged.

The story来历与故事

A tender yet miraculous aquatic chimera of the northern waters: swimming with the sinuous grace and scaly fins of a river fish, crowned by the muzzle and alert ears of a loyal dog. Crying like a human newborn, early physicians revered its flesh as a miraculous remedy capable of clearing delirium and curing madness.

The Dog-Headed Swimmer of the Zhuhuai River诸怀之水与鱼身犬首

The Shan Hai Jing states in the Classic of the Northern Mountains that from Moun《山海经·北山经》记载，北岳之山诸怀之水出焉，西流注于嚻水。清澈奔涌的溪流之中群

The Shan Hai Jing states in the Classic of the Northern Mountains that from Mount Beiyue springs the Zhuhuai River, flowing westward into Lake Xiaoshui. In these cold clear currents swim schools of the Qiyu-fish, singular creatures possessing a fish’s torso and caudal fin, crowned by a distinct canine head.

When breaking water, the fish produce an uncanny, plaintive sound: 'its cry is like a human infant' ('yin ru ying'er'). Ancient herbalists discovered that consuming its delicate flesh acted as a profound psychiatric tranquilizer: 'eating it cures madness' ('shi zhi yi kuang'), subduing raving mania, delirium, and disordered mental frenzy.

Aquatic Monsters and Ancient Psychotherapy古代水族神话与早期精神医学探索

Modern zoological historians suggest that the infant-crying, canine-headed Qiyu 现代生物学与民俗学者推测，鮨鱼那“犬首鱼身、音如婴儿”的特征，极有可能是上古先民

Modern zoological historians suggest that the infant-crying, canine-headed Qiyu may have been inspired by early sightings of freshwater river mammals, such as river otters, giant salamanders (Andrias davidianus), or sturgeons, which frequently emit baby-like cries when brought to shore.

In subsequent imperial prints of the Gujin Tushu Jicheng, the Qiyu-fish was depicted playfully arcing through the waves, celebrated as a peaceful water spirit whose gifts bring tranquility to the human mind.

Record档案

Record Card档案卡

TypeMedicinal Aquatic (dog-headed fish curing madness)
Also known asDog-Headed Fish; Infant-Voice Fish
Earliest sourceShan Hai Jing 山海經 (Classic of the Northern Mountains)
Healing PowerConsuming its flesh cures severe madness, mania, and mental distraction ('yi kuang')
HabitatDwells in the Zhuhuai River flowing westward from Mount Beiyue into Lake Xiaoshui
Earliest source山海經·北山經
Source books山海經·北山經
Image sourceChen Menglei 陳夢雷 (ed.) · Wikimedia Commons
LicensePublic domain
AuspiciousAuspiciousGuardianShan Hai JingBeast-bodied兽身

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Qiyu-fish in Chinese mythology?

The Qiyu-fish is a mythical aquatic creature from the Shan Hai Jing with a fish body and a dog head that cries like an infant. Eating it cures madness.

Where does the Qiyu-fish live?

According to the Shan Hai Jing, it lives in the Zhuhuai River, which flows westward from Mount Beiyue into Lake Xiaoshui.

What does 'yi kuang' mean in ancient medical texts?

'Yi kuang' (已狂) means to cure madness, mental delirium, mania, and violent psychological confusion.

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