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The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain: The History and Mythology of the Chinese River Spirit Wuzhiqi (review)

The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain: The History and Mythology of the Chinese River Spirit... Reviews 23 reviews Poul Andersen. The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain: The History and Mythology of the Chinese River Spirit Wuzhiqi. Berlin: G. + H. Verlag, 2001. viii, 96 pp. Paperback 26, isbn 3­931768­55­4. This delightful, well-written, and carefully researched scholarly study tells the myth of a monkey-like demon, which legend--recorded in the Song dynasty (960­1280) Taiping guangji--says is imprisoned under Turtle Mountain, an island in the Huai River in modern Anhui Province. The mythological ruler Yu the Great fought with and defeated the demon, in the process of controlling and pacifying the floods of ancient China. Poul Andersen was commissioned to undertake this study by the Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst in Berlin, in an attempt to identify a cast-iron statue that had graced the museum since it was presented as a gift by the famous impressionist artist Hanna Bekker von Ruth. Although the dating of the work was easy--eleventh to twelfth century--its origin, name, and use had eluded scholars until the present study. The statue is identified as a water spirit, the same Wuzhiqi demon described by Li Fang (Li Tang) in the Taiping guangji, which has been translated as a part of the present study. Andersen http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png China Review International University of Hawai'I Press

The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain: The History and Mythology of the Chinese River Spirit Wuzhiqi (review)

Saso, Michael R.
China Review International , Volume 11 (1) – Jan 18, 2004
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University of Hawai'I Press
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Copyright © 2004 University of Hawai'i Press.
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1527-9367
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Abstract

Reviews 23 reviews Poul Andersen. The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain: The History and Mythology of the Chinese River Spirit Wuzhiqi. Berlin: G. + H. Verlag, 2001. viii, 96 pp. Paperback 26, isbn 3­931768­55­4. This delightful, well-written, and carefully researched scholarly study tells the myth of a monkey-like demon, which legend--recorded in the Song dynasty (960­1280) Taiping guangji--says is imprisoned under Turtle Mountain, an island in the Huai River in modern Anhui Province. The mythological ruler Yu the Great fought with and defeated the demon, in the process of controlling and pacifying the floods of ancient China. Poul Andersen was commissioned to undertake this study by the Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst in Berlin, in an attempt to identify a cast-iron statue that had graced the museum since it was presented as a gift by the famous impressionist artist Hanna Bekker von Ruth. Although the dating of the work was easy--eleventh to twelfth century--its origin, name, and use had eluded scholars until the present study. The statue is identified as a water spirit, the same Wuzhiqi demon described by Li Fang (Li Tang) in the Taiping guangji, which has been translated as a part of the present study. Andersen

Journal

China Review International – University of Hawai'I Press

Published: Jan 18, 2004

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