Merfolk,Mercreatures,Mermen orMerpeople are legendary water-dwelling, human-like beings. They are attested infolklore andmythology throughout the ages in various parts of the world. Merfolk, Merpeople, or simply Mer refers to humanoid creatures that live in deep waters like Mermaids, Sirens, Cecaelia etc.
In English, female merfolk are calledmermaids, although in a strict sense, mermaids are confined to beings who are half-woman and half-fish in appearance; male merfolk are calledmermen. Depending on the story, they can be described as either ugly or beautiful.
Chineserényú (人魚) stands for "merfolk", but in ancient geographical or natural historical tracts, the term referred to "human-fish" or "man-fish" purported to inhabit rivers or lakes in certain parts of China. The Japanese analogueningyo (人魚) likewise translates to "human-fish" while, at the same time, having also applied to various human-like fish recorded in writings from medieval times into the Edo Period.
Certain fantastical types of "fish", generically referred to asrenyu (人魚, "human-fish") are alleged to occur in various parts of China according to theShan Hai Jing (Classic of Mountains and Seas, 4th century BC). It is mentioned in theBei Shan Jing ("Classic of the Northern mountains"),Zhong Shan Jing (Central Mountains), andXi Shan Jing (Western Mountains) sections of this work.[1][2]
This work and others also mention several additional types of "anthropomorphic fish"[3] with limbs in other regions such as thechiru [zh] (赤鱬; "red ru fish"[4]) andlingyu [zh] (陵魚; "hill-fish"), considered to be in the same category of creatures. Certain tribes or races of humans were also described being part-fish, namely theDi people [zh].[5][1]
It is recorded that theMausoleum of the First Qin Emperor was illuminated with lamps fueled by the oil of the human-fish (renyu), whose flames were meant to last a very long time.[6][7]
In the Chinese Song Dynasty's supernatural tale collectionYijian Zhi (夷堅志), there are stories of sea sirens similar to those in other folklore. One tale describes a beautiful female demon living on a cliff of an island. A man sailed to the island, married a woman there, and she taught him how to recognize plants and avoid dangers, protecting him from wild beasts. They had two sons together. However, when a fellow townsman arrived on the island and took the man back by boat, the woman cursed him, throwing their sons into the water in a fit of rage and yelling at him to leave. The man stayed silent after boarding the ship.[8]
Another tale fromGuangzhou tells of a merchant who, upon reaching an island, was captured by two women and taken into the mountains. They fed him daily, but he couldn't tell if he was still alive. After about a year, he overheard the women discussing magic, and he begged them to take him to the place where it was performed. When they did, he sought help, causing the women to flee by flying away. Though he was revived, his food gradually dwindled, and he died two months later.[8]
―Wang Fu [zh](d. 1759) Shan hai jing cun, pub. 1895[10]
Therenyu (人魚; human-fish) is described in theBei Shan Jing ("Classic of the North Mountains") section as dwelling on Mt. Longhou (龍侯山, "Dragon-Marquis Mountain") in the waters of the Jueshui (決水, "Bursting River"), which flows eastward into theYellow River.[12] It is said to "resemble thetiyu"[13][14] (translated as "resemble catfish"[15][11][16])[17][c][21] possess four legs, with a voice like baby crying.[22]
Eating the fish purportedly cured idiocy[15] or dementia.[23][24] This fish as a cure was also quoted in theCompendium of Materia Medica orBencao Gangmu (1596) under its entry forTiyu (Chinese:䱱魚)[22]
TheBencao Gangmu categorized thetiyu (䱱魚) as one of two types of "human-fish" (renyu). The human-fish were also known as "child-fish" orhaieryu (孩兒魚;孩儿鱼).[22][30]
The other type, called theniyu (鯢魚) is elaborated in a separate section.[33] It has been noted byLi Shizhen that the character for theNiyu (Ni鯢 fish) consists of the "fish"indexing component (魚) and "child" (兒) radical.[32]
Translators of theBencao Gangmu attempt to match entries with actualtaxa of animals, forbs, etc., where possible, and thetiyu type is glossed as "newts" while theniyu type is "Chinese giant salamander".[27]
― Hu Wenhuan 胡文焕 (fl. 1596–1650).Shanhaijing tu 山海經圖 ("Illustrations to the Classic of Mountains and Seas", 16th century).[d]
Thechiru [zh] (赤鱬; "red ru fish".[4] Wade–Giles:ch'ih-ju; "red ju"[35]) is described in theNan Shan Jing ("Classic of the Southern Mountains") as a human-headed fish. It is said to be found in the Qingqushan (青丘山 "Green-Hills Mountains") in the Pool-of-Yi (Yì zhī zé翼之澤; "Carp-Wings Lake"). It is described as basically fish-form but having a human face, and issuing sounds like themandarin duck. Eating it purportedly preventedscabies or itchy skin.[36][4]
The illustration of thechiru from China may have influenced the legless, human-faced fish visualization of some of theningyo in Japan, according to the hypothesis ofMorihiko Fujisawa [ja].[37]
This mythical southern mermaid ormerman is recorded inRen Fang [zh]'sShuyi ji [zh] "Records of Strange Things" (early 6th century CE).[44][45]
In the midst of the South Sea are the houses of thekău (Chinese:鮫;pinyin:jiao;Wade–Giles:chiao[46]) people who dwell in the water like fish, but have not given up weaving at the loom. Their eyes have the power to weep, but what they bring forth is pearls.[47]
These aquatic people supposedly spun a type of raw silk calledjiaoxiao蛟綃 "mermaid silk" orjiaonujuan蛟女絹 "mermaid woman's silk".Schafer equates this withsea silk, the rare fabric woven frombyssus filaments produced byPinna "pen shell" mollusks.[51][g]
Artist interpretation of Lu Heng fish activity by Author Hwlisc
Loting (盧亭) is a mysterious ethnic group residing in Hong Kong's Myths.[53] They are legendary merfolk half human and half fish, also known as Lo Yu, Lu Heng, or Lo Ting Fish Man.[54] They have lived on Tai O' Lantau Island in Hong Kong since the local civil uprising in the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China.[55] It is said that Loting has fish scales on his fish-like human body, a face that resembles humans, and he enjoys sucking chicken blood.[56] They could use their catch to fish from Tai O and trade chickens with the local human inhabitants to survive.
Theningyo (人魚 "human-fish") of Japan has its own history in the country's literary record. The earliest references (in theNihon shoki, entry for year 619, reign ofEmpress Suiko) do not specifically use the termningyo, and the "thing" appeared in fresh water (a river inŌmi Province, canalSettsu Province), and may presumed to be a giant salamander.[57] Later accounts claim that Empress Suiko's regentPrince Shōtoku knew the creature to be aningyo when one was presented to him by representatives of Ōmi.[58] The appearance of the human-fish was strongly associated with ill omen in later treatments of the Prince's encounter with the human-fish.[59]
During the Kamakura Period,ningyo of the marine sort were frequently reported as washing ashore, and these were taken to be ominous signs usually prefiguring bloody battles.[60]
Theningyo, or ratherrenyu (人魚) and the like found in Chinese sources (chiru,tiyu etc., etc., discussed above) were also discussed in Japanese literature, for example, works of scholars of herbal and traditional medicine, such asKaibara Ekiken (d. 1714) andOno Ranzan (d. 1810). These Japanese scholars were also aware of European discussions on "sirens", "anthropomorphic fish", "peixe muller (fish-woman)", etc.[61][62]
Merfolk, known collectively as Taga-Dagat or sometimes Bantay Tubig ("Water Guardians"), are aquatic beings inPhilippine mythology. Due to the country's diverse cultures and languages across its many islands, tales of merfolk vary widely. These beings are often consideredengkanto or supernatural entities or nature spirits and are believed to guard bodies of water.[63][64][65]The most well-known merfolk figure is theSirena, a mermaid-like creature with the upper body of a human female and the tail of a fish. Sirenas are known for their mesmerizing voices, which they use to lure fishermen or sailors to their deaths by drowning or abduction. In some stories, Sirenas are portrayed as malevolent, while in others, they can become kind and loyal if they fall in love with a human.[66] The Sireno is the male counterpart of the Sirena, though it appears less frequently in stories. Sometimes, Sirena are paired with theSiyokoy (also spelled Shokoy or Syokoy), another type of aquatic creature. Siyokoy are depicted as hostile sea monsters with scales, webbed limbs, and grotesque features. Unlike the Sirena, Siyokoy are more animalistic and are believed to drown humans. Their name is thought to originate from the Hokkien termshui gui, referring to water spirits in Chinese folklore.[63][64][67][68] Another merfolk being is theKataw, often considered a higher-ranking water entity than the Sirena or Siyokoy. Kataw resemble humans but have gills, fins, and sometimes even human feet and the ability to manipulate water elements. They are known to disguise themselves as fishermen and lure humans into the sea. A human-eating version of the Sirena is the Magindara, often portrayed in Bicolano folklore.[65][69][70]
InMonster Musume, Meroune Lorelei is a mermaid princess wearing gothic lolita clothes who moves around in a wheelchair when she's out of water.
The Techno Trolls introduced inTrolls World Tour bears a striking resemblance to mermaids but are able to survive and walk on dry land like the other tribes of trolls.
^The accompanying text here says therenyu resembles a fish calledfei.
^Image for thetiyu (renyu/haieryu) inSuzuki tr. 1929Benca Gangmu is reproduced inKuzumi 2006b, p. 60 which resembles this picture.
^Thetiyu is not literally a catfish but a subtype ofrenyu "human-fish", according to theBencao Gangmu, as given below. However, this translation may be justified in the light ofGuo Pu's commentary to theBei Shan Jing, which reads "Therenyu is, namely, theniyu. It resembles catfish with four feet/legs, and voice like a child crying. Nowadays this catfish is also called theti 人魚即鯢也。似鮎而四足、聲如兒嗁。今亦呼鮎爲䱱。音蹏(テイ)". In Naoaki Maeno ed. (1975).Sengaikyō retsu sennin denapud Yamaguchi (1995)[18]
^A close copy of this woodcut occurs in Wu Renchen's edition of 1667.[34]
^The conception of them seems to have shifted from half-reptilian to half-fish in later periods.[40]
^A 15th-century compilation of quotations from Chinese literature, theChengyu kao [zh] (Chinese:成語考; "Idioms investigated") merely gives a partial quote from theBowuzhi as "The mermaid wept tears that became pearls".[50]
^Chinese writings claimed that the raw material for such "silk" came fromshuiyang 水羊 "water sheep" orshuican水蠶 "water silkworm" akabingcan冰蠶 "ice silkworm".[52] Cf.sea silk.
^Kong Chao; Chen Fengheng (1808).Yì zhōu shū, juàn 17. Wáng huì jiě, dì 59逸周書卷十七 王會解第五十九 [Supplementary Notes # 59 to the Wang Hui ("Royal Assemblies") Chapter of the Lost Book of Zhou]. Chenshi Dusao lou congshu 陳氏讀騷樓叢書 38. fol. 21b.. Commentary relating to the Huì people (Yemaek) in the east.
^Alternatively, River BurstBurst (決決水) on Mount Dragonbutt.[11]
^"Juan 03. Bei Shan Jing"卷03 北山經 [Classic of Northern Mountains].Shan Hai Jing (SKQS)山海經 (四庫全書本). 1773–1782 [c. 400BC] – viaWikisource.又東北二百里曰龍侯之山無草木多金玉決決之水出焉〈音訣〉而東流注于河其中多人魚其狀如䱱魚四足其音如嬰兒〈䱱見中山經或曰人魚即鯢也似鮎而四足聲如小兒啼今亦呼鮎為䱱音蹄〉食之無癡疾
^Cf.Unschuld tr. (2021), p. 733: "TheBei shan jing states: "The Jue shui river has manyren yu 人魚 sea-cows. They are shaped liketi yu 䱱魚, newts, but have four feet.."
^This Guo Pu quote as commentary toBei Shan Jing is hard to confirm in other secondary sources, but similar phrases aboutrenyu resembling catfish were written by other near-contemporaries, one being "Guangzhi" 廣志 (attributed to Guo Yigong 郭義恭) as preserved in theShui Jing Zhu:Yi River, cf. commentary to theHainei bei jing 海内北經 (Classic of regions within the seas: North), by Yuan Ke.[19] Another isXu Gugang [zh], probably from hisShiji Yinyi or "Pronunciation and Meaning of the Shiji"; both these are quoted in annotations to theShiji: Books of the First Emperor of Qin, 6, which mentions the human-fish oil used for lanterns in the Emperor's tumulus.[20]
^Sugimoto, Akiko (2006)."Chasing the Moon (Part 9)"追月記.Journal of the American Oriental Society.42 (3). Translated by William Wetherall: 40.Jiaoren (鮫人 mythical fish-human, mermaid, merman).website
^abMga Engkanto: A Bestiary of Filipino Fairies. Philippines: eLf ideas Publication. 2003.
^Waterhouse, John William."Mermaid". Archived fromthe original on 2008-10-28. Retrieved2008-08-09.
^Patanne, E. P. (1996).The Philippines in the 6th to 16th Centuries. San Juan: LSA Press.ISBN971-91666-0-6.
^Scott, William Henry. (1984). "Societies in Prehispanic Philippines".Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History. Quezon City: New Day Publishers. p. 70.ISBN971-10-0226-4.
^Eugenio, Damiana L. (2002).Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. University of the Philippines Press. ISBN 9715423586.
^Alzina, Francisco Ignacio (1668).Historia de las Islas e Indios de Bisayas.
Li Shizhen (2021)."Animals with Scales. Chapter 44.Ti yu.Ni yu"䱱魚. 鯢魚.Ben Cao Gang Mu, Volume VIII: Clothes, Utensils, Worms, Insects, Amphibians, Animals with Scales, Animals with Shells. Translated by Paul U. Unschuld. Univ of California Press. pp. 732–734.ISBN9780520976986.
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