Yu Shi

Yu Shi (traditional Chinese: 雨師; simplified Chinese: 雨师; pinyin: Yǔ Shī; lit. 'Master of Rain') is a Chinese spirit or god of rain, also known as or conflated with Red Pine (Chisong, 赤松, or Chisongzi – Master Red Pine),^[1] among other names.^[a] Translations of Yu Shi into English include "Lord of Rain" and "Leader of Rain".

As Yu Shi

Yu Shi in Chinese folk religion and Chinese mythology generally appears in association with Feng Bo, the god of the wind; and Lei Gong, the god of thunder.^[5] There are both current religious activities and historical mythical stories associated with Yu Shi. Various references in poetry and popular culture also exist, for example in the Chu ci poems "Tian Wen"^[2][3] and "Yuan You".^[6] His consort is Yu Shiqie (雨师妾; 雨師妾; 'Rain Master Concubine').^[7]

As Chisongzi

Yu Shi as Chi Songzi.

According to certain versions, a certain Chisongzi (Chinese: 赤松子; pinyin: Chì-Sōng-Zǐ; Wade–Giles: Ch'ih-sung-tzu; lit. 'Master Red Pine') during the reign of Shennong ended a severe drought by sprinkling water from an earthen bowl and was rewarded by being made the Lord of Rain with a dwelling on the mythical Kunlun Mountain.^[8]

In another form, Chi Songzi is depicted as a chrysalis of a silkworm who has a concubine whose face is black, holds a snake in each hand, and has a red snake coming out of one ear and a green snake coming out of the other.^[9]

Historical myths

Yu Shi (together with Feng Bo) is said to have aided Chiyou in his struggle against the Yellow Emperor during the Battle of Zhuolu, but was defeated by the intervention of the drought goddess Ba.^[10]

Current

Yu Shi is worshiped by Han Chinese, Maonan people, and other people in modern southwest China as an important rain god with ritual prayer ceremonies performed to entreat for rain.^[11]

See also

• Meng Haoran
• Shangyang (rainbird), a mythical one-legged bird
• Wong Tai Sin
• Yinglong

Notes

1. For examples, Píng (蓱),^[2] Píngyì (蓱翳),^[3] Píngyì (屏翳) "Screen Shade", Háopíng (號屏) "Howling Ping", Xuánmíng (玄冥) "Dark Dim"^[4]

References

1. Soushen Ji vol. 1-10 p. 9 of 203 quote: "赤松子者，神農時雨師也" translation: "Master Red Pine was Rain-Leader during the Divine Farmer's time"
2. Elegies of Chu "Questions to Heaven" quote: "蓱號起雨，何以興之？" translation based on Mair (1994): "The pluvial sprite cries out for rain to start falling; How does he bring it about? "
3. Wang Yi, Elegies of Chu - Syntactic and Semantic Analysis (楚辭章句) vol. 3 Heavenly Questions quote: "蓱，蓱翳，雨師名也。"
4. Soushen Ji vol. 1-10 p. 77 of 203. quote: "雨師：一曰屏翳，一曰號屏，一曰玄冥。"
5. Yang, 242
6. Elegies of Chu, "Far Roaming" quote: "左雨師使徑侍兮，右雷公以為衛。" translation: "On the left, the Rain Master is employed to serve me on my path; on the right, the Thunder Duke is hired as my bodyguard."
7. Classic of Mountains and Seas, "Beyond the Seas - East"; quote: "雨師妾在其北，其為人黑，兩手各操一蛇，左耳有青蛇，右耳有赤蛇。一曰在十日北，為人黑身人面，各操一龜。" translation: "The Rain Master's Concubine is to the north of [the Fusang tree (扶桑) and the Hot-Water Dale (湯谷)]; her body is black, each of her two hands holds a snake; on her left ear is a green snake, and on her right ear a red snake. Another says that to the north of the ten suns there is a black-bodied, human-faced person whose each [hand] holds a turtle."
8. Christie, 75
9. Christie, 75
10. Yang, 242
11. Yang, 243

References

• Christie, Anthony (1968). Chinese Mythology. Feltham: Hamlyn Publishing. ISBN 0600006379.
• Yang, Lihui, et al. (2005). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533263-6