ENG
Green claws like steel, a crimson maw,
Breath turns rain and wind with awe.
Leaping waves, white crests arise,
In the tides, life's fate lies.
Ancient texts record that the jiao is a divine creature of the waters, capable of commanding fish to fly. When in water, it retains its divine nature; when out of water, it loses its divinity.
In the Village of Chen, there was a fisherman who, upon hearing Sun Wukong's tale of dismantling the Linggan Temple, learned of a jiao that could command the fish in the river. Inspired, the fisherman wished to acquire the jiao's skills, hoping to make the fish leap into his nets, thus saving everyone much labor.
One day, while out fishing, dark clouds gathered in the sky. Soon a fierce storm erupted, unleashing torrential rain and violent waves. His fishing boat was overturned by the waves, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.
By a stroke of fate, as he sank to the riverbed, he encountered the jiao deity patrolling the river and was saved. The fisherman pleaded earnestly for the deity to teach him some skills. Moved by his compassion, the jiao deity taught him some practices of water beings.
Several days passed without the fisherman's return; everyone assumed he had drowned in the storm. They prepared a simple coffin and planned to erect a cenotaph in his memory.
On the day of the funeral, a downpour ensued, and a large jiao emerged from the river. It swept its long tail, bringing many fish ashore. The villagers rushed to the riverbank and saw the jiao transform into the fisherman, walking out of the river. They were both astonished and overjoyed.
However, after returning home, the fisherman soon felt his spirit weary and only regained his vitality when he returned to the water. It was then that everyone realized he could no longer live on land.
Indeed, a few days later, the fisherman leaped into the waves and disappeared into the water, never to be seen again.
The jiao is a divine water creature that can command fish to leap and even fly. Ancient records say the jiao keeps its divine powers while in the water but loses that divinity when it leaves the water.
In the Village of Chen a fisherman heard a story about Sun Wukong tearing down the Linggan Temple and learned that a jiao could make fish jump into nets. Hoping to spare himself and his neighbors hard work, he wanted the jiao’s skill so fish would come to him instead of having to catch them the usual way.
While he was out fishing, a violent storm capsized his boat and he sank. On the riverbed he met a jiao deity who was patrolling the waters. The jiao saved him and, moved by the fisherman’s pleading, taught him some of the ways or practices of water beings.
People in the village assumed the fisherman had drowned and prepared a simple coffin and a cenotaph. On the day of the funeral a heavy rain came and a large jiao rose from the river, sweeping its tail and driving many fish ashore. The villagers were stunned to see that the jiao then transformed into the fisherman and he walked out of the water, alive.
After he returned home the fisherman found he felt weak and listless on land and only recovered his strength when he went back into the water. Everyone realized he could no longer live outside the river. A few days later he plunged into the waves and vanished into the water, never to be seen again.