Yu Shi () is a Chinese spirit or god of rain, also known as or conflated with Red Pine ( Chisong, 赤松, or Chisongzi – Master Red Pine),[ 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"] among other names. 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
Leigong, the god of thunder.
[Yang, 242] 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"
[ and "Yuan You".][ 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."] His consort is Yu Shiqie ().[ 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."]
As Chisongzi
According to certain versions, a certain Chisongzi () 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.[Christie, 75]
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.[Christie, 75]
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.[Yang, 242]
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.[Yang, 243]
See also
Notes
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Christie, Anthony (1968). Chinese Mythology. Feltham: Hamlyn Publishing. .
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Yang, Lihui, et al. (2005). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press.
