Huoshu
Japanese Kaso (fire mouse) representation in Terajima Ryoan’s Wakan Sansai Zue,1712; later Japanese encyclopedia interpretation of the Chinese Huoshu tradition. Printed woodcut shows a rodent among flames, not a zoological photograph.
Overview
Huoshu is the fire mouse in the Southern Wilderness section of the Shenyi jing. It lives among perpetually burning wood, has a vastly exaggerated weight, and bears long hair fine as silk. Within the fire it appears red; when it comes outside its hair becomes white. Water kills it, reversing the expected relation between an animal and flames.
The account says that its hair can be spun and woven into cloth. When the fabric becomes dirty, burning cleans it. A later nearby passage explicitly names fire mice as inhabitants of a fiery mountain. These are literary accounts of a creature and a remarkable textile, not proof that an actual mouse tolerates combustion. A historical explanation involving mineral fibres would require separate evidence; this profile does not silently identify the creature with asbestos.
Origins & earliest records
China; Shenyi jing received text
Records & interpretation
Directly read named primary-text passage. Hosted introductory discussion disputes attribution to Dongfang Shuo; no secure Han composition date asserted.
Selected bibliography
Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.
- 01
Shenyi jing
Southern Wilderness; burning wood and fire-mouse passages; received text and displayed notes distinguished.
Family & connections
A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.
Primary records and illustrations
Shenyi jing
Southern Wilderness. Southern Wilderness; burning wood and fire-mouse passages
Directly read received-text transcription. Identifying passage: 不盡木火中有鼠，重千斤，毛長二尺餘，細如絲。 Traditional author attribution disputed; no historical scan or illustration assigned.
References
Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.
- Primary-text transcriptionShenyi jing: Southern Wilderness; burning wood and fire-mouse passagesResearch access: 2026-10-05
Image credits
Historical illustrationHuoshu
Japanese Kaso (fire mouse) representation in Terajima Ryoan’s Wakan Sansai Zue,1712; later Japanese encyclopedia interpretation of the Chinese Huoshu tradition. Printed woodcut shows a rodent among flames, not a zoological photograph.