Jiao of Mount Yu

Overview

Jiao is a dog-shaped beast from Mount Yu, the mountain also associated with the Queen Mother of the West in the third western itinerary of the Shanhaijing. It has leopard-like markings, ox-like horns, and a bark resembling that of a dog. Its appearance forecasts great abundance or a plentiful harvest in the state. The text’s horn comparison has a recorded alternative reading, which cautions against fixing every illustration to a single horn shape.

The attached commentary mentions a later captured beast with a similar name but explicitly doubts that it was this creature. That doubt should be preserved rather than converted into proof of a historical specimen. Jiao’s favourable harvest sign contrasts with Shengyu, the red fish-eating bird in the same mountain entry whose appearance signals flooding. Neither omen establishes that the creature deliberately produces the predicted event.

Origins & earliest records

China; Shanhaijing western mountain itineraries

Records & interpretation

Directly read named primary-text transcription; historical illustration not yet assigned.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Shanhaijing, Western Mountains

   Anonymous received text; Guo Pu commentary in this witness

   Third western itinerary; Mount Yu

Family & connections

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Primary records and illustrations

References

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1. Primary text transcriptionShanhaijing: Western Mountains, received text and commentaryResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.