Rupi fish, vessel-shaped creature with a bird head and fish tail, Qing Shanhaijing painted manuscript
Historical manuscript illustration

Rupi fish, vessel-shaped creature with a bird head and fish tail, Qing Shanhaijing painted manuscript

Anonymous Qing-period artist; Shanhaijing tu, 1644–1911; National Central Library, Taiwan, NCL-08481 · Public domain · Image source

The caption describes a vessel-shaped Rupi with a bird’s head, fish wings and tail, a chime-like voice, and the production of pearls and jade in the Lan River. The large rounded body and small bird head are the Qing artist’s interpretation.

Overview

Rupi fish lives in the Lan River flowing west from Mount Bird-and-Mouse Shared Hole into the Han River. Its shape resembles an overturned vessel, with a bird’s head and fish fins and tail. Its voice is compared to the sound of a stone chime. It produces pearls and jade.

The precious products and resonant sound belong to this specific aquatic notice. Another fish in the mountain’s eastern-flowing waters is associated with warfare, making the two waterways and their inhabitants separate parts of the account. The supplied body shape is vessel-like rather than a standard carp form.

Inverted-vessel shapeBird headFish fins and tailChiming-stone voiceProduces pearls and jade
01

Origins & earliest records

China; Shanhaijing Western Mountains

02

Records & interpretation

Specific named received-primary passage directly read; historical illustration matching remains separate.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    Shanhaijing, Western Mountains

    Anonymous received text

    Fourth western itinerary; Mount Bird-and-Mouse Shared Hole and Lan River

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

Direct primary record

Shanhaijing

Western Mountains. Fourth western itinerary; Mount Bird-and-Mouse Shared Hole and Lan River

Specific named received text directly read: 𩶯魮. Historical image not yet assigned.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary text transcriptionShanhaijing Western Mountains received primary textResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

Historical manuscript illustration

Rupi fish, vessel-shaped creature with a bird head and fish tail, Qing Shanhaijing painted manuscript

Anonymous Qing-period artist; Shanhaijing tu, 1644–1911; National Central Library, Taiwan, NCL-08481 · Public domain · Image source

The caption describes a vessel-shaped Rupi with a bird’s head, fish wings and tail, a chime-like voice, and the production of pearls and jade in the Lan River. The large rounded body and small bird head are the Qing artist’s interpretation.

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