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

Overview

Within a chapter about the Queen of Heaven’s protection of seafarers, Wilhelm and Martens describe two enormous fish called fish-dragons. They play by spouting water at one another until the spray hides the sun and leaves the sea in darkness. A bright opening may remain visible in the distance; the account says that a ship passing through it emerges into calm water, having travelled directly beneath their jaws.

The fish-dragons remain associated with danger: their swimming signals a nearby storm, and sailors fear being drawn into the depths. The text describes burning offerings and a ritual involving the wooden wand kept before the goddess’s cabin image. Following that ritual, the dragons draw in their tails and disappear. These are historical descriptions of the tale’s religious practices, not practical instructions for navigating a storm.

The passage gives the beings a fish identity and immense scale, but supplies no species name, horns, wings or human transformation. They are distinct from the goddess herself and from the other dragons in this collection. The surrounding narrative presents maritime rescues attributed to the Holy Mother; it does not identify these two fish as the cause of every storm or of the later Black Whirlpool episode.

Two enormous fish spout water at one anotherShips pass beneath their jawsWithdraw their tails and disappear
01

Origins & earliest records

Chinese tales mediated by Richard Wilhelm and Frederick H. Martens

02

Records & interpretation

Complete tale and its attached source note read in the retained1921-edition transcription.

Selected bibliography

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

  1. 01

    The Chinese Fairy Book

    Richard Wilhelm, editor; Frederick H. Martens, translator · 1921

    XXII, The Queen of Heaven, pp.58–61; fish-dragon passage p.59; New York, Frederick A. Stokes Company

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

Complete historical translated account

Richard Wilhelm/Frederick H. Martens, The Chinese Fairy Book (Stokes1921)

The Gods. XXII, The Queen of Heaven, pp.58–61; fish-dragon passage p.59

Complete chapter and attached note read in wilhelm-XXII.txt and29939.html. Sacred narrative context retained; historical interpretation and ritual descriptions not modern factual or practical advice.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

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

  1. Historical translated taleWilhelm/Martens, The Chinese Fairy Book, The Queen of Heaven, pp.58–61; fish-dragon passage p.59Research access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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

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