The Flying Fish That Warned China of Disasters for 3,000 Years

In 2200 BCE, fishermen on the Wei River spotted silver scales shimmering—a fish with mandarin duck wings leaped from the water, crying like a human infant. Before they could react, torrential rain submerged the Guanzhong Plain. This isn’t Aquaman’s sea creature—it’s Luo Yu (蠃鱼), the most tragic 预警神兽 (disaster-warning beast) from Shan Hai Jing that embodies China’s ecological wisdom.

1. The "Fish-Bird Hybrid": A Mythical Weather Report

Western Mountains describes Luo Yu as a carp with mint-green scales and 渐变绯红 (gradient crimson) duck wings, its beak blending fish lips and avian curves. Proof? 6,000-year-old Banpo pottery depicts "fish-bird" motifs swirling above flood totems—likely Yangshao people’s memory of monsoon seasons. Unlike Western harpies (bird-women), Luo Yu mirrors Yellow River realities: fish body = water life, wings = migration, cries = thunderstorm warnings. It’s an ancient "weather app" in myth form, like Amazon tribes using birdcalls for flood alerts.

2. From Yu the Great’s "Water Monster" to Qu Yuan’s "Tearful Spirit": Luo Yu’s Sad Evolution

Lu Shi Chun Qiu says Yu the Great slew Luo Yu for "stirring floods," but Chu myths are kinder: Qu Yuan’s Tian Wen hints Luo Yu (蓱) is a rain spirit weeping over human suffering. This duality reflects China’s complex relationship with nature—fearing disasters, yet seeking to understand their "goodwill."

Han Dynasty roof tiles show Luo Yu 缠绕嘉禾 (wreathed in grain) with wings holding the Big Dipper—transforming it from "destroyer" to "rain regulator," similar to Maya’s feathered serpent. Shang Dynasty oracle bones even record "sacrificing to Luo Yu to stop rain," proving ancient coexistence wisdom.

3. Luo Yu’s Tears in the 21st Century: We Finally Heard the Warning

During the 2020 Poyang Lake flood, fishermen found a Ming Dynasty bronze Luo Yu statue in receding waters—engraved with "3-foot water rise = 1-foot wing lift," a primitive flood gauge. Modern hydrologists were stunned: ancestors used buoyancy in myths to mark danger lines.

At Dunhuang’s "Silk Road Beasts" digital exhibit, Luo Yu’s hologram flies over modern cities—wings gray over factories, red over wetlands. Designer: "We want to say Luo Yu’s cry isn’t a curse, but nature’s SOS."

The most touching moment? In 2023, Shaanxi’s Qiachuan Wetland rediscovered the "red-winged watercock" (Luo Yu’s real-life inspiration). Elders: "The flood prophet has returned."

Epilogue: Monsters Are Earth’s Love Letters

From Wei River floods to museum statues to endangered birds, Luo Yu’s journey is China’s dialogue with nature. It whispers: all disaster warnings are love letters—like realizing Luo Yu’s tears say, "Treat me gently."

Next time at Shaanxi History Museum, see the Warring States Luo Yu bronze mirror. It’s not a water monster, but an ancestral guide: Between taking and giving, save a pond for Luo Yu to rest. After all, a civilization that hears a beast’s cry understands 敬畏 (reverence).

Discussion：If Luo Yu could speak, what would it tell modern humans? "Protect wetlands" or "Reduce plastic"? Comment in Luo Yu’s voice!

(References: Shan Hai Jing·Western Mountains, Banpo archaeology, Yellow River Water God Beliefs; inspiration from Poyang Lake hydrology research)