Dogs in Ancient China!

I just wrote a research paper on dogs in ancient china and I thought that I would share some of the myths! Some are pretty funny.


Malayan Myth on the Domestication of Dogs (Not Chinese)

“From then on the Tsou began to have dogs and to hunt wild beasts with their help. In the beginning the dogs could speak and held conversation with the Tsou. But one day, early in the morning, having smelt the odour left by sexual intercourse during the night, the dogs made slanderous remarks about the people. These, therefore, did not wish to speak with the dogs any more. Somebody even gave them the water of yellow hemp to drink, wereupon the dogs lost the ability to speak”


Pan-Hu

An emperor, Kao-Hsin, who reigned 2435-2366 BC, went to war with the Chuan-jung, also know as the dog tribe. A very strong general named Wu led this tribe, and the emperor offered gold, land, and a marriage to his youngest daughter to whomever brought him Wu’s head. His pet dog, Pan-hu brought promptly returned with the general’s head. The Emperor was ecstatic but unsure if he should marry his daughter to a dog. His daughter, valuing her father’s promise, offered to marry the dog. Pan-hu carried his wife to Nan-Shan, an area devoid of humans, where they had twelve children in three years of marriage. Pan- hu died and his children married each other. The mother returned to her father, the Emperor. The emperor saw that the children were not suited for court life and allowed them to continue to live in the mountains.  Their descendants were known as barbarians, and were said to be “mentally cunning, but have a silly appearance”. 

The Shaka people have a variation of this story. In their version, the dog tried to stay under a bell for forty-nine days in order to become a human. However, the emperor interrupted him on the forty-eight day and found that the dog had become a man, but retained the head of a dog. The princess, ashamed, still married her dog-headed husband, and birthed the ancestors of the Shaka
 
Dogs and Agriculture

The dog is often thought to be closely related to Shang-ti, the God of Agriculture. There is a myth that dates back to the Shang dynasty that the gods kept domesticated animals. After a great flood swept across the human lands, the gods sent their animals down to bring rice to the people. Only the dog, of all the creatures, made it across the rough floodwaters. The rice it carried allowed the humans to begin again after the flood had desolated their land. This myth tied the dog to Shang-ti as a savior of agriculture. In fact, it is believed that Shang-ti was accompanied to the afterlife by his dog, who became the Hound of Heaven.

The Miao, Zhuan, Tujia, Buyi, Shui, Tibetan, Hani, and Gelao ethnic groups have a similar myth of a dog delivering grain to the people. In one story, an area of Sichuan province lived a lavish life with abundant grain. The gods grew mad at their lack of appreciation for the grains, and came to take them away. However, a dog bit onto the God’s clothing and cried out. The God was moved and gave some seeds to the dog. There are many other variations of this story in which the dog steals the grains back from heaven. Some ethnic groups, like the Miao, believe that the dog, who had nine tails, was caught by divine guards and had eight tails cut off. He returned with grain stuck to his remaining tail and delivered it to the humans

Tiangou- The Celestial Dog

Tiangou, the Celestial Dog, was believed to causes eclipses by trying to swallow the moon. Eclipses were terrifying for ancient people, so they made a lot of noise and fired arrows in order to drive him off and end the eclipse. This dog also steals the children of women born during the Zodiac Year of the Dog or born between 7 pm and 9 pm, as these are the times associated with the dog. In order to ward off Tiangou, women believed that they must place an image over their bed of Chang Hsien shooting a dog with a bow and arrow.

Some stories portray Tiangou as the dog of Erh Lang (although some stories call his dog Xiao Tiangou- "Howling Celestial Dog"). Erh Lang0 meaning second son, is the son of the Jade emperor. He is both a historical and legendary figure. Together with his dog, he defeated a dragon to stop the seasonal flooding during the Warring States period (historically, I think he just closed the irrigation damns). They also defeated a monkey causing havoc in Heaven (Tiangou bit his leg!). Erh Lang has a shrine and is known as the protector of dogs- you can offer a miniature statue of your sick dog to his shrine and he will heal them.

Dogs and Demons

 It was believed that, in order to cross an area filled with spirits, one should “make pellets from dog excrement and carry them when passing through. Throw them at the spirit when it appears, and it will not injure people”.

There were also Shen Kou, or spirit dogs, “who enter[ed] people's homes at night, seizing the husbands and sporting with the women” (Harper, p. 497).

Dog Divinations

Dog behaviour was also used to predict the future. Here are some highlights from the divination bones of the Dangshou manuscripts:

5. “Those who hear a dog howl should not go out for three years (or) family ruin and deaths will inevitably follow.”

9. “If a dog urinates against someone's door,18 within three days there will be reason for congratulations”

12. “If a dog urinates on someones clothes there will be enmity and hatred; husband and wife will have to part. “

13. “Destroy it; cut off its head and hang it over the entrance (then it will be safe) to go out.”

“If a dog howls on the ceremonial platform, it bodes ill for the eldest son” - Don't let Ellie or Theo howl on our ceremonial platform!

Loving your dog in Ancient times

Emperor Ling Ti (168- AD) of the Han dynasty gave the highest literary rank to his dog and an official hat and belt – “He kept in his Western Garden at Lo Yang (Honanfu) a dog of which he was extremely fond, and to this animal he gave the official hat of the Chin Hsien grade the most important literary rank of the period as well as an official belt. " The hat was 8 3/4 inches high in front, 3 3/4 inches high behind, and 10 inches broad." 

He also gave titles to the rest of his dogs!

Now you know way more about Chinese dog myths than you ever wanted to know!