South Sea Butterfly (aka Hundred Illusions Butterfly)
Physical Description:
A huge butterfly that still weighs about 80g after its massive wingspans are cut off
Lore:
It is said that sailors of South Sea had once encountered something as massive as a sail that fluttered by and hit the sails on their ship. They hit this thing with a heavy object and it fell down in a scattered form. The sailors took a take at it and found that it was a massive butterfly. They cut its wings and weighed it and found that it was about 80g. They consumed its meat and found it to be delicious.
Alternatively, it was said that it was a species of butterflies native to the Sea Market (as in half of the term for ‘ mirage’ in Chinese) and its shape was ever changing. Hence its other name- the Hundred Illusions Butterfly.
Wang Yu Fish (Wang Yu means Lord’s leftover) aka Wu’s Leftover
Physical Description:
A fish that has only half of its body intact from head to tail.
Lore:
According to legends, the Lord of the Wu region (around the Jiang Nan province in modern days) had only eaten half of a fish dish and discarded the leftovers into the waters, which then turned into the species of Wang Yu Fish.
There are stories of how when there is a leak in a pond, a Wang Yu Fish could not go with the flow of water and lay dying. Someone shone a mirror in front of it and seeing its own reflection in the mirror, the fish thought it was whole again (or there were two of them) and it was able to go along with the reflection.
Lu Shu
Physical Description:
A horse-like creature whose head is white, with tiger-like stripes on its body and a red tail.
Special Properties:
Its call is like folklore music. Wearing its skin improves fertility.
Qu
Physical Description:
A fish shaped like a cow, has a snake-like tail and wings growing under the ribs.
Special Properties:
Its call is that of yaks. Its meat is a preventative measure against boils.
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