Gun (huge fish) - in ancient Chinese mythology, a hero who fought the flood, the son of the ruler Zhuan-xu. It is possible that this image arose among the tribes who lived in Eastern China, in the Yangtze basin and revered various water creatures as totems. Gun's activities are localized mainly in the area of modern Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces. According to legend, after Gun's death, his corpse did not decompose for three years, then the son Yu came out of Gun's torn womb and continued the fight against the flood. According to another version, Gun married the girl Nyu-si, who then mysteriously conceived and gave birth to Yu. Another version of the myth says that after the execution, Gun turned into a three-legged turtle (a bear or a yellow dragon) and plunged into the abyss.
The Supreme Emperor Huang Di did not like people and caused one flood after another. Of all the gods, only Gun, the grandson of Huang Di, pitied people. He decided to fight the flood himself and save the people from disaster. He descended to the ground and saw that this was a very difficult matter - he couldn’t handle it alone. Gun thought: “What should I do?” His face was sad. At this time he met an owl and a black turtle. They found out why Gun was sad and said:
— Calming a flood is not difficult.
- But how to do this? - Gun asked.
“In the Heavenly Palace there is a Sizhan treasure - a piece of land that can increase indefinitely. It is worth throwing a small piece of sizhan, and dams and even mountains immediately grow in this place. Can you steal this jewel?
“Yes,” Gun answered, “I’m ready to do it.”
The great jewel was kept by the heavenly ruler in a secret and inaccessible place, guarded by fierce spirits. But Gun, who sought to save the people from disasters, managed to get sizhans.
He descended to earth again and began building dams. People who lived in the treetops came down from their nests, and those who were fleeing in the mountains came out of caves. People were preparing to plant rice and sow wheat and millet.
But at this time the Supreme Lord learned that his own grandson had stolen a great jewel. He sent the god of fire Zhu-zhong to earth to return the sizhans and execute the disobedient one. Tired of work, Gun could not resist the envoy of Huang Di. Zhurong took the great jewel and led Gun to the top of Bird Feather Mountain to execute him.
Gun walked obediently and grieved, but not about the approaching end of his earthly life, but about the fact that his deeds were not completed and his intention to help people did not come true.
The great dam builder had such a big heart, full of love for people, that his soul remained in him after his execution. For three years Gunya’s body lay on the top of the mountain without crumbling into dust. The Supreme Overlord found out about this. He was afraid that Gun would turn into a werewolf and begin to fight him. He sent one of the gods, armed with the magic sword Udao, to cut Gun's body into pieces. But as soon as the sword ripped open Gunya’s stomach, a dragon flew out of him, with two sharp horns growing on his head!
For three years, Gun's soul, which did not leave his heart, raised a new life in his body - the son Yu. He had to continue the work that his father did not have time to complete.
Huang Di was surprised at the miraculous birth of Yu. He thought: “Indeed, a good heart does not die. I shouldn’t have punished Gunya so severely.” Therefore, when Yu came to the Supreme Lord and began to ask for sizhan, he gave it up and ordered him to go down to earth to pacify the flood. And he gave the dragon Yinglong to help.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru