Yu Shi (
traditional Chinese: 雨師;
simplified Chinese: 雨师;
pinyin: Yǔ Shī; "Master of Rain") is a Chinese spirit or god of rain, also known as or conflated with Red Pine (Chisong, 赤松, or Chisongzi – Master Red Pine),[1] among other names.[a] Translations of Yu Shi into English include "Lord of Rain" and "Leader of Rain".
As Yu Shi
Yu Shi in
Chinese folk religion and
Chinese mythology generally appears in association with
Feng Bo, the god of the wind; and
Lei Gong, the god of thunder.[5] There are both current religious activities and historical mythical stories associated with Yu Shi. Various references in poetry and popular culture also exist, for example in the Chu ci poems "
Tian Wen"[2][3] and "
Yuan You".[6] His consort is
Yu Shiqie (雨师妾; 雨師妾; 'Rain Master Concubine').[7]
As Chisongzi
According to certain versions, a certain Chisongzi (
Chinese: 赤松子;
pinyin: Chì-Sōng-Zǐ;
Wade–Giles: Ch'ih-sung-tzu; "Master Red Pine") during the reign of
Shennong ended a severe drought by sprinkling water from an earthen bowl and was rewarded by being made the Lord of Rain with a dwelling on the
mythical Kunlun Mountain.[8]
In another form, Chi Songzi is depicted as a chrysalis of a silkworm who has a concubine whose face is black, holds a snake in each hand, and has a red snake coming out of one ear and a green snake coming out of the other.[9]
Yu Shi is worshiped by
Han Chinese,
Maonan people, and other people in modern southwest China as an important rain god with ritual prayer ceremonies performed to entreat for rain.[11]
^
abElegies of Chu "
Questions to Heaven" quote: "蓱號起雨,何以興之?" translation based on Mair (1994): "The pluvial sprite cries out for rain to start falling; How does he bring it about? "
^Elegies of Chu, "Far Roaming" quote: "左雨師使徑侍兮,右雷公以為衛。" translation: "On the left, the Rain Master is employed to serve me on my path; on the right, the Thunder Duke is hired as my bodyguard."
^Classic of Mountains and Seas,
"Beyond the Seas - East"; quote: "雨師妾在其北,其為人黑,兩手各操一蛇,左耳有青蛇,右耳有赤蛇。一曰在十日北,為人黑身人面,各操一龜。" translation: "The Rain Master's Concubine is to the north of [the
Fusang tree (扶桑) and the Hot-Water Dale (湯谷)]; her body is black, each of her two hands holds a snake; on her left ear is a green snake, and on her right ear a red snake. Another says that to the north of the ten suns there is a black-bodied, human-faced person whose each [hand] holds a turtle."