Site mission

This site is for readers who want to understand Chinese mythology systematically: game players, culture readers, students and parents. You can follow the Heaven / Diyu / Shan Hai Jing structure, or look up a god, beast or myth directly. Each entry marks source layers and separates official histories, Daoist texts, Ming-Qing fiction and folk belief where possible.

Author

This site is Zhulongyin independently compiled and written by an ordinary Chinese mythology enthusiast. After years of reading the Shan Hai Jing, Soushen Ji, Journey to the West, Investiture of the Gods and Daoist texts, I became more convinced that Chinese mythology is vast and fascinating, but its materials are scattered, versions conflict, and many online summaries are either outdated or merge ancient myths, Daoist texts, fiction and folk belief into one blurry mass. So I wanted to do one thing: sort these gods, beasts, places and storieslayer by layer according to source, and turn them into a visual reference that can be searched, read and understood.

I am not a religious or academic professional, and this site does not represent any institution. It is a long-term personal compilation and sharing project. The content will be updated and corrected over time, and corrections are welcome.

Research method

The site follows this workflow to keep content accurate and traceable:

Identify the source before drawing conclusions

When writing about a deity or event, the site first states what kind of source is being used: classical text, Daoist scripture, fiction or oral tradition. If sources conflict, the article writes them separately instead of forcing one unified version.

Manually check facts

Drafts check deity names, pantheon relations and textual sources one by one. For Shan Hai Jing beasts, appearance and location are checked against the original text before expansion; unverified entries stay marked as pending.

Separate myth from modern adaptation

Images from games, film, television and web fiction are marked separately as modern adaptation or later development, not mixed with classical records.

Sources and layers

Common sources include, but are not limited to:

  • Classical texts: Shan Hai Jing, Huainanzi, Soushen Ji and related works.
  • Daoist classics: scriptures and ritual texts such as Gaoshang Yuhuang Benxing Jijng.
  • Fictional narratives: Ming-Qing novels such as Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods.
  • Folk belief and modern reference work: local deities, festival legends and modern indexes.

Each entry page marks its source-layer tags - ancient myth, Daoist pantheon, Buddhist fusion, fiction, folk belief and modern reference - so readers can judge the context of each claim.

Disclaimer

The site's content is compiled and rewritten from classical records and folk legends such as the Shan Hai Jing, Soushen Ji, Journey to the West and Investiture of the Gods, and is intended only forcultural explanation and general-interest reading, not religious promotionand does not represent the position of any religious or academic institution. Myths have many versions and variants. The site tries to present them by layer, but cannot guarantee every detail as absolutely accurate; corrections are welcome. Images are creative aids for understanding, not historical or religious likenesses.

Contact and Corrections

For corrections concerning sources, figure classification or source layers, email zh@mythzh.com. Please include a verifiable primary text, study or local reference where possible; each submission will be reviewed against the cited material.