The Demon Chained under Turtle Mountain, von Paul Andersen

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The book bocuses on the splendid and very popular, yet hitherto unidentified Chinese castiron statue of a squatting, monkeylike demon, found in the Musem für Ostasiatische Kunst in Berlin. It demonstrates that most likely the statue was cast in 1101, in a group of at least four identical exemplars, and that it represents the figure of Wuzhiqi, the spirit of the rivers Huai and Guo (which join forces in the north of Anhui province). The earliest extensive account of the legend of Wuzhiqi, the literary language tale by Li Gongzuo (c. 770-c. 848), is translated in full, with text-critical notes and a reproduction of the Chinese text. Based on a vast array of further primary sources, including local histories and inscriptions on stones dating from the Ming through the Qing dynasties - as well as on his field-work in the region - the author goes on to explore the cult of this demon and to show its relation to the mythology of the Great Yu, the legendary controller of the flood and founder of Chinese statehood. He demonstrates that the statue of Wuzhiqi is associated with the Taoist ritual dances reffered to as the Paces of Yu, and that it belongs in the context of objects cast from metal - such as iron-pagodas and iron statues of animal spirits thought to be capable of controlling the waters - that for centuries have been placed on the banks of rivers throughout China. The book is richly illustrated with photos from the region taken by the author, as well as with reproductions of objects of art and drawings found in ancient texts.