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The Namazu, also called the Onamazu, is a creature in Japanese mythology and folktales. The Namazu is a gigantic catfish said to cause earthquakes and tremors. Living in the mud under the Japanese isles, the Namazu is guarded by the protector god Kashima, who restrains the catfish using the <i>kaname-ishi</i> rock. Whenever Kashima lets his guard down, Namazu thrashes about and causes violent earthquakes.<br/><br/> The Namazu rose to new fame and popularity after the Ansei great earthquakes that happened near Edo in 1855. This led to the Namazu being worshipped as a god of world rectification (<i>yonaoshi daimyojin</i>), sent by the gods to correct some of the imbalances in the world.<br/><br/> Catfish woodblock prints known as <i>namazu-e</i> became their own popular genre within days of the earthquake. They were usually unsigned and often depicted scenes of a namazu or many namazu atoning for their deeds. They were quickly squashed by the Tokugawa Shogunate, the prints censored and destroyed, with only a handful surviving to this day.
Chi Jingzi was a fire god and a character in the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi'. Chi Jingzi represents the idea of spiritual fire, and according to some myths and tradition, it was Chi Jingzi who introduced fire to man by discovering how it could be made from the wood of a mulberry tree.
Luo Xuan was a character from the classic Ming Dynasty novel 'Fengshen Yanyi', and was one of the chinese gods of fire. Also known as Huo De Xing Zhun, the Stellar Sovereign of Fire, Luo Xuan served in the heavenly Ministry of Fire, with a red face, red hair and beard, and red robes. He was also said to have had three eyes, and rode a horse that could shoot flames from its nostrils and hoofs.<br/><br/> Luo Xuan came down from the heavens to fight Emperor Zhou of Shang, due to his tyranny, transforming into a giant with three heads and six arms. However, as he descended onto the battlefield, his flames spread rapidly, threatening to burn everything down. Only the intervention of Princess Longxi, daughter of the Queen Mother of the West Xiwangmu, stopped the fire from consuming everything, her magical water and rain powers putting the fire out.<br/><br/> Luo Xuan immediately fled from the battlefield for the mountains, but he was intercepted and stopped by Heavenly King Li, who dropped his pagoda on Luo Xuan and broke his skull.
In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a snake that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses. He is depicted in art as a dragon with no body riding a chariot drawn by eight black horses. Rahu is one of the navagrahas (nine planets) in Vedic astrology. The Rahu kala (time of day under the influence of Rahu) is considered inauspicious.<br/><br/> According to legend, during the Samudra manthan, the asura Rahu drank some of the divine nectar. But before the nectar could pass his throat, Mohini (the female avatar of Vishnu) cut off his head. The head, however, remained immortal. It is believed that this immortal head occasionally swallows the sun or the moon, causing eclipses. Then, the sun or moon passes through the opening at the neck, ending the eclipse.<br/><br/> Astronomically (as per Hindu Astrology), Rahu and Ketu denote the two points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they move around the celestial sphere. Therefore, Rahu and Ketu are respectively called the north and the south lunar nodes. The fact that eclipses occur when Sun and Moon are at one of these points gives rise to the myth of the swallowing of the Sun.<br/><br/> Rahu is a legendary master of deception who signifies cheaters, pleasure seekers, operators in foreign lands, drug dealers, poison dealers, insincere and immoral acts, etc. It is the significator of an irreligious person, an outcast, harsh speech, logical fallacy, falsehoods, uncleanliness, abdominal ulcers, bones, and transmigration. Rahu is instrumental in strengthening one's power and converting even an enemy into a friend. In Buddhism Rahu is one of the krodhadevatas (terror-inspiring gods).