The Ten Walking Beasts Above Palace Roofs

This week, we’re exploring The Ten Walking Beasts: 十大走兽 (Shí Dà Zǒu Shòu).

I mentioned them when I was writing about the dragon’s nine sons—the fifth son, the dragon-lion is among the Ten Walking Beasts.

What started out as a practical way to cover nails transformed over time into legends and guardians. And for an ancient tale to make an impact that lasts through the millennia, of course it’s once again dark and bloody.

Read the full article on my Substack: The Ten Walking Beasts of Chinese Architecture

The tenth figure of the Ten Walking Beasts is modeled after Lei Zhengzi, a character in Investiture of the Gods. This brings me back full circle. The whole reason why I started Substack was because I wanted to do a full translation of Investiture of the Gods. I thought publishing it on Substack chapter by chapter might be a good way to go about it. Then I realized that if I committed to this project, then I would either not have time to finish my other novels, or it would become a project that lasts years, if not decades. Yes, it’s a long, long book, albeit an important one that set up the foundation of the Chinese mythological pantheon.

So, as much as I enjoyed translating the beginning of Investiture, I thought I should prioritize creating new stories over improving the translation of an amazing work. Still, the idea of Substack stuck with me. So now I’m using it as a vehicle to continue my study of Chinese mythology and history, which I incorporate into my own stories.

I had planned to explore chronologically, from the creation of the universe with the birth of Pangu on to prehistoric clans, then the beginning of dynasties. Instead, after Nuwa, I started to explore related topics, from the Ao turtle that Nuwa used to create columns to hold up the sky, to the Nine Sons of the Dragon, which then brought us to the Ten Walking Beasts. But with Lei Zhengzi’s representation making up the tenth beast, we are now linked back to Investiture of the Gods!

I think from here on I’ll start posting the poem that Investiture begins with. The poem that covers the entire history from Pangu’s birth to the end of the first dynasty. As I post my translation of the poem line by line, we will move through time and further explore the prehistoric clans followed by the birth and fall of Shang.

So many discoveries, turmoil, defining changes in civilization. I find it exciting. Hopefully, through this blog and Substack newsletter, I’ll find others who are also fascinated by the era where myths and history intermingled.