Yuqiang (禹强) is a legendary figure known as the god of wind and sea, and is also said to be a plague god. He was also called “Yujian” (禹疆) or “Yujing” (禹京) and was the grandson of the Yellow Emperor (黄帝). When Yuqiang appeared as the god of wind, his appearance was both fearsome and awe-inspiring. He had the face of a human, the body of a bird, and two green serpents hanging from his ears, with the same two serpents winding around his feet. When he flapped his large wings, it created fierce hurricanes, strong enough to blow the leaves off trees and even uproot centuries-old trees. Moreover, the winds carried harmful bacteria and viruses, so anyone who was caught in the storm would fall ill, and in some cases, lose their lives.
In his guise as the sea god, Yuqiang took on a gentler, more benevolent appearance. His body resembled that of a fish, much like a sea bass or a whale, but with hands and feet. He rode upon two green dragons. This was because Yuqiang was originally a giant fish named “Kun” (鲲), living in the northern seas. The Kun was a whale of extraordinary size—so massive that its head could not be seen from its tail, which stretched thousands of miles. This giant fish possessed immense magical powers, and with a mere transformation, it could change into a giant bird known as “Peng” (鹏), often referred to as a phoenix. The wingspan of the Peng was so wide that its back measured several thousand miles. If the Peng ever landed on Earth, the entire region, spanning thousands of miles, would be reduced to ruins. When Yuqiang became angry, his wings would stretch across the sky like dark clouds, and anyone walking beneath its shadow would not reach the end of the day’s journey in a whole month.
Each winter, when the ocean tides shifted, Yuqiang migrated from the North Sea to the South Sea. In the North Sea, he appeared as the great fish, and in the South Sea, he transformed into the giant bird, changing from the sea god to the wind god. During the winter, the fierce, biting winds that carried snowstorms across the land were attributed to the flapping of Yuqiang’s wings. These winds were filled with harmful bacteria and viruses, leading to the common winter illnesses.
Yuqiang’s winds could create enormous waves, with a force so powerful that they could sweep away mountains. With a flap of his wings, he could soar to the clouds, traveling for half a year from the North Sea to the South Sea. The journey was so long that some wondered if he ever ate during his flight—perhaps hunting birds to stave off hunger.
At first, Yuqiang served as a minister to the Yellow Emperor and resided in the North Sea. However, he did not gain much recognition, as the Yellow Emperor had many capable ministers, and often, Yuqiang’s talents went unnoticed. Once, the Yellow Emperor assigned him a task to find a residence for the immortals. Though not a major task, Yuqiang performed it with great care, and the Yellow Emperor was pleased with his work. This encouraged Yuqiang, who thought that perhaps now he would finally gain the Yellow Emperor’s favor. However, the Yellow Emperor soon forgot about him again, which left Yuqiang feeling disappointed. As a result, he decided to wander the world, and by chance, he arrived at Shaohao’s bird kingdom.
In the bird kingdom, Yuqiang took the form of a giant bird, and his enormous size immediately attracted attention. Even a single feather of his was larger than the largest bird in the kingdom. The bird officials quickly reported this to Shaohao, and Zhuanxu happened to be there at the time. Zhuanxu was curious and insisted on seeing this mysterious giant bird. Upon meeting Yuqiang, Zhuanxu was surprised and asked shyly, “Are you Yuqiang?” Yuqiang was taken aback. Did his fame extend even to children? He happily nodded and replied, “Yes.” Zhuanxu introduced himself, “I am Zhuanxu.” It was then that Yuqiang realized he had encountered his nephew. He took a liking to Zhuanxu and often allowed him to ride on his back and fly together. They worked hand in hand, managing the affairs of the bird kingdom with great success.
When Zhuanxu returned to the northern lands, Yuqiang accompanied him. Together, they governed the vast snow-covered wilderness in the north, spanning about 12,000 miles. Although Yuqiang possessed great powers, it was only after meeting Zhuanxu that he found an opportunity to use his abilities, as he had long been in a position where his talents went unrecognized. Despite being Zhuanxu’s uncle, Yuqiang willingly served as his subordinate, helping him manage the country in gratitude for the recognition Zhuanxu had shown him.
During Zhuanxu’s reign, a water monster in the Yellow River caused great havoc, disturbing the nearby people and causing widespread unrest. Zhuanxu, having heard of this, initially sent others to subdue the water monster, but either the monster was too powerful or the people he sent were ineffective. Years passed, and the monster continued to wreak havoc. The people, suffering greatly, pleaded with Zhuanxu to take action. Zhuanxu, initially indifferent to the situation, could no longer ignore it and decided to confront the monster himself.
When Zhuanxu arrived at the Yellow River, he encountered the water monster, which seemed to understand Zhuanxu’s intent and glared at him with fierce eyes. The two fought fiercely for 81 days, with no clear victor. Realizing that they were both exhausting themselves, Zhuanxu retreated to the heavens and sought the help of Nüwa (女娲), the goddess. Nüwa provided him with the Heavenly King’s Sword and taught him how to use it. With this new weapon, Zhuanxu was able to defeat and slay the water monster, bringing peace to the people. The people were deeply grateful and respected him even more for his courage and wisdom.