Pulao (dragon)

Pulao (Chinese: 蒲かば牢ろう), known in some early sources also as tulao (徒と牢ろう), and Pu Lao, is a Chinese dragon, and one of the nine sons of the dragon. It is said in Chinese mythology that he likes to "roar", and therefore he is traditionally depicted on top of bells in China, and used as the hook by which the bells are hung.

Pulao appeared in Chinese literature already during the Tang dynasty. The Tang dynasty scholar Li Shan (李り善よし, 630–689), in his comments on Ban Gu's (32–92 AD) "Eastern Metropolis Rhapsody" (東都とうと賦ふ, Dong Du Fu), wrote:

海中かいちゅう有ゆう大だい魚さかな曰鯨，海邊うみべ又また有ゆう獸じゅう名めい蒲がま牢ろう，蒲かば牢ろう素もと畏かしこ鯨くじら，鯨くじら魚ぎょ擊げき蒲がま牢ろう，輒大鳴な。凡終欲ほっ令れい聲こえ大だい者しゃ，故こ作さく蒲がま牢ろう於上，所以ゆえん撞之者しゃ為ため鯨くじら魚ぎょ.^[1]
In the sea there is a big fish called whale, and on the shore there is a creature whose name is pulao. The pulao has always been afraid of the whale. Whenever the whale strikes [or attacks] him, pulao cries [or roars] loudly. Thus those who want to make a loud [bell] would put a pulao on top. Therefore the bell-striker would be made [in the shape of] a whale.^[2]

During the Ming dynasty, the pulao (in the form tulao) appeared in the influential list of fantastic creatures appearing in architecture and applied art, which was compiled by Lu Rong (1436-1494) in his Miscellaneous records from the bean garden (菽まめ園えん雜記ざっき, Shuyuan zaji).

徒と牢ろう，其形似に龍りゅう而小，性せい吼ほえ呌、有ゆう神力しんりき，故こ懸かか於鐘上じょう。
The tulao's form is like that of a dragon, but small. By its nature it likes to roar, and has supernatural strength. [They] used to hang bells [by the tulao]. ^[3]

Later on, the pulao, with similar descriptions, was integrated into various lists of the Nine Children of the Dragon compiled by later Ming dynasty authors such as Li Dongyang and Yang Shen.^[4]

Notes

^ Quote from Li Shan's text given in Yang Jingrong and Liu Zhixiong (2008)
^ In the article The Bell of the Bailin (Cypress Grove) Temple, the following English translation is offered: "There is the big fish called the whale in the sea and the animal called pulao at the seaside. The pulao is always afraid of the whale. Whenever the whale attacks the pulao, the latter roars. Whoever wishes to make a bell sonorous puts a pulao design on it. The striker is the whale."
^ Quote from Lu Rong's Shuyuan zaji, given in Yang Jingrong and Liu Zhixiong (2008)
^ Yang Jingrong and Liu Zhixiong (2008)

References

杨静荣 (Yang Jirong); 刘志雄ゆう (Liu Zhixiong) (2008). 龙的繁しげる衍与附会ふかい——龙生九きゅう子し [Dragon's derived and associated creatures: The nine children of the dragon]. 龙之源げん [The Origin of the Dragon)]. 中国ちゅうごく书店. ISBN 7-80663-551-3. (Section 1, Section 2, Section 3).

[1] Quote from Li Shan's text given in Yang Jingrong and Liu Zhixiong (2008)

[2] In the article The Bell of the Bailin (Cypress Grove) Temple, the following English translation is offered: "There is the big fish called the whale in the sea and the animal called pulao at the seaside. The pulao is always afraid of the whale. Whenever the whale attacks the pulao, the latter roars. Whoever wishes to make a bell sonorous puts a pulao design on it. The striker is the whale."

[3] Quote from Lu Rong's Shuyuan zaji, given in Yang Jingrong and Liu Zhixiong (2008)

[4] Yang Jingrong and Liu Zhixiong (2008)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]