When Mythology Turns Into Monster Cuisine

This video dives headfirst into one of the strangest, funniest corners of mythology:

What happens when monsters aren’t just enemies… but menu items?

We’re talking about the legendary Chinese text Shan Hai Jing (山海經) — The Classic of Mountains and Seas, a 2,000-year-old collection of geography, folklore, strange lands, gods, and an absolutely unhinged number of creatures. Some are terrifying. Some are bizarre. And a surprising number come with notes that basically say:

“If you eat this, something happens.”

It’s like an ancient fantasy bestiary crossed with a supernatural health guide.

📖 The 

Shan Hai Jing

: Myth, Map… and Monster Nutrition?

This classic doesn’t just describe where mountains and rivers are. It catalogs hybrid beasts, spirit animals, and divine oddities — and often includes the effects of consuming them.

To ancient mythmakers, creatures weren’t just dangers. They were sources of power, medicine, protection, and transformation.

Basically:

Early mythology understood “you are what you eat” on a legendary level.

🐲 Mythical Chinese Creatures With “Buff Effects”

Here’s where it gets deliciously weird.

🦊 

Nine-Tailed Fox (九尾狐)

Image: White nine-tailed fox sits on a rocky cliff above misty mountains. Gold jewelry with red ribbons and green pendant. Flowing tails glow golden with sparkles. Pines and blossoms frame sunrise haze.

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A famous spirit creature across East Asian lore. In early mythology, its meat was believed to protect against toxins and harmful influences. Elegant, magical… and apparently medicinal.

🐒 

Xingxing (狌狌)

Image: A monkey in ornate turquoise attire leaps midair, surrounded by two expressive men and another monkey in martial arts uniforms, set against a backdrop of traditional Chinese architecture and blossoming trees.

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An ape-like being that walks upright and understands human speech. Eating its meat was said to grant incredible speed. Ancient cardio supplement unlocked.

🐦 

Strange Medicinal Birds

Some birds in the text are described as having meat that could cure madness, fatigue, or throat ailments. Feels less like wildlife and more like a mythic pharmacy.

Image: A fantasy battle scene in misty mountains two armored archers in the foreground draw bows upward at a huge three-headed black raven midair. The bird’s wings are fully spread, beaks open as if screaming.

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🐟 

Human-Faced Fish Creatures

River beings with unsettling human-like features. Their meat was said to cure mental dullness or illness. Disturbing? Yes. On-brand for ancient mythology? Also yes.

Image: A dramatic fantasy sea monster rises from stormy waves four snarling fish-like heads with glowing orange eyes, scaled bodies, and wild flowing red fin-manes. Jagged cliffs and dark clouds surround crashing spray.

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🐍 

Hybrid Beasts of Fish, Bird, and Mammal

Multiple creatures in the Shan Hai Jing are part-this, part-that — and their meat is linked to curing vomiting, disease, or warding off misfortune. It reads like a fantasy RPG consumables list.

🎮 The Ancient Logic Feels… Weirdly Familiar

This is where things get personal — and hilarious.

Years ago, deep in my online RPG/MMORPG phase, I played a game where after defeating enemies, you could use a butchery skill. If the creature was the right type (not elementals, not human-type enemies — no cannibalism mechanics), you could carve meat and eat it to recover health. Not much. Maybe three HP per piece.

Then one day, my party took down a massive green dragon.

We were wrecked. No one wanted to stop and heal.

So what did we do?

We butchered the dragon and started eating on the spot.

That thing was so huge the entire party went from near-death to full health just from dragon steaks. For the next 25 minutes, the battlefield looked like a medieval fantasy picnic — warriors, mages, clerics, all crouched around this legendary beast, carving and chewing like it was an all-you-can-eat buffet.

And I completely lost it laughing. Because in that moment, it felt like we had accidentally recreated mythology logic:

Slay monster → eat monster → gain power.

Turns out, ancient stories and modern game mechanics share the same beautifully unhinged imagination.

🌍 Other Cultures Did Monster-Eating Too

China wasn’t alone in this mythic mindset.

⚔️ 

Norse Myth — Sigurd and the Dragon

The hero Sigurd slays the dragon Fafnir. After tasting its blood, he gains the ability to understand the speech of birds. Monster consumption = supernatural upgrade.

🦄 

European Lore — Unicorn as Medicine

Medieval belief held that parts of the unicorn — especially its horn — could neutralize poison. Magical creature → anti-toxin effect. Sound familiar?

🐍 

Greek Myth — Power From the Monstrous

Greek heroes often gained strength, protection, or status through interaction with monstrous beings, reinforcing the idea that the monstrous holds power — sometimes literally internalized.

🐯 More of My Work

If you enjoy mythology, strange history, fantasy, and cultural storytelling:

👉 johnnytiger.com – documentary, bio, and creative journey

👉 tigertactile.com – tactile and visual artwork exploring culture, myth, and human experience

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