Yu Shi () is a Chinese spirit or god of rain, also known as or conflated with Red Pine (Chisong, , or Chisongzi – Master Red Pine),Soushen Ji vol. 1-10 p. 9 of 203 quote: translation: "Master Red Pine was Rain-Leader during the Divine Farmer's time" among other names. Translations of Yu Shi into English include "Lord of Rain" and "Leader of Rain".
As Yu Shi Yu Shi in Chinese folk religion and Chinese mythology generally appears in association with Feng Bo, the god of the wind; and Lei Gong, the god of thunder.Yang, 242 There are both current religious activities and historical mythical stories associated with Yu Shi. Various references in poetry and popular culture also exist, for example in the Chu ci poems "Tian Wen" and "Yuan You".Elegies of Chu, "Far Roaming" quote: " translation: "On the left, the Rain Master is employed to serve me on my path; on the right, the Thunder Duke is hired as my bodyguard." His consort is Yu Shiqie ().Classic of Mountains and Seas, "Beyond the Seas - East"; quote: translation: "The Rain Master's Concubine is to the north of [the Fusang tree () and the Hot-Water Dale ()]; her body is black, each of her two hands holds a snake; on her left ear is a green snake, and on her right ear a red snake. Another says that to the north of the ten suns there is a black-bodied, human-faced person whose each [hand] holds a turtle."
As Chisongzi
According to certain versions, a certain Chisongzi () during the reign of Shennong ended a severe drought by sprinkling water from an earthen bowl and was rewarded by being made the Lord of Rain with a dwelling on the mythical Kunlun Mountain.Christie, 75
In another form, Chi Songzi is depicted as a chrysalis of a silkworm who has a concubine whose face is black, holds a snake in each hand, and has a red snake coming out of one ear and a green snake coming out of the other.Christie, 75
Historical myths Yu Shi (together with Feng Bo) is said to have aided Chiyou in his struggle against the Yellow Emperor during the Battle of Zhuolu, but was defeated by the intervention of the drought goddess Ba.Yang, 242
Current Yu Shi is worshiped by Han Chinese, Maonan people, and other people in modern southwest China as an important rain god with ritual prayer ceremonies performed to entreat for rain.Yang, 243
See also Meng Haoran Shangyang (rainbird), a mythical one-legged bird Wong Tai Sin Yinglong
Notes
References
References Christie, Anthony (1968). Chinese Mythology. Feltham: Hamlyn Publishing. . Yang, Lihui, et al. (2005). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press.