Heluo Fish

Ten-Bodied Fish

Fish with one head and ten bodies, barking like a dog; eating it was said to cure ulcers.

The Heluo fish of Qiaoming River has one head and ten bodies, and it barks like a dog. The Shanhaijing records that eating it cures swellings — a small medicinal note inside an impossible form, typical of the text’s blend of zoology, wonder and prescription.