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hebo yellow river god

Forgotten Gods Episode 5: Hebo, God of the Yellow River

Represented as fish-bodied guy with moustache riding a chariot pulled by two dragons through the clouds, Hebo was the God of Yellow River in ancient North China.

Many temples were erected in the name of this capricious and unpredictable God, that often trurned into a white Dragon.

The legendary archer Houyi shot his left eye and it is said that he helped Yu the Great getting rid of China’s Great Flood.

In ancient times, Yellow River’s unpredictable behaviour could mean prosperity or misery for the whole Chinese Civilization.

Therefore, goats, boars, ox, horses, precious jades, virgin girls and wizards were thrown into the river to ensure its benevolence.

The cult of Hebo survived for centuries even after the last human sacrifices were performed in Warring States Period, and contemporary ceremonies in his honour are still held in Henan, Shandong and Zhejiang.

Unfortunately, such ceremonies are rather symbolic, as no humans are sacrificed to Hebo. He must be hungry and furious…

What are you waiting for then? Make a move! Bring live animals and virgin/wizard friends! We must quench Hebo’s thirst for live creatures!!!

Interested in Forgotten Gods? Read our articles and watch our original videos:

Huitzilopochtli: the Aztec God demanding human sacrifice
Priapus: the Greco-Roman God of Fertility and Penis who loved Ass sacrifices
Moloch – The God of Child
Sacrifice
Forgotten Gods Episode 4: Rongo, Maori God

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