Ao (鳌)

Ao (traditional Chinese: 鰲; simplified Chinese: 鳌; pinyin: áo; Old Chinese (ZS): ŋaːw) is a mythical giant sea turtle in Chinese folklore. According to legend, Ao lived in the South China Sea during the early days of the world’s creation. When the goddess Nüwa—creator of humanity—repaired the sky after a catastrophic event, she severed Ao’s four legs and used them as pillars to support the heavens.

In another version of the myth, Ao is said to still be alive, dwelling in the Bohai Sea. There, he carries on his back the three sacred islands of the Eight Immortals: Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou.

Ao is believed to have influenced the later mythological figure Bixi—a creature with the body of a turtle and the head of a dragon, commonly found in imperial Chinese sculpture. Bixi, regarded as a son of the Dragon King, was famed for his ability to bear immense weight. Statues of Bixi carrying stone stelae are widespread across East Asia.

While geographic names containing the word gui (龟, meaning “turtle”) are common throughout China—typically referencing turtle-shaped hills (gui shan)—place names invoking ao are more distinctive to China’s southeastern coastal regions, from Zhejiang to Guangdong. Examples include the Ao River (Aojiang) in southern Zhejiang, with the town of Aojiang situated on its northern bank, and the Liu’ao (“Six Ao”) Peninsula in southern Fujian.