Abstract:
HAN Yu (768-824), a well-known litterateur, drove away crocodiles in Chaozhou, which was recorded both in
Old History of Tang Dynasty and
New Old History of Tang Dynasty. The driving tinged with supernatural elements, leading some scholars to criticize the litterateur for fabricating stories and deceiving the world. In reality, he did not engage in any sacrificial rituals or repelling crocodiles. These accounts were fabricated by the authors of
Old History of Tang Dynasty and
New History of Tang Dynasty based on anecdotes from
Xuanshi Zhi (
Records of Xuanshi), which is a collection of legendary novels from the Tang Dynasty. Additionally, HAN himself once wrote a playful piece titled
On Crocodiles, which many mistakenly took to be a genuine sacrificial text or proclamation. Consequently, the mistake gave rise to various misunderstandings.