Yayu[a] is a fantastical beast in the Classic of Mountains and Seas,[b] where it is mentioned in the same chapter as the Huoniao. Souyou is described as a man-eating beast living in the Ruo River,[c] west of Hsing-Hsing and a roosting spot for the Fenghuang. It has a serpentine, leopard, lion, or tiger-like body and the face of a man, though in some cases it is said to have a dragon's head. It chiefly eats officials and ministers.[1]
Design
The design of Souyou is based on that in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, though the leopard elements of the body are largely left out in favour of more draconic features.
Origin: China A man-eating beast living on Mt. Shaoxian. Its cry is similar to a baby's, and it eats humans that are lured to its sound. It has a red body resembling a cow, a human head, and a horse's legs.