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Hairen

Last reviewed Oct 25, 2026 Next review Nov 9, 2026

Painted illustration: webbed humanoid sea figure on a rocky shore, ink wash painting — AI rendition based on witness descriptions, not an actual photo.

A kaijin, a Japanese 'sea man', drawn in the Nagasaki bunkenroku, a book of Nagasaki observations from 1800. — A kaijin, a Japanese 'sea man', drawn in the Nagasaki bunkenroku, a book of Nagasaki observations from 1800 · Hirokawa Kai 広川獬 · Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons) · Image source

A 'sea-human' of Chinese lore with webbed hands and feet.

Folklore Verdict: We treat Hairen as folklore: the record is stories and local reports, with no specimen or verified photo.

Region: Oceans · China / Europe
First reports: Chinese texts authored by Europeans

Key sightings

One was said to have been captured in Holland.

Best evidence

Stories and tradition only; no physical evidence.

Sources

Wikipedia: Hairen ↗