Myths and Legends of China
Confucius: Teacher and Philosopher
In Memoriam
Gladys Nina Chalmers Werner Page 7
The chief literary sources of Chinese myths are the Li tai shên hsien t’ung chien , in thirty-two volumes, the Shên hsien lieh chuan , in eight volumes, the Fêng shên yen i , in eight volumes, and the Sou shên chi , in ten volumes. In writing the following pages I have translated or paraphrased largely from these works. I have also consulted and at times quoted from the excellent volumes on Chinese Superstitions by Père Henri Doré, comprised in the valuable series Variétés Sinologiques , published by the Catholic Mission Press at Shanghai. The native works contained in the Ssŭ K’u Ch’üan Shu, one of the few public libraries in Peking, have proved useful for purposes of reference. My heartiest thanks are due to my good friend Mr Mu Hsüeh-hsün, a scholar of wide learning and generous disposition, for having kindly allowed me to use his very large and useful library of Chinese books. The late Dr G.E. Morrison also, until he sold it to a Japanese baron, was good enough to let me consult his extensive collection of foreign works relating to China whenever I wished, but owing to the fact that so very little work has been done in Chinese mythology by Western writers I found it better in dealing with this subject to go direct to the original Chinese texts. I am indebted to Professor H.A. Giles, and to his publishers, Messrs Kelly and Walsh, Shanghai, for permission to reprint from Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio the fox legends given in Chapter XV.
This is, so far as I know, the only monograph on Chinese mythology in any non-Chinese language. Nor do the native works include any scientific analysis or philosophical treatment of their myths. Page 8
My aim, after summarizing the sociology of the Chinese as a prerequisite to the understanding of their ideas and sentiments, and dealing as fully as possible, consistently with limitations of space (limitations which have necessitated the presentation of a very large and intricate topic in a highly compressed form), with the philosophy of the subject, has been to set forth in English dress those myths which may be regarded as the accredited representatives of Chinese mythology—those which live in the minds of the people and are referred to most frequently in their literature, not those which are merely diverting without being typical or instructive—in short, a true, not a distorted image.
E. T. C. Werner
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Preface
Contents
Illustrations
Chapter I
The Sociology of the Chinese
Racial Origin
Southern Origin Improbable
Expansion of Races from North to South
Arrival of the Chinese in China
The K’un-lun Mountains
Provisional Conclusion
Inorganic Environment
Organic Environment
Sociological Environment
Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual Characters
Marriage in Early Times
Marriage in Monarchical and Republican Periods
Parents and Children
Political History
General Government
Laws
Local Government
Military System
Ecclesiastical Institutions
Professional Institutions
Accessory Institutions
Bodily Mutilations
Funeral Rites
Laws of Intercourse
Habits and Customs
Sports and Games
Domestic Life
Industrial Institutions
Arts
Agriculture and Rearing of Livestock
Sentiments and Moral Ideas
Religious Ideas
Superstitions
Knowledge
Language
Achievements of the Chinese
Chapter II
On Chinese Mythology
Mythology and Intellectual Progress
The Chinese Intellect
The Influence of Religion
History and Myth
Chinese Rigidity
The Prerequisites to Myth
Stimulus Necessary
Persistent Soul-expression
The Character of Chinese Myth
Periods Fertile in Myth
Sources of Chinese Myth
Phases of Chinese Myth
Tso-ch’iu Ming and Lieh Tzŭ
The T’ang and Sung Epochs
Myth and Doubt
Myth and Legend
Chapter III
Cosmogony-p’an Ku and the Creation Myth
The Fashioner of the Universe
The Sun and the Moon
P’an Ku and Ymer
P’an Ku a Late Creation
Nü Kua Shih, the Repairer of the Heavens
Early Cosmogony Dualistic
The Canon of Changes
The Five Elements
Monism
Chou Tzŭ’s “T’ai Chi T’u”
Chu Hsi’s Monistic Philosophy
Lao Tzŭ’s “Tao”
Confucius’s Agnosticism
Mo Tzŭ and Creation
Mencius and the First Cause
Lieh Tzŭ’s Absolute
Chuang Tzŭ’s Super-tao
Popular Cosmogony still Personal or Dualistic
Chapter IV
The Gods of China
The Birth of the Soul
The Populous Otherworld
Worship of Shang Ti
Worship of T’ien
Confusion of Shang Ti and T’ien
The Otherworld Similar to this World
The Three Religions
The Super-triad
Worship of the Living
Confucianism
Confucius not a God
The God of Literature
Wên Ch’ang and the Great Bear
Wên Ch’ang and Tzŭ T’ung
Heaven-deaf and Earth-dumb
Image of K’uei Hsing
Mr Redcoat
Mr Redcoat nods his Head
Mr Golden Cuirass
The God of War
The Meat-seller’s Challenge
The Oath in the Peach-orchard
Buddhism in China
Buddha, the Law, and the Priesthood
Diamond Kings of Heaven
Legend of the Diamond Kings
Hua-hu Tiao devours Yang Chien
The Three Pure Ones
The Three Causes
Yüan-shih T’ien-tsun
An Avatar of P’an Ku
Yü Huang
The Cask of Pearls
The Legend of Yü Huang
T’ung-t’ien Chiao-chu
Immortals, Heroes, Saints
The God of the Immortals
Hsi Wang Mu
The Feast of Peaches
The First Taoist Pope
The Founder of Modern Taoism
The Peach-gathering
Chang Tao-ling’s Great Power
Kings of Heaven
T’ai I
Goddess of the North Star
Snorter and Blower
Blue Dragon and White Tiger
Apotheosized Philosophers
Fanning the Grave
Husband and Wife
Canonized Generalissimos
The Three Musical Brothers
The Dragon-boat Festival
Chiang Tzŭ-ya
The Battle of Mu Yeh
A Legend of Chiang Tzŭ-ya
No-cha defeats Chang Kuei-fang
Tzŭ-ya goes to K’un-lun
He receives the List of Immortals
The Soaring Head
The Ancient Immortal saves the Situation
Ch’iung Hsiao’s Magic Scissors
Chiang Tzŭ-ya defeats Wên Chung
The Red Sand Battle
Further Fighting
Thousand-li Eye and Favourable-wind Ear
How the Brothers were Defeated
Celestial Ministries
Protectors of the People
The Ch’êng-huang
The Kitchen-god
Ts’an Nü
The God of Happiness
The God of Wealth
The God of Longevity
The Door-gods
Chinese Polytheism
Chapter V
Myths of the Stars
Astrological Superstitions
Various Star-gods
Shooting the Heavenly Dog
The Sun-king
The Steep Summit
The Divine Archer
Vanquishes the Wind-spirit
Dispels the Nine False Suns
Marries the Sister of the Water-spirit
Slays Various Dangerous Creatures
Builds a Palace for Chin Mu
Kills Chisel-tooth
Hêng Ô flies to the Moon
The Sun-palace and the Bird of Dawn
Shên I visits the Moon
Star-worship
The Herdsman and the Weaver-girl
The Twenty-eight Constellations
A Victim of Ta Chi
Myths of Time
The Planet Jupiter
Legend of T’ai Sui
Worship of T’ai Sui
Chapter VI
Myths of Thunder, Lightning, Wind, and Rain
The Ministry of Thunder and Storms
The President of the Ministry of Thunder
The Duke of Thunder
Lei Kung in the Tree
The Mysterious Bottle
Lei Chên-tzŭ
The Mother of Lightning
The Origin of the Spirit of Lightning
The God of the Wind
The Master of Rain
The One-legged Bird
Ma Yüan-shuai
Chapter VII
Myths of the Waters
The Dragons
The Dragon-kings
The Foolish Dragon
The Ministry of Waters
An Unauthorized Portrait
The Shipwrecked Servant
A Battle and its Results
The Dragon in the Pond
The Spirits of the Well
The Dragon-king’s Daughter
Golden Dragon Great Prince
The Old Mother of the Waters
The Magic Vermicelli
Hsü, the Dragon-slayer
The Spiritual Alligator
The Great Flood
The Marriage of the River-god
Legend of the Building of Peking
Chu-ti
The Sealed Packet
A Desolate Region
The Prince opens the Sealed Packet
The City is Founded
General Prosperity
A Drought and its Cause
The Prince’s Dream
The Pursuit of the Dragons
An Unexpected Flood
The Waters Subside
The Origin of Chên-shui T’a
Chapter VIII
Myths of Fire
The Ministry of Fire
A Conflagration
C’ih Ching-tzŭ
The Red Emperor
Hui Lu
The Fire-emperor
Chapter IX
Myths of Epidemics, Medicine, Exorcism, Etc.
The Ministry of Epidemics
The President of the Ministry
The Plague-disseminating Umbrellas
The Five Graduates
The Emperors Strategy
The Musicians are Slain
The Emperor Tormented
The Graduates Canonized
The Ministry of Medicine
The Medicine-gods
The Ministry of Exorcism
The Exorcism of ‘Emptiness and Devastation’
Chapter X
The Goddess of Mercy
The Guardian Angel of Buddhism
The Buddhist Saviour
Miao Chuang desires an Heir
Prayers to the Gods
The Murder of the Tais
A Message for Yü Huang
Birth of the Three Daughters
Miao Shan’s Ambition
Her Sisters Marry
Miao Shan’s Renunciation
She is Exiled to the Garden
The Nunnery of the White Bird
Her Reception at the Nunnery
She makes Offering to the Buddha
Spiritual Aid
The Nunnery on Fire
The Execution of Miao Shan
Miao Shan visits the Infernal Regions
Hell a Paradise
A Test of Virtue
Miao Shan attains to Perfection
A Ruse
The Transformation of Shan Ts’ai
‘Brother and Sister’
The King’s Punishment
The Disguised Priest-doctor
Strange Medicine
A Conspiracy that Failed
A Confession and its Results
The Gruesome Remedy
Half-measures
The King Cured
The King’s Daughter
The King and Queen taken Prisoners
The King’s Repentance
Sackcloth and Ashes
The King renounces the Throne
Pardon of the Green Lion and the White Elephant
Miao Shan becomes a Buddha
Chapter XI
The Eight Immortals
Pa Hsien
Li T’ieh-kuai
Chung-li Ch’üan
Lan Ts’ai-ho
Chang Kuo
Ho Hsien Ku
Lü Tung-pin
Han Hsiang Tzŭ
Ts’ao Kuo-chiu
Pa Hsien Kuo Hai
Chapter XII
The Guardian of the Gate of Heaven
Li, the Pagoda-bearer
An Avatar of the Intelligent Pearl
A Precocious Youth
The Slaying of the Dragon-king’s Son
An Unruly Son
Drastic Measures
No-cha draws a Bow at a Venture
Another Encounter
No-cha commits Hara-Kiri
A Habitation for the Soul
Li Ching destroys his Son’s Statue
No-cha consults his Master
A New No-cha
A Battle between Father and Son
Peace at the Last
Chapter XIII
A Battle of the Gods
Multifarious Versatile Divinities
Chun T’i
The One-eyed Peacock
Arrangements for the Siege
Impediments
Offence and Defence
Attempts at Revenge
The Golden-bearded Turtle
The Battle Won
Buddhahood
Chapter XIV
How the Monkey Became a God
The Hsi Yu Chi
Legend of Sun Hou-tzŭ
A Rod of Iron
Grand Master of the Heavenly Stables
Grand Superintendent of the Heavenly Peach-garden
Double Immortality
Sun Hou-tzŭ Captured
Sun escapes from Lao Chün’s Furnace
Broad-jump Competition
Conditions of Release
Sha Ho-shang
Sha Ho-shang becomes Baggage-coolie
Chu Pa-chieh
Hsüan Chuang, the Master
The Released Carp
The Chuang Yüan Murdered
Hsüan Chuang finds his Grandmother
The Murderer Executed
The Carp’s Gratitude
Pai Ma, the White Horse
Perils by the Way
The Grove of Cypress-trees
A Proposal of Marriage
Blind Man’s Buff
The Lotus Cave
The Monkey under the Mountain
The Magic Gourd
The Magic Rope
The Master Rescued
The Red Child Demon
A Prospective Feast
The Generals Tricked
The Demons of Blackwater River
The Slow-carts Country
Restraints on Freedom
Immortal for Suffering
The Saviour of the Buddhists
Anger of the Buddhist Priests
Sun bestows Talismans
The Magic Circle
Help from Ju Lai
The Fire-quenching Fan
The Power of the Magic Fan
Defeat of the Ox-demon
The Lovely Women
An Awkward Predicament
How the Master was Rescued
The Spiders and the Extinguisher
Shaving a Whole City
The Return to China
The Travellers Honoured
Chapter XV
Fox Legends
The Fox
Fox Legends
Friendship with Foxes
The Marriage Lottery
The Magnanimous Girl
The Boon-companion
Chapter XVI
Miscellaneous Legends
The Unnatural People
The Pygmies
The Giants
The Headless People
The Armless People
The Long-armed and Long-legged People
The One-eyed People and Others
The Feathered People, etc.
The People of the Punctured Bodies
The Women’s Kingdom
The Land of the Flying Cart
The Expectant Wife
The Wild Men
The Jointed Snake
The Casting of the Great Bell
The Cursed Temple
The Maniac’s Mite
The City-god of Yen Ch’êng
The Origin of a Lake
Miao Creation Legends
The Dream of the South Branch
Ch’un-yü Fên enters the Locust-tree
He marries the King’s Daughter
He writes to his Father
He takes Office
He meets with Disasters
He returns Home
Ch’un-yü Regenerate
Why the Jung Tribe have Heads of Dogs
Two Tribes at War
The Chief’s Promise
A Strange Contract
The Chiefs Curiosity
The Origin of a Custom
And of a Worship
Conclusion
The Pronunciation of Chinese Words
Sound
Tone
Rhythm
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Uniform with this Volume