Chinese painting of the Song Dynasty artist Ma Lin
14 hours ago · 122 notes · Source · Reblogged from chineseart
Houtu II
Houtu as a Female Deity
After the Sui dynasty, Houtu underwent a magical girl transformation (LOLJK) and became Madame Houtu or Goddess Houtu. There are a few stories about her.
So, when this great flood came Houtu actually helped Yu, the dude who was supposed to fix the flood. She channeled all the water into the sea, and Yu made the mistake of channeling water in the Yellow River. He opened it to the west, not the east, and water couldn’t flow as well. I mean, there were like, rocks and stones in the west which made errything difficult fo’ him.
Houtu saw what happened, consulted a map and told divine birds to him to channel the water eastward. It worked, and errybody lived happily ever after.
Oh wait. The bit where Yu opened the river wrongly was called, “River Wrongly Opened.”
After that, Houtu went to say hi to Yu and saw that he was livin’ in real shitty conditions. She made a cave fo’ him. Yu was like, super grateful and wanted to call it “The Sacred Mother’s Cave.” But Houtu was all, “Chill. Imma call it King Yu’s Cave ‘cause you did so much more for Mankind.”
Anyways, Houtu and her daughter cooked a pot of rice gruel erryday fo’ King Yu ‘cause he didn’t know how to feed ‘em. It was also a magic pot, ‘cause it never ran out.
There’s also a “Rice Gruel Temple” at the place where Houtu and her daughter cooked rice. (Damn all these socially constructed gender norms.)
In another story, Houtu kicked some ass and drove away this harmful ogre, which also looked like a turtle. This monster lived in the Fen River in Shanxi (not to be confused wit Shaanxi), and ate humans. Houtu changed herself into a woodcutter, and the ogre was all, “Time for some noms” so he went to eat the woodcutter. Just as the ogre was about to have his dinner, the woodcutter transformed back into Houtu, and she gave him the scolding of a lifetime. The monster was like, freakin’ scared and he ran away.
This other god called Juling kicked the ogre into the Yellow River. Houtu came, saw what happened, and froze the ogre in the centre. His shell became an island after that.
In Worship
More peeps started to get to know her, and temples started poppin’ up and shiz. Errbody started worshippin’ her. In the Wanrong County, in Shanxi,a temple was built by Emperor Wu in the Han dynasty. (Okay, it was probably built by labourers under his reign.) From Emperor Wu to the Song dynasty, more than 10 emperors made sacrifices to her and shiz. She’s also called “Houtu the Sacred Mother,” and she’s real elegant like a queen, portrayed wit’ a silk cape, skirt wit’ phoenixes (daaaaang) and a coronet.
They also say she was born on March 18 of the lunar calendar, and erry year they commemorate her on this day. Nowadays, she’s kinda used by the Chinese government to bring in tourists.
Peeps pray for a good harvest, rain, children, health, wealth, safety, especially if they’re goin’ down the Yellow River. They think she’s totes awesome, and is powerful, wise, and kind.
1 day ago · 6 notes
Don’t worry - there are English subtitles for those who don’t understand Mandarin!
2 days ago · 144 notes · Reblogged from laughingsquid
ASEAN Community
NāgaFor Malay sailors, Nāgas are a type of dragon with many heads; in Thailand and Java, the naga is a wealthy underworld deity. In Laos they are beaked water serpents.
Cambodia
In a Khmer legend, the Nāgas were a reptilian race of beings who possessed a large empire or kingdom in the Pacific Ocean region. See Kaliya. The Nāga King’s daughter married an Indian Brahmana named Kaundinya, and from their union sprang the Cambodian people. Therefore still Cambodians say that they are “Born from the Nāga”.
The Seven-Headed Nāga serpents depicted as statues on Cambodian temples, such as Angkor Wat, apparently represent the seven races within Naga society, which has a mythological, or symbolic, association with “the seven colors of the rainbow”. Furthermore, Cambodian Nāga possess numerological symbolism in the number of their heads. Odd-headed Nāga symbolise the Male Energy, Infinity, Timelessness, and Immortality. This is because, numerologically, all odd numbers come from One (1). Even-headed Nāga are said to be “Female, representing Physicality, Mortality, Temporality, and the Earth.”
Laos
Nāga are believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong river or estuaries. Lao mythology maintains that the Nāga are the protectors of Vientiane, and by extension, the Lao state. The Nāga association was most clearly articulated during and immediately after the reign of Anouvong. An important poem from this period San Lup Bo Sun (San Leupphasun) discusses relations between Laos and Siam in a veiled manner, using the Nāga and the Garuda, to represent Laos and Siam, respectively. The Nāga is incorporated extensively into Lao iconography, and features prominently in Lao culture throughout the length of the country, not only in Vientiane.
Malaysia
In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, the lake Chinni, located in Pahang is home to a naga called Sri Gumum. Depending on legend versions, her predecessor Sri Pahang or her son left the lake and later fought a naga called Sri Kemboja. Kemboja is the former name of what is Cambodia. Like the naga legends there, there are stories about an ancient empire in lake Chinni, although the stories are not linked to the naga legends.
Philippines
In many parts of pre-Hispanic Philippines, the Nāga is used as an ornament in the hilt ends of longswords locally known as kampilans.
Thailand
In Thailand Nāgas figure in some stories of the Thai folklore and are represented as well in Buddhist temples as architectural elements. Phaya Naga is a well-known Nāga said to live in the Mekong river. Thai television soap opera Manisawat is based on a Nāga legend.
Mekong
The legend of the Nāga is a strong and sacred belief held by Thai and Lao people living along the Mekong River. Many pay their respects to the river because they believe the Nāga still rule in it,but and locals hold an annual sacrifice for the Nāga. Each ceremony depends on how each village earns its living from the Mekong River — for instance, through fishing or transport. Local residents believe that the Nāga can protect them from danger, so they are likely to make a sacrifice to Nāga before taking a boat trip along the Mekong River.
Also, every year on the night of 15th day of 11th month in the Lao lunar calendar at the end of Vassa, an unusual phenomenon occurs in the area of the Mekong River stretching over 20 kilometres between Pak-Ngeum and Phonephisai districts in Nong Khai province, Thailand. Fireballs appear to rise from the river into the nighttime sky. Local villagers believe that Nāga under Mekong River shoot the fireballs into the air to celebrate the end of Vassa, because Nāga meditate during this time.
I know this isn’t really related to Chinese culture per se, but it’s got all the cool write-ups of East-Asian mythology, and I loveeeee all kinds of mythology!
Actually, in India, the Naga (in Hindi, it’s simply said “Naag”, not “Naagaa” as the spelling might connote) is supposed to be a parallel to the dragon in Hindu lore. I’ve asked my father this many times, and research has only affirmed this assumption. While there is no storm-bringing dragon in India as there is in the Far East, the Naga is associated with rain, rivers and water, although it is much more serpentine (should I say, cobra-esque?) and can shapeshift into a human at will. Originally, they were not portrayed as malevolent beings as they can sometimes be shown in modern media; ancient epics sometimes cite benevolent Nagas who contribute positively to the story, or who are otherwise neutral to the cause of good and evil.
It’s so nice to have a follower clarify things! Thank you!
3 days ago · 913 notes · Source · Reblogged from hidden-dragon-of-the-east
Houtu - the God of the Earth? I
I swear, guys, I’m doin’ the best I can wit’ pics, but dang it sure is difficult finding good pics of the more obscure gods.
Also, before I really begin this post, let’s give props to gods/goddesses who do not fit into the gender binary! Woo!
Houtu as a Male Deity
You can probably tell by that statement that Houtu’s (后土) gender is pretty ambiguous. That’s ‘cause the Hou (后) in his name can be used to talk about male and female rulers and gods, which makes him/her pretty cool. Houtu is pretty much god of the Earth, since the character of earth, tu, (土) is in his name. Some peeps say he is a descendant of Yan Di, Gong Gong’s son and Kuafu’s grandad, and even like, Huang Di’s assistant. There’s even this bit about Houtu and Huang Di holding the world up by ropes or cords, and sometimes, Houtu is the god of the Underworld. (Kinda makes sense, since well, he is god of the Earth and what goes on within the soil.)
So acoording to this book called Guoyu, which translates to the “Discourses of States,” it tells a story of Houtu. See, Houtu was Gong Gong’s son, and Gong Gong owned da world, yo. Houtu was also wayyy special and he was able to reclaim the earth. Since there was soil for peeps to stand in, Houtu was then worshipped as the god of the earth.
This dude called Wang Yi also wrote in the book of poems called Chuci (which basically means poems of the Chu state), and totally mentioned that Houtu was also the dude who ruled the underworld, called Youdu (幽都). Tubo (土伯)was his assistant and guarded the gates.
Other myths include this bit is from the Zuozhuan, and there’s this li’l myth that Houtu’s real name was Guolong, and he was the son of Gong Gong. In the Huainanzi, Yu controlled the flood, died, and became Houtu.
Houtu’s Mentions
So, this god/goddess goes all the wayyy back to Zhou writings like the Guoyu, the Zuozhuan, which is “The Chronicle of Zuo,” and the Chuci, which basically means poems about the state of Chu, which this guy wrote.
In the Han dynasty, Houtu appears in the Liji, which is the “Record of Rituals,” and Huainanzi, which is a philosophical book that talks about the Five Elements as well as Yin and Yang.
But after describing him as a god, peeps suddenly started described him as a well, her.
Oh yeah. Houtu is also used to refer to the Earth, and it was always about giving it respect. You can probably see why Houtu is regarded as a motherly figure - I mean, the Earth produces fruit and grains and shiz, and the whole idea of nurture is always attached to the (made up) idea of femininity.
3 days ago · 10 notes
ASEAN Community
NāgaFor Malay sailors, Nāgas are a type of dragon with many heads; in Thailand and Java, the naga is a wealthy underworld deity. In Laos they are beaked water serpents.
Cambodia
In a Khmer legend, the Nāgas were a reptilian race of beings who possessed a large empire or kingdom in the Pacific Ocean region. See Kaliya. The Nāga King’s daughter married an Indian Brahmana named Kaundinya, and from their union sprang the Cambodian people. Therefore still Cambodians say that they are “Born from the Nāga”.
The Seven-Headed Nāga serpents depicted as statues on Cambodian temples, such as Angkor Wat, apparently represent the seven races within Naga society, which has a mythological, or symbolic, association with “the seven colors of the rainbow”. Furthermore, Cambodian Nāga possess numerological symbolism in the number of their heads. Odd-headed Nāga symbolise the Male Energy, Infinity, Timelessness, and Immortality. This is because, numerologically, all odd numbers come from One (1). Even-headed Nāga are said to be “Female, representing Physicality, Mortality, Temporality, and the Earth.”
Laos
Nāga are believed to live in the Laotian stretch of the Mekong river or estuaries. Lao mythology maintains that the Nāga are the protectors of Vientiane, and by extension, the Lao state. The Nāga association was most clearly articulated during and immediately after the reign of Anouvong. An important poem from this period San Lup Bo Sun (San Leupphasun) discusses relations between Laos and Siam in a veiled manner, using the Nāga and the Garuda, to represent Laos and Siam, respectively. The Nāga is incorporated extensively into Lao iconography, and features prominently in Lao culture throughout the length of the country, not only in Vientiane.
Malaysia
In Malay and Orang Asli traditions, the lake Chinni, located in Pahang is home to a naga called Sri Gumum. Depending on legend versions, her predecessor Sri Pahang or her son left the lake and later fought a naga called Sri Kemboja. Kemboja is the former name of what is Cambodia. Like the naga legends there, there are stories about an ancient empire in lake Chinni, although the stories are not linked to the naga legends.
Philippines
In many parts of pre-Hispanic Philippines, the Nāga is used as an ornament in the hilt ends of longswords locally known as kampilans.
Thailand
In Thailand Nāgas figure in some stories of the Thai folklore and are represented as well in Buddhist temples as architectural elements. Phaya Naga is a well-known Nāga said to live in the Mekong river. Thai television soap opera Manisawat is based on a Nāga legend.
Mekong
The legend of the Nāga is a strong and sacred belief held by Thai and Lao people living along the Mekong River. Many pay their respects to the river because they believe the Nāga still rule in it,but and locals hold an annual sacrifice for the Nāga. Each ceremony depends on how each village earns its living from the Mekong River — for instance, through fishing or transport. Local residents believe that the Nāga can protect them from danger, so they are likely to make a sacrifice to Nāga before taking a boat trip along the Mekong River.
Also, every year on the night of 15th day of 11th month in the Lao lunar calendar at the end of Vassa, an unusual phenomenon occurs in the area of the Mekong River stretching over 20 kilometres between Pak-Ngeum and Phonephisai districts in Nong Khai province, Thailand. Fireballs appear to rise from the river into the nighttime sky. Local villagers believe that Nāga under Mekong River shoot the fireballs into the air to celebrate the end of Vassa, because Nāga meditate during this time.
I know this isn’t really related to Chinese culture per se, but it’s got all the cool write-ups of East-Asian mythology, and I loveeeee all kinds of mythology!
4 days ago · 913 notes · Source · Reblogged from asianhistory
A Collection of Spring Fortune (春祺集錦)
Wang Chengpei (汪承霈, ?-1805), Qing dynasty, Brush and ink on paper.
5 days ago · 206 notes · Source · Reblogged from chineseart
Beijing-based artist Huang Yan expertly emulates traditional paintings from the Song Dynasty of Chinese landscapes on the human body. While the style and art of painting is a traditional practice, the choice to use the human form as a canvas adds new meaning to the works. The contemporary artist’s series, aptly titled Chinese Landscapes, presents a visual relationship between man and nature through his expert application.
(via)
6 days ago · 1,336 notes · Source · Reblogged from asianhistory
Qin Liangyu (1574-1646)
Art by Sertan Saral (tumblr)
From an early age, Liangy learned martial arts, horseback riding, and archery. At the age of 20, she married a local Sichuan commander named Ma Qiancheng. Together they maintained the peace in an area rife with warlords and insurrections.
Qiancheng died in 1613 and Liangyu took over his position. In 1620, the Nvzhen ethnic minority declared independence from the Ming Dynasty. Liangy led an army to defeat them, selling her own belonging to fund the campaign. Ten years later the Manchu threatened Beijing. Liangy once again led an army supported by her own funds and defeated the insurgents. The Chongzhen Emperor commemorated her victory with commissioned poetry.
The Ming Dynasty fell in 1644. Amid the turmoil, Liangy’s lands remained relative calm and agriculturally productive. She is believed to have helped 100,000 refugees find homes in Shizhu.
An active leader until her death at age 75, Liangy was named Grand Protector of the Crowned Prince by the Southern Ming Emperor She remains one of the highest ranking female warriors in Chinese history.
Qin Liangyu is not the real Mulan. Mulan is fictional character who predates Liangyu by several hundred years.
1 week ago · 335 notes · Reblogged from coolchicksfromhistory
The Flood Myth of Gun and Yu
K, so if you’ve been following this blog for some time, you know I talked about this flood myth earlier on. But the thing is, there are other flood myths like this one, which involves Gun and Yu who were father and son.
Soooo, a long time ago, this dude called Gong Gong, caused like, China to be flooded. Some say it was ‘cause he didn’t like the stuff that was goin’ on in the Heavens, all the rivers were flooded. It go so bad that the King, who was called Yao, asked Gun, who was the Prince of Chong, to control the flood. It was also said that Gun was related to the King, ‘cause they were the descendants of Huang Di.
So he stole Xirang, a kind of mythical soil which was like, able to block out all the water. He even made dams and dikes and stuff like that. But the heavens found out what happened, so this dude called The Supreme Divinity asked the Fire God called Zhurong (which may have been the god of fire, or a yellow bear, a yellow dragon, or a tortoise wit’ three feet) to kill Gun at this place called Yushan (which translates to Feather Mountain). So Gun died.
The flood still continued for nine years, and meanwhile Yao gave up the throne to Shun after Shun passed a series of tests (more on that later).
Passing the Torch to Yu
After a while, Gun’s corpse was totally cut open wit’ a sword and… tada! His son, Yu came out. In some cases, his son emerged out of the corpse.
The flood was still goin’ on, and Yu had to do his thang - and fast. Instead of making dams and stuff like that, Yu made the seas and lakes deeprs, dug mountains and channeled the water properly. Eventually, people could see the land again and live on it after like, 13 years.
Some peeps say that Yinglong, the dragon made the channels wit’ its body, and the dark tortoise helped carry the mud.
When he was totally tryna like, fix the flood, Yu didn’t even go home. Even when he passed his own house three times, he totally didn’t enter it. Durin’ this period of time, he sorta shriveled up and started ageing real fast. He couldn’t even lift his legs properly when he walked. Later, peeps would call this the “Pace of Yu” and used his funny walk as a ritual dance to chase away demons.
In some other stories, his pregnant wife wanted to give him food, and went to a mountain to that. It turns out that Yu had changed himself into a bear to dig up a river for the mountain, and his wife freaked out and ran away. When Yu ran after her, she turned into a stone.
This is the part where it gets douche-y. Yu asked the stone to give him back his son - not wife, what the - and the stone opened up and gave him his son, called Qi.
Founding The First Dynasty
Then when he was done wit’ the floods, Yu found the Xia Dynasty and named his son, Qi, as his successor. Oh and some stories said that he killed demons and monsters along the way, and exiled Gong Gong, the dude who caused it all.
Finally, Yu called all the gods and spirits to Mount Mao, but this dude called Fang Feng was late ‘cause he was tryna stop a flood (again?) from well, flooding a nearby village. In this meeting, he rewarded those who helped him and they contributed to the Xia Dynasty.
1 week ago · 6 notes
1
of 65
of 65
