Top 10 Chinese legends (and what they mean)

The East has always been a mysterious and beautiful land for Westerners, with beautiful landscapes and very diverse and ancient cultures. One of the countries that in this sense has always aroused the greatest fascination and that in turn has had the greatest impact and relationship with Europe throughout history is China, since the time of Marco Polo and even since the Age Ancient.

This country has a millenary culture in which great myths and traditions have been developed throughout the ages. In order to exemplify this richness and understand a little more of its idiosyncrasy Throughout this article we are going to see several Chinese legends, with his explanation.

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10 great Chinese legends

Here we show you a small selection of a dozen well-known Chinese legends.

1. The legend of the Monkey King

One of the great legends of China, and probably the best known worldwide, is the legend of the Monkey King. This character has a very broad story, which tells us about the search for immortality.

The Monkey King Sun Wukong was born from a magic stone, originating from chaos, in the Huāguǒ-shān Mountains. After joining an ape clan, Sun Wokong showed his courage by jumping down a waterfall and finding a new home for the monkeys behind it, which named him king. However, the Monkey King became aware after the death of a fellow man that one day his time would come, so he decided to set out in search of immortality, disguising himself in human clothes.

After leaving him he would meet a great Buddhist teacher, who despite his initial reluctance ends up welcoming him, giving him his name and show him great skills such as the ability to transform or take impressive jumps of almost a hundred kilometres.

But one day, and after seeing how the Monkey King used his gifts as a show, the master decided to throw him out of the temple. After finishing his training this being he made numerous trips in order to achieve immortality. Among them is traveling to the Palace of the Dragon King of the East Sea, from where he would steal the Ru Yi Bang rod that maintained the balance of the seas. which will later become his weapon (something that generated serious cataclysms) and with which he forced the great Dragon Kings to give him equipment magical. He also traveled to Inferno to cross out the name of himself and the rest of the monkeys from the book of life and death.

It is then when to try to control him the Jade Emperor decides to take him and grant him a noble title. He first grants him the title of Protector of the Horses of the Imperial Stables, but after a conflict decides to add the title of Guardian of the Peach Orchard of Immortality. Even so, when he is denied access to a banquet in honor of Empress Sun Wukong, he becomes enraged and decides to steal the Peaches of Immortality and Lord Daoist Laozi's Immortality Pills, also destroying the orchard.

Then the emperor sends a hundred thousand warriors to stop him, but the Monkey King manages to defeat them.. He is finally captured and his execution is ordered, but after consuming the pills and peaches of immortality, nothing could kill him. Sun Wukong was locked in the Eight Trigrams Furnace, where he burned until the instrument exploded. But that was not enough to kill him.

The emperor requested the help of Buddha, who challenged the Monkey King and bet with him that he was unable to leap beyond the palm of his hand. If he succeeded he would be appointed emperor, and if not, he would be locked up. Sun Wukong accepted the bet and jumpedUntil what he believed was the end of the Universe in which he could only see five columns. He urinated on them to mark how far he had come. Going down, however, he discovered that those pillars were the fingers of the Buddha; he had lost his bet. He tried to escape, but Buddha sealed him in the Mountain of the Five Elements for all eternity.

Centuries later he would be freed by Monk Tang, whom he would help on his journey to retrieve the holy scriptures for China (yes, and with the help of a magic band that made the monk generate great pain in case of need).

2. The legend of the dragon pearl

Dragons are highly admired creatures in China. In this country they are usually creatures of great power but also of great wisdom, often linked to the weather. However, they can also find pleasure in material possessions, some of which have been coveted by man. As in this legend.

Legend has it that there was once a dragon that lived on the island Kinabalu, which was generally peaceful and that he wanted and played by throwing into the air and collecting a huge pearl which was his most valuable possession.

This was coveted by many, and there came a time when the emperor wanted to incorporate it into his treasury. For this he entrusted his first-born with the task of getting hold of her, embarking with his crew. The young prince hatched a plan to get hold of the pearl, asking his men to make him a kite capable of supporting the weight of an adult man and a flashlight.

When said kite was built, the prince waited until it was night for the dragon to sleep and with the help of the comet he was able to fly to the position of the dragon and exchange the pearl for the lamp. After that he was picked up by the crew. However, the dragon soon awoke and made a future he pounced on the prince's ship in order to claim his possession.

The prince and his sailors, desperate before the attack of the serpent, decided to load the cannons and fire. With the first shot the dragon thought they were throwing the pearl from him, so he ran to catch it, but the weight of the bullet dragged him down, falling into the sea. The prince managed to return home with the jewel, which became part of the imperial treasure, and in time he would become the new emperor.

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3. The legend of butterfly lovers

Some of the existing legends in China tell us of a more modern vision than the traditional one for the time in which they were written. They tell us about the search for true love over family impositions, as well as the search for knowledge in a population that at that time was not allowed to go to school: women.

Legend has it that in ancient times there was a young woman named Zhu Yingtai who had a deep desire to learn, have an education and obtain knowledge. But at that time women were not allowed access to education beyond that received in the parental home, with which the intelligent girl decided to disguise herself as a man in order to fulfill her dream.

In this way and with the consent of her father, the young woman was able to start her studies. During her training she met another young man, Liang Shanbo, with whom she would share a room for years and with whom she would begin a friendship that gradually deepened. So much so that Zhu Yingtai ended up falling in love.

However, one day Zhu Yingtai would receive the news that her father had fallen ill and that he was to return home. The young woman gave one of her formators a fan so that when the time came she would give it to Liang Shanbo and tell him that she wanted to marry him.

After that, the young woman prepared to return home, and Liang Shanbo accompanied her. Zhu Yingtai tried on the way to make her see who she really was, without success. Not knowing what to do, the young woman tried to convince him to marry a supposed twin sister of hers. The young man ended up agreeing to meet her some time after her, and after having accompanied her a bit to Zhu Yingtai, he separated from her to return to her studies.

When the young woman arrived home, she saw that her father was recovered. But he also found bad news: her father had arranged a marriage for her. Later, Liang Shanbo received the fan and guessed who Zhu Yingtai was, so he rushed to visit Zhu Yingtai and his family. However, there the young woman told him what had happened. They both cried and swore eternal love, to which the father ended up throwing the young man out. Liang Shanbo returned to his home and soon fell ill and died.

When the date arrived, Zhu Yingtai had to prepare for her arranged wedding, and while they were taking her in a palanquin to the place where the procession would officiate, he found a grave. A tomb with the name of Liang Shanbo. The woman approached and wept for the lost love, but suddenly the tomb opened as a great storm appeared. Zhu Yingtai smiled and threw himself into the pit.

When he had done so the sudden storm abated, and the members of the wedding party they could see how two beautiful butterflies emerged from the grave, in which the souls of Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo dwelt, who flew away together forever and ever.

4. The creation of the Universe

One of the types of myths that we can observe in almost all mythologies and cultures refer to something that has aroused the curiosity of mankind since the beginning of time: how the universe. Chinese mythology offers us in this sense the legend of Pangu or P'an-Ku as a possible explanation.

Legend has it that at first there was only chaos, with heaven and earth united and the universe concentrated in a black egg. Within him slept a single being, Pangu or P'an-Ku. When she is being awakened he found himself trapped in the egg, so she proceeded to break it. This made part of the egg, the lightest and clearest, fly away and conform to the sky, while the lower and darker part would make up the Earth. The gigantic being would have its head in Heaven and its feet on Earth, and with the passage of millennia both would grow larger.

After that, four beings were also born: the Dragon, the Feng Huang (similar to the phoenix), the Tortoise and the Qilin. Joining forces with Pangu, they formed the stations and the five elements.

But P'an-Ku was not immortal, and there came a time when he died. His death would give birth to a large number of elements of the world: from her breath the wind arose and her eyes would become the Sun and the Moon. His beard the stars and his bones the minerals. Her limbs would configure the pillars that separate Heaven and Earth, and her blood the seas.

5. Nüwa and the creation of man

In ancient times, China also had a number of ancient creator gods, often related to the imperial hierarchy. One of them is Nüwa, the first deity, a female entity that among her multiple attributions some legends consider the creator of humanity.

Legend has it that once the universe and stars, seas and mountains, forests and animals were created, the first goddess, Nüwa, was also born. She was an upturned human and torso down dragon being with the ability to transform. This deity traveled the world, marveling at her wonders.

However, the deity considered the world lacking life, to the point that she herself felt lonely after a while. After standing in front of a river, she could see her reflection over the water and began to think about creating beings similar to herself. He began to extract mud and shape it into something that he liked. He gave her legs and arms, and when he finally finished his work, he decided to breathe life into it. Thus the first human being was born.

The goddess began to create more and more people, but seeing that she would need many to populate the world, she decided to place a wicker cane in order to remove the mud, so that when it was extracted, small fragments emerged that in turn would be transformed into other people. Likewise, and since I had not given them the gift of immortality, I create man and woman so that they could conceive and generate more beings with which to populate the world.

6. The Legend of Gun and Yun and the Great Flood

Chinese culture, like many others of great antiquity, have legends that tell us about a great flood on a universal level. Originally it was considered that the Earth was flat while the Sky was spherical, the second being held by four pillars that allowed the balance and functioning of both worlds. Based on this there is a legend that tells us about Gun, the hero who stole the land, and his offspring.

Legend has it that there was once a great war in the Heavens between the god of water Gong Gong and the god of fire. Zhuan Xu, being the first defeated and in his rage giving a powerful head butt to a mountain which came to knock it down. But this mountain was one of the four pillars that supported the sky, which caused such a tilt of the sky that it affected the waters of the world. This led to a flood that engulfed all known land and caused serious problems for human subsistence.

Seeing this, Emperor Yao ordered Gun to try to stop the effects of the great flood, for which He took from the god of Heaven the secret of the xirang (sacred soil that grew and multiplied by itself same). Gun used this power to create reservoirs in the flooded lands, thanks to the fact that the earth grew at the same speed as the water to the point of blocking its passage. But the god of Heaven claimed the xirang and ordered the god Zhu Rong to retrieve it. Gun collected all the terrain that he had created (with which the waters returned to flood the previously saved areas) and hid it. After nearly a decade trying unsuccessfully to stop the flooding with this method, and with the arrival of a new emperor, Gun was imprisoned on Mount Yu Shan and was eventually executed.

However, after three years his body remained uncorrupted, something that caused Zhu Rong to cut open his belly to see what happened. From there came Yun, son of Gun. He was also assigned the same duty as his father, but in his case he ended up understanding that it was not enough to stop the waters: he generated with the help of various beings heavenly channels that allowed the waters to drain and after thirteen years (in which he did not visit his house for fear of losing concentration) he achieved what his father did not I had could.

7. The legend of the White Serpent Lady

Forbidden love is another theme that can be seen in many Chinese legends, one of the best known being that of the White Serpent. In addition, it also tells us about not generalizing our beliefs, from the vision of a benevolent and loving snake.

Legend has it that two large snakes lived on Mount Emei, one white and one green, which had magical powers. With them they transformed into a woman and explored the region. One day White Snake, taking the name of Bai Suzhen, encountered a young man named Xu Xien on the way. The contact between the two gave rise to a deep love, both marrying in a short time and opening a pharmacy between them.

But one day, a priest named Fa Hai pointed out to Xu Xien that his wife was a snake demon. Initially, he did not believe her, but during some celebrations the woman agreed to drink wine so as not to upset her husband. This made her lose control, something that caused her to run to her room and transform herself there. When Xu Xien walked in and saw her as White Snake, she died of terror. This made the great Serpent begin the search for magical herbs capable of bringing him back to life, herbs that the god of longevity granted him when he felt sorry for his situation.

Returned to life, Xu Xien initially thought that he had experienced a hallucination, but ended up going to the Fa Hai temple and becoming a priest. Bai Suzhen went with her sister to look for her husband, something that after Fa Hai refused triggered a magical combat in which the ladies made the waters flood the temple at the same time that the monk generated earth that prevented this from happening. With the White Serpent pregnant and her strength diminished, the White and Green Ladies withdrew.

But the time came when Bai Suzhen gave birth and Xu Xian decided to visit her and meet her son. There the woman confessed the truth about her to her husband. Enjoying the moment Fa Hai cast a spell that caused the White Lady to be trapped in a golden bowl, arguing that the union of him with a mortal was prohibited.

However, as time passed the White Lady's sister, the Green Lady (her human form of hers named Xiao Qing) gained greater power and managed to free her sister from her and have the priest devoured by a crab. With this, the couple was able to meet again, this time accepting and loving each other as they were.

8. The legend of Jing Wei

Some Chinese legends have a sad background, but which in turn speak of effort and perseverance. An example of this is the legend of Jing Wei, a mythological being who learned to hate the sea and tries to dry it up by all means.

Legend has it that there was once a young princess named Nu Wa (in honor of the deity), daughter of Emperor Shen Nong. The young woman loved the sea and navigating her waters, something she did with skill and passion and with the confidence that nothing bad would happen to her. But one day the current carried away his boat, with such luck that a storm broke out and the great waves caused him to sink and die.

However, her soul returned to the world in the form of Jing Wei, a beautiful bird in which her former love for the sea had been transformed into deep hatred at having killed her. And he wanted revenge. She went to the sea and told him that she intended to kill him, something that he made fun of her. The bird then went to the mainland, and she there she collected everything she could to throw into the waters and thus fill the sea in such a way that no one else could drown, willing to spend as long as it took, even thousands of years. And this is something that the young woman continues to do every day, carrying and throwing with great perseverance all the stones, branches and elements that she can to dry it.

9. The legend of the four dragons

The dragon is a mythological animal of great popularity in China, being a being deeply associated with culture and linked to the rains and the river. In addition to the legend of the dragon pearl, these beings are part of many others, including some that refer to the origin of the main rivers of China.

Legend has it that in ancient times there were no rivers or lakes in China, only the sea. In it lived four great dragons: the Black who adored flying through the air, the Pearl who was the owner of fire, the Yellow focused on the earth and the Great Dragon who adored water.

These beings flew and were happy, until one day they saw how on earth human beings begged the gods for rain, without which they could not obtain crops to feed themselves. The dragons, saddened, decided to go to the Jade Emperor and they asked him to make it rain. He was irritated by his interference, but promised to make it rain the next day and told them to return to the sea.

However, neither the next day nor many days later did a single drop of rain fall, something that increased the despair of humanity. The dragons were saddened by the emperor's lack of action and his disregard for man. Seeing that the emperor was not going to do it, the dragons decided to take action. The Great Dragon proposed to take the water from the sea and throw it from the sky to irrigate the fields, something that the four of them did with haste.

But the god of the sea warned the Jade Emperor, who was enraged at not having had his permission and ordered the dragons to be captured. The emperor ordered the god of the mountains to put a mountain on each of them in order to imprison them forever. Not regretting their actions, the dragons transformed the Yangtze, Heilongjiang, Huanghe, and Zhujiang rivers.

10. The Legend of Meng Jiang Nü's Tears

A very famous traditional Chinese legend tells us about the power of love and anger at the death of loved ones, in addition to referring to the harsh conditions and risks that the builders of the Great Wall ran China.

Legend has it that at the time when the Qin dynasty held power in China and the Great Wall was under construction, two families were separated by this: The Meng and the Jiang. These, in order to symbolize their friendship, planted two climbing plants (one on each side) so that they would be at the top. Once the plants were united, both families saw that this union had produced a huge fruit.

Both families argued whose it was, but decided to split it in half equally. However, Inside the fruit they found a girl, who they decided to raise jointly with the name of Meng Jiang Nü. This girl grew up and became a woman, and one day she met a man named Wan Xiliang who was being persecuted for execution (since a sage she had told the emperor that sacrificing ten thousand men would prevent parts of the wall from collapsing, and the name Wan means precisely ten thousand). After telling him about her situation, she decided to hide him in her case, but with the passage of time they both fell in love and finally married.

But precisely on the day of the wedding Wan Xiliang was captured. In principle, she was forced to do forced labor: participate in the construction of the Great Wall of China. Meng Jiang Nü did not lose hope and waited for her husband to return to her. However, when winter came, he did not return. The woman proceeded to weave clothes so that her husband could protect himself from the cold, to then take her to the place of the Great Wall where Wan Xiliang was originally supposed to be.

However, when she arrived, very bad news awaited her: during the construction, the man had died and had been buried somewhere on the Great Wall. The woman wept and cried for three days and nights with such force that the Wall took pity on her, letting about 400 kilometers of it sink. Among them was the place where Wan Xiliang was buried, something that allowed the woman to see her loved one again.

Bibliographic references:

• Christie, Anthony (1968). Chinese Mythology. Feltham: Hamlyn Publishing.
• Wu, K. C. (1982). The Chinese Heritage. New York: Crown Publishers.
• Yang, Lihui and Deming An, with Jessica Anderson Turner (2005). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press.