| Huangdi | |||||||||
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| Chinese: | 黄帝 | ||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin: | Huángdì | ||||||||
| Literal meaning: | Yellow emperor | ||||||||
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Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero who is considered in Chinese mythology to be the ancestor of all Han Chinese. One of the legendary Five Emperors, it was written in the Shiji by historian Sima Qian (145 BC-90 BC) that the Huangdi reigned from 2697 BC to 2598 BC. He emerged as a chief deity of Taoism during the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD). The legend of his victory in the war against Emperor Chi You at the Battle of Zhuolu is seen as the establishment of the Han Chinese nationality.
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Accomplishments
Among his many accomplishments, Huangdi has been credited with the invention of the principles of Traditional Chinese medicine. The Huangdi Neijing (黄帝内經 Inner Canon of Huangdi) was supposedly composed in collaboration with his physician Qibo. However, modern historiographers generally consider it to have been compiled from ancient sources by a scholar living between the Zhou and Han dynasties, more than 2,000 years later. His interest in natural health and preventing and treating diseases, according to historical sources, meant he lived to the age of 100, and attained immortality after his physical death. The historian Ji Yun asserts he was also the first to take male bedmates.[1]
Legends
In the legend, his wife Lúo Zǔ taught the Chinese how to weave the silk from silkworms, and his historian Cāng Jié created the first Chinese characters. Legend says that Huangdi invented a magical compass during a battle against Chi You who used a great fog to obscure his enemy's sight. Thanks to the compass, Huangdi found out where Chi You was and defeated him. The compass was actually a chariot with a pointer which always pointed south. He is also said to have played a part in the creation of the Guqin, together with Fuxi and Shennong, and to have invented the earliest form of the Chinese calendar, and its current sexagenary cycles are counted based on his reign. Huang Di captured Bai Ze atop Mount Dongwang. The beast described to him all the 11,520 types of monsters, shapeshifters, demons, and spirits in the world. Huang Di's retainer recorded this in pictures, which later became the book "Bai Ze Tu", which no longer exists.[2] In legend, Ling Lun gave the emperor flutes tuned to the sounds of birds, which is said to be the foundation of Chinese traditional music.
Historicity
One explanation is that Huang Di was euhemerized from a mythical god during the early Zhou Dynasty into a legendary emperor during the late Zhou dynasty—his legendary deeds embellished along the way.
Popular culture
- Huang Di appears as a god in the strategy game Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom made by Sierra Entertainment, now a division of Vivendi. In the game he is a patron of hunting and has the skills needed for leading men into battle.
- There have been TV dramas made in mainland China depicting the life of Huang Di. However, their historical accuracy is questionable. They are semi-fictional because their focus is mainly on martial arts, Wuxia and drama.
- Huangdi serves as the hero in Jorge Luis Borges' story, "The Fauna of the Mirror." British fantasy writer China Miéville used this story as the basis for his novella "The Tain", which describes a post-apocalyptic London. "The Tain" was recently included in Miéville's short story collection "Looking For Jake."
Controversy
The war of Huangdi and Chi You is also one that has different views to it. The Han Chinese people believe that Huangdi defeated Chi-You after 72 battles, while the Korean people believe the total opposite, which is in Chi-You's victory over Huangdi after 72 battles. However, the legend in general does not have enough archaeological support and is highly controversial. It is mentioned in very few historical sources, such as a history book written by the historian Sima Qian.
Notes
- ^ Crompton, Louis (2003), Homosexuality and Civilization, Harvard University Press, p. 214, ISBN 0674022335
- ^ Haku-taku or Bai Ze
References
See also
- Emperor of China
- Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
- Descendants of Yan & Yellow Emperors (Yan Huang Zi Sun; Chinese: 炎黃子孫)
- Chinese folk religion
External links
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Yellow Emperor
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| Preceded by Shennong |
Mythological Emperor of China c. 2697 BC – c. 2598 BC |
Succeeded by Shaohao |
