Yandi Shennong is an ancient emperor in ancient Chinese legends, the founder of primitive agriculture, and also invented the earliest medicine, etc., and made important contributions to the evolution of the primitive fishing and hunting era to the agricultural era, so he was highly respected by the ancestors and was a very great person.
In the handed down literature, there are many legends and records about Yandi Shennong. For example, there are records about Shennong in "Zhou Yi Department Resignation", and there are also records of "Shennong's life" in "Chinese Jin Yu IV", "Zuo Chuan Zhaogong Seventeen Years", "Guanzi Light and Heavy Chapter", "Zhuangzi Thief", and "Shangjun Shu Painting Strategy", which shows that the legend of Shennong has existed since the pre-Qin period. In the Han Dynasty, the legend of Emperor Yan Shennong became more common in various records. For example, the first volume of Bangu's "Treatise on the Virtue of the White Tiger" says: "The ancient people all ate the meat of poultry and beasts, and as for Shennong, there were many people and not enough birds and beasts. God and turn it into a god, so that the people are suitable, so it is called Shennong. Liu An's "Huainanzi Xiuwu Xun" also said that "Shennong was the first to teach the people to sow grains", and the Eastern Han Dynasty Yingshao's "Customs and Customs: Three Emperors" also recorded that Shennong "began to cultivate and teach the people to cultivate", and Ganbao's "Sou Shen Ji" volume 1 said that Shennong tasted a hundred herbs, passed medicine, and sowed a hundred grains. These accounts show that the legend of Yandi Shennong has been widely spread in the Han Dynasty, and it can be said that it has reached the level of household name.
Legend has it that Shennong not only invented the earliest agricultural tools, taught the people to farm and sow grains, and invented the earliest medicine, but also created the earliest qin, which was entertaining and educational, enriching the lives of the ancestors. "Shiben" has "Shennong made the qin", and Xu Shen of the Han Dynasty also said: "The qin, forbidden, made by Shennong." This legend was also recorded in the Eastern Han Dynasty's Huan Tan's "New Treatise", and later books such as "Guangya" also cited this legend. The qin is a classic musical instrument in ancient China, and "Shennong made the qin" is of course a legend, but it shows that the germ of musical art has appeared in ancient times.
According to the "Zhou Yi Dictionaries", while Shennong taught the people to cultivate and develop agricultural production, he also organized the earliest market to facilitate the exchange and trade of agricultural products and daily necessities for the ancestors. In addition, legend has it that Shennong also "domesticated livestock", "made pottery as a vessel", "smelted as an axe", "treated hemp as cloth", "built earth and wood, and settled the people's houses" and so on. Later generations praised Shennong for his eight great achievements. It is precisely because of Shennong's great exploits that he is respected as one of the three emperors.
We know that the ancients had the saying of three emperors and five emperors very early, but there are different theories about which ones they are. Judging from the literature, the theory of the Three Emperors first appeared in books such as Wenzi, Liezi, Zhuangzi, and Lü's Spring and Autumn Period, and gradually became a common saying in later writings. Sima Qian's "Historical Records of Qin Shi Huang" records that after Qin Shi Huang annexed the six countries to unify the world, he ordered Li Si and others to discuss the emperor's name, and at that time it was said that "in ancient times, there were emperors, there were emperors of the earth, there were emperors of Thailand, and the emperor of Thailand was the most expensive." Some people think that "Thai Emperor" and "Human Emperor" mean the same thing, and some believe that "Thai Emperor" refers to the Eastern Emperor Taiyi. If it is the Qin Dynasty to interpret the Three Emperors as the Emperor of Heaven, the Emperor of the Earth, and the Emperor of Thailand, then in the Han Dynasty this statement has changed greatly. The Western Han Dynasty was mainly to worship the five emperors, and the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the worship of Taiyi and Houtu, and the three emperors were mentioned again at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, such as the "Spring and Autumn Wei" and so on repeatedly mentioned the emperor, the emperor of the earth, and the emperor of the people, and its meaning is fundamentally different from that of the Qin Dynasty. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, new content was added to the explanation of the Three Emperors, calling Fuxi, Shennong, and Zhurong the Three Emperors, and the Yellow Emperor, Zhuan, Diyu, Diyao, and Dishun as the Five Emperors. The statement of the Three Emperors has undergone a very important change in the Jin Dynasty, and Huangfu Mi advocated calling Fuxi, Shennong, and Huangdi the Three Emperors. After the Tang Dynasty, this statement was followed. Famous modern scholars such as Meng Wentong and Gu Jiegang have done in-depth research on the three emperors and five emperors in ancient history and legends.
The birth of Emperor Yan Shennong also has a relatively strong legendary color, according to the "Taiping Yulan" quoted by Huang Fu Mi "Imperial Century", Shennong's surname Jiang is also, his mother induces the dragon and gives birth to Emperor Yan, saying that Shennong's body is a cow's head, longer than ginger water. The birth of great figures in ancient China is mostly attached to some magical stories, and rendered with various mythological colors, the three emperors and five emperors and the founding emperors since the Qin and Han dynasties are all without exception. Of course, myths and legends are not all groundless, and there is still a certain connection with the confused historical facts of ancient times, and there is also an inextricable relationship with national psychology, regional environment, and folk customs. Where was Emperor Yandi Shennong born? At present, there are at least two theories that are more controversial, one is the Suizhou Lishan theory, and the other is the Qishan theory (also known as the Baoji theory). The first theory is mainly based on records such as the "Liji" and the "Chinese", which was put forward around the beginning of the Spring and Autumn period, and became popular after the Warring States. It is based on these legends that Suizhou City, Hubei Province, built Lishan into a memorial site for the birth of Yandi Shennong, built a large Shennong Memorial Hall, and built the archway of "Yandi Shennong's hometown", "Shennong Temple", "Yandi Shennong Palace", Yandi Shennong Memorial Square, and the huge statue of Yandi Shennong. The second theory is mainly based on the account in the "Chinese Jin Language", which believes that Jiang Shui is the birthplace of Yandi Shennong. According to the eighteenth volume of the "Notes on the Book of Water", there is Qishui near Zhouyuan and Qishan, and ginger water in the east of Qishui. There are also those who believe that Emperor Yan has a close relationship with Xiqiang since his surname is Jiang, and the "Manuscript of Chinese History" edited by Guo Moruo believes that "the earliest legend is Emperor Yan, called Shennong." Emperor Yan is said to have been born in Jiangshui, a tributary of the Wei River in present-day Qishan Mountain, Shaanxi. From the Wei River basin to the middle reaches of the Yellow River, it is the place where the ancient Qiang people lived. Therefore, Emperor Yan may be the sect god of the ancient Qiang clan tribe. Shennong, indicating that they are mainly clans and tribes engaged in agriculture". Therefore, there are Shennong Temple, Shennong Temple, etc., on the bank of Jiang Shui, to commemorate Emperor Yan Shennong.
One of the statues of Emperor Shennong of Lishan Yandi in Suizhou, Hubei
The second statue of Emperor Shennong of Lishan Yan in Suizhou, Hubei
Suizhou, Hubei and Baoji, Shaanxi are both said to be the birthplace or birthplace of Yandi Shennong, because they have certain legends and records as a basis, so they all make sense. This situation did not happen to Emperor Yan Shennong alone. For example, Dayu's birthplace, there are Beichuan said, Wenchuan said, etc. Dayu and Tu Shan's marriage, where Tu Shan is, there are also several theories. For example, the birthplace and hometown of the great poet Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty also have several theories, which are still debated to this day. There are many similar examples, and it can also be said that this is a cultural phenomenon with a long history in China.
The relationship between Emperor Yan Shennong and Emperor Huangdi is also a very important issue. According to the "Chinese Jin Language": "Xi Shaodian married the Youshu clan and gave birth to the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor. The Yellow Emperor was made by Ji Shui, and the Yan Emperor was made by Jiang Shui. Cheng is different from virtue, so the Yellow Emperor is Ji, and the Yan Emperor is Jiang", so it is believed that the Yan Emperor and the Yellow Emperor should be brothers. Jia Yi of the Han Dynasty also said: "The Yan Emperor, the Yellow Emperor and the Yellow Emperor have the same parents and brothers, each with half of the world." It can be seen that Emperor Yan and Emperor Huangdi were brothers, which was a popular saying in the Han Dynasty. According to Sima Qian's "Historical Records: The Five Emperors", Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang should have a relationship between successive emperors. According to the Book of Yi Zhou, the descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor united to capture and kill Chiyou, and only then did they win the battle of Zhuolu, and some other ancient books also have a relatively clear record of this.
The relationship between Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang has a very important nature in the formation and early development of the Chinese nation, and it can also be said to be a major event of far-reaching significance. Because the tribes surnamed Jiang and Ji represented intermarriage from generation to generation, it was directly related to the integration of various clans and tribes in ancient times, which promoted the prosperity of Chinese civilization and the development of social economy and culture. China has a vast territory and has been a multi-ethnic country since ancient times. In ancient times, there were a large number of primitive tribes scattered in the Yellow River Basin, the Yangtze River Basin, the Xiqiang, Dongyi, the Rongdi in the north and the barbarian areas in the south, and some tribal alliances occupying different regions appeared. These tribal alliances or tribal groups were originally characterized by kinship. As a result of the contradictions and wars between them, the tribal groups continued to divide and regroup, forming a larger and relatively stable geopolitical tribal alliance. For example, the legendary Gonggong Nine Divisions and the Yellow Emperor's Six Divisions with Xiong, Zong, Pi, Pi, Pi, Hui, and Tiger as totems all belong to the tribal alliance. The legendary joint group of Yan and Huang tribes, and the war between the Chiyou tribal group, also belonged to this nature, and it took three years of war to achieve the final victory. This directly promoted the new integration of the geopolitical tribal alliance and promoted the development from the Chinese to the Han nationality. Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang have become veritable ancestors of the Chinese nation.
Although the legend about Yandi Shennong existed as early as the pre-Qin period, the use of images to describe the image and deeds of Yandi Shennong did not appear in large numbers until the Han Dynasty. On the portrait stones of the tombs of the Han Dynasty unearthed in various places, we can see a lot of depictions of Emperor Yan Shennong. For example, the west mural of Wuliang Temple in Jiaxiang, Shandong Province depicts the image of the emperor since ancient times, and its arrangement is from right to left, and Emperor Yan Shennong ranks fourth after Fuxi, Nuwa and Zhurong. In the picture, Emperor Yan Shennong wears a virtuous crown on his head, and his hands are holding the shape of turning over the ground, and there is an inscription on the left side of the fence that says, "Shennong's family should teach the fields, open up the soil and plant the grain, and help the people." Because of the age, some of the inscriptions have been diffused, and there are also those who recognize the word "relief" as the word "Zhen", such as the Qing Dynasty Qianjia period Feng Yunpeng and Feng Yunyu in the compilation of "Jinshi Lu" There is a copy of the portrait of Shennong on the west wall of Jiaxiang Wuliang Temple, which is read in this way. The images of these ancient emperors depicted by Jiaxiang Wuliang Temple are in the form of comic books, based on some typical characteristics of legends, and the images portrayed are more solemn, full of strong dignity, fully highlighting their great achievements and imperial identity. Because there is a title and a clear text description of the identity of the characters, future generations can recognize these images of emperors since ancient times without doubt. These portraits not only vividly express the imagination of the ancient emperors of the Han Dynasty, but also fully express the recognition of myths and legends, indicating that the respect for the three emperors and five emperors has become a social consensus at that time, and these portraits are the products of this era.
The statue of the ancient emperor in the west mural statue of Wuliang Temple in Jiaxiang, Shandong
The depiction of Emperor Yan Shennong, the portrait of Jiaxiang Wuliang Temple, highlights Shennong's achievements in cultivating fields and planting grains with both hands. There are also legends that highlight the identity of Shennong as the god of agriculture and the god of medicine. For example, on a portrait stone of the Han Dynasty unearthed in Beizhai Village, Yinan County, Shandong, the upper layer of the picture depicts two gods sitting under the tree, both wearing grass clothes, sitting on animal skins, and there is a title "Cangjie" under the gods on the left, which should be related to the legend of Cangjie making characters. The god on the right side of the picture, holding a grain or herb, has an untitled list underneath, and most scholars believe that his identity should be Shennong. Legend has it that when Cangjie made words, the heavenly rain millet and the ghosts and gods wept, and when the Yan Emperor Shennong taught the people to farm, the heavenly rain millet also occurred, so the Han Dynasty people portrayed them in a picture, and the hand-held grain was a typical feature.
Beizhai Village, Yinan County, Shandong Province unearthed the portraits of Emperor Yan Shennong and Cangjie
Line drawing of the portrait of Emperor Yan Shennong and Cangjie
The portraits of Shennong and Cangjie depicted on the stone letter unearthed from the Xinjin cliff tomb in Sichuan
A similar portrait is also depicted on the stone letter unearthed from the Xinjin Cliff Tomb in Sichuan, the whole picture is 217 centimeters long and 66 centimeters high, and a total of 7 people are depicted, all of whom have titles. In the middle is "Confucius" greeting "Lao Tzu", on the right is "East China Sea Taishou" and "Jimo Shaojun", and on the left is "Shennong" and "Cangjie". In the picture, Shennong is holding a cane in one hand and holding grain or herbs in his mouth, depicting the appearance of tasting a hundred herbs. Cangjie sat on the ground, also holding an object, and looked at Shennong. The portrayal of historical figures or legends in the form of a combination through the picture is a relatively common phenomenon in the portraits of the Han Dynasty unearthed in various places. The depiction of "Shennong" and "Cangjie" on the stone letter of the Xinjin Cliff Tomb in Sichuan, and the portraits of "Cangjie" and "Shennong" unearthed in Beizhai Village, Yinan County, Shandong Province, have their own characteristics in terms of expression techniques, and have the same effect in connotation, all of which highlight the typical characteristics of Shennong holding grain or herbs, making it easy for people to identify Shennong's identity, and expressing the praise of Shennong as the god of agriculture and medicine through the picture.
A portrait stone unearthed in Miaoshan, Tongshan County, Jiangsu Province, also depicts the image of Emperor Yan Shennong, in which Emperor Yan wears a hat, wears a robe, and holds a wooden shovel. Or it can be interpreted as Shennong wearing the emperor's head obliquely into the virtuous crown, holding a prow in one hand and a phoenix in the other. The phoenix depicts a moon with a jade rabbit and a toad in the moon. Under the phoenix, a sacred cow with winged Lingzhi herbs is depicted, or a sacred beast of the Grass Beast. The legendary Yandi Shennong is not only the ancestor of agriculture who "teaches the people to farm", but also the founder of the people who have tasted all kinds of herbs to cure diseases, and this portrait also highlights the typical characteristics of Shennong, and vividly depicts the legend of Shennong with romantic techniques and rich imagination. This portrait also shows the influence of the Han Dynasty's immortal tales, depicting some fairyland scenes that were very popular at that time, so there are also those who name this picture "Emperor Yan's ascension to immortals", which is believed to depict the scene of Emperor Yan leading the phoenix to ascend to immortals.
The image of Emperor Yan ascending to immortal on the unearthed portrait stone in Tongshan County, Xuzhou
These portraits fully express the respect for Shennong, revealing that the legend about Shennong was widely spread at that time, and also shows that the respect for Shennong has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people during the Han Dynasty and has become a consensus of all social strata. Because China is an agricultural country, and for thousands of years, feudal dynasties have taken the development of agriculture as the foundation of the country, so the worship of the god of agriculture is also in line with the national conditions. Combined with documentary records and archaeological data, at the latest in the Han Dynasty, there were places dedicated to Shennong, such as the "Earth Temple" mentioned by Zheng Xuan, and the "Shennong Society" was set up in the place where Shennong was said to have been born or active, as a place to worship Shennong. The worship of Emperor Yan in other parts of the country is mainly carried out through the activities of sacrificing ancestors. In addition, there is also a sacrifice to the tomb of Emperor Yan, which is also highly valued. Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang are the ancestors of Chinese humanities, so all dynasties have attached great importance to the sacrifice of Emperor Yan and Huang, which not only emphasizes the ancient agricultural society's heavy agricultural thought, but also fully embodies the long-standing tradition of respecting ancestors and virtuous thoughts.
The Chinese nation has a long history, and Emperor Yan Shennong and Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor are both legendary ancient emperors and the common ancestors of the Chinese nation. Whether it is the Yellow Emperor as the leader of the Huaxia tribe in the Yellow River Valley in the north, or the Yan Emperor as the representative of the Miao barbarians in the Yangtze River Basin in the south, it is they who have laid the foundation of the 5,000-year-old splendid civilization of the Chinese nation through the integration of the earliest tribal alliance groups. The description of the legend of the Yan and Huang Emperors during the Spring and Autumn Period and the sacrifices to the Yan and Huang Emperors in all dynasties since the Han Dynasty all express the heartfelt respect for the common ancestor of the Chinese nation. The commemoration of Yandi Shennong and Xuanyuan Yellow Emperor in modern times has inherited the fine traditions since the Han Dynasty and embodied a common national psychology and the inheritance of traditional excellent culture. The solemn commemoration of the two emperors of Yan and Huang and the good combination of seeking roots and ancestors and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation are not only conducive to strengthening the self-esteem, pride and self-confidence of the Chinese nation, but also conducive to uniting the descendants of Yan and Huang all over the world and enhancing national cohesion. Therefore, it is indeed a very important and far-reaching thing for us to conduct in-depth academic research on ancient history and legends and commemorate the great achievements of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huangdi, whether from a historical perspective or from a realistic point of view.
Huang Jianhua: Researcher of Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Special Librarian of Sichuan Provincial People's Government Research Museum of Culture and History
This article was originally published in Monthly Reading, Issue 6, 2022