"The three emperors and the five emperors of virtue." It is our highest evaluation of the great emperor. The Three Emperors refer to the three incarnations of the ancestors in ancient Chinese mythology, who are considered to be the founders of human civilization. They are: Fuxi, Nuwa, and Shennong. Today let's talk about the story of the Three Emperors.
Fuxi
According to legend, Fuxi lived in ancient times, between 30,000 BC and 20,000 BC. His birth and upbringing are full of mystery and legend. Legend has it that in ancient times, human life was still very primitive, and the world was full of mystery and unknown. At this time, Shenlong incarnated into a black bear and gave birth to a special child, which was later Fuxi. It is said that this dragon black bear was pregnant for one hundred and forty-nine years before giving birth to Fuxi.
After Fu Xi was born, he showed a unique wisdom and courage. Legend has it that Fu Xi has a star in his eyes, symbolizing his wisdom and mystical powers. He was born curious about the world, constantly exploring and observing everything around him. It is said that Fu Xi saw his own shadow in the moonlight, thus realizing his own existence and beginning his life journey.
In the process of growing up, Fu Xi continued to learn and explore, he observed the changes in the natural world, studied the geography of celestial phenomena, and gradually comprehended the laws and principles of the universe. It is said that he deeply explored the mysteries of the five elements of yin and yang, created the Bagua diagram, and became one of the important sources of ancient Chinese philosophy and Taoist thought.
In addition to creating Bagua diagrams, Fuxi is also considered to be the founder of the art of civilization. He taught people survival skills such as making fire, hunting, fishing, planting, and farming, and promoted the progress of human society and the development of civilization. Legend has it that he also taught people how to make utensils, such as fishing nets, nets, cooking utensils, etc., which provided convenience for human life.
According to legend, when Fu Xi was alive, he once lived in Kunlun Mountain. In his later years, in order to make life better for mankind, he developed a weekly calendar to guide people in activities such as farming, hunting, and marriage. After his death, his soul ascended to heaven and became an immortal, and he continued to pay attention to the human world.
Woman's Daughter
Nuwa is the mother of mankind and the goddess of wisdom, with a human head and a snake body, symbolizing the mystery and power of nature. According to legend, when the heavens and the earth first opened, there were no humans in the world, only some scattered gods and beasts. Feeling that the world is too lonely, Nuwa decides to fill the void by creating some creatures out of clay. Nuwa came to the bank of the Yellow River, took the soil of the Yellow River, pinched out some small human figures with her hands, and then gave them life with mysterious powers. These little people made of clay gradually became flesh and blood, began to move, and became the first human beings.
女娲娘娘
Although Nuwa created humans, the original humans were limited in number and difficult to maintain and develop. In order for human beings to continue to reproduce, Nuwa created the institution of marriage and taught people to marry and have children. This system not only solves the problem of human reproduction, but also lays the foundation for the development of human society. The establishment of the marriage system marked the beginning of a new stage of civilization and the beginning of an orderly social life.
After Nuwa created human beings, a great catastrophe occurred between heaven and earth. Due to the instability of the pillars of heaven, the heavens collapsed, flooded everywhere, burned fires, and destroyed lives, and the whole world fell into chaos. Seeing the suffering of humans and other living beings, Nuwa decided to use her power to save the world. Nuwa searched everywhere between heaven and earth, and finally found some five-colored stones. She melted the five-colored stones into a slurry and used them to mend the cracks in the sky. Nuwa's hard work and wisdom eventually allowed the cracks in the heavens to be mended and the world to regain peace.
Shen nong
Shennong, also known as Emperor Yan, was the ancestor of agriculture and medicine. Shennong was the leader of the Yandi Jiang tribe and one of the ancestors of the Yellow Emperor. He was born in the Jiangshui valley and was called "Emperor Yan" because he was the embodiment of fire, symbolizing sunshine and warmth.
Before Shennong, humans mainly relied on gathering and hunting for their livelihood, and the living conditions were very difficult. By observing the changes in the natural world, Shennong invented agricultural tools and taught people to carry out agricultural production, which solved the problem of food shortage.
Shennong not only invented farming tools, but also taught people how to grow crops. By observing the changes of the four seasons, he learned about the growth patterns of different crops and formulated a timetable for farming. He taught people to sow seeds in the spring, plough in the summer, harvest in the fall, and store in the winter, which greatly increased the grain production and ensured the survival and development of the people.
In ancient times, medical conditions were extremely rudimentary, and people were often helpless in the face of diseases. Shennong saw that human beings were suffering from illness and was determined to find a cure through his own efforts. In order to treat the sick, Shennong decided to try various plants himself to explore their medicinal properties. He traveled through mountains and valleys, looking for plants to experiment with. Whenever he finds a new plant, he carefully observes its growth environment and morphological characteristics, and then picks it and tastes it himself. To keep track of the medicinal properties and toxicity of each plant, he marked various parts of the body in order to remember the effects of each plant on different parts of the body. Shennong's journey to taste herbs was not all smooth sailing. Many plants are highly poisonous, and every attempt is an adventure of life. Legend has it that Shennong has been poisoned many times, and even nearly died once due to eating poisonous weeds by mistake. However, each poisoning did not hold him back, but made him more determined to continue his exploration. He firmly believes that by constantly trying, he will always find a useful herb for healing.
Legend has it that in the process of tasting herbs, Shennong also accidentally discovered the detoxification effect of tea. Once, he accidentally ingested a highly poisonous plant, and the abdominal pain was unbearable, and at this time, a few tea leaves fell into the water next to him, and he drank the tea with the attitude of giving it a try, and found that the symptoms were alleviated. After that, he began to study tea and found that tea can not only detoxify, but also refresh the mind and have many benefits for the body.
In the process of tasting herbs, Shennong not only discovered many medicinal plants, but also summed up many effective treatment methods, which laid the foundation for later Chinese medicine. Legend has it that he compiled a masterpiece of pharmacy called "Shennong's Materia Medica".
Legend has it that Fuxi and Nuwa became husband and wife for the development of mankind, and in order to be recognized by heaven, earth and the gods, Fuxi and Nuwa chose an ancient and mysterious way of divination - chicken divination. This method of divination was considered a means of conveying the will of the gods in ancient times. Fuxi and Nuwa drew a circle on the divination field and placed the chicken in the center of the circle. They agreed that if the rooster came to them, it would be seen as the approval and blessing of heaven and earth and the gods for their marriage; If the chickens go elsewhere, they decide it's an inappropriate decision and give up on the idea. As a result, the rooster walked towards them without hesitation, symbolizing the recognition and blessing of heaven and earth.
The "Three Emperors" represent ancient Chinese civilization and culture. Their legends run through ancient Chinese literature and folklore, and are regarded as an important part of Chinese culture, which has had a profound impact on later generations.