Legends of the East and West

Green Guard

Some say she drowned in a river. Other say she walked off into the misty mountains at the young age of 28 and disappeared forever. Whatever the case, her father’s body had been lost at sea, never to be seen again. For Lin Muo-Niang (林默娘), life was full of tragedy.

Born in 960 AD, on a small island southeast of China, she was the seventh child in an already crowded family. Her mother, feeling the household needed more room, wanted to abandon her at birth. But her father convinced the family to give the little infant a chance. In an ironic twist, she spent her life dedicated to every instruction her mother ever gave her, preferring never to marry.

After her death, the stories around these events began to expand, creating a complex mythological web out of her life. One legend says an immortal being climbed out of a well and gave her a magical amulet at the age of 16. In another legend, she fought and subdued a pair of frightening creatures who were roaming the countryside and stirring up trouble in southeastern China. This is the story of Matsu (媽祖), Goddess of the sea.

According to folklore, one of the creatures, Shun Feng-Er (順風耳), had unusual hearing. It was said he could hear every sound carried on the wind. The other, Chien Li-Yen (千里眼), could see for a thousand miles. The two monsters resisted the girl, but after being defeated by her became her guardians. They flank her statue even today, ever vigilant of approaching danger. Shun Feng-Er (順風耳), called Favoring-wind Ears, can be identified by his red skin. And Chien Li-Yen (千里眼), also knows as Thousand-league Eyes, has green skin. They both have fangs and stand in menacing poses, muscles taught and weapons ready to strike down anyone who might attempt to harm the girl. The history of these two barbarians can be traced far back into ancient Chinese mythology.

Another enticing myth is the story of the four Dragon Kings of the Sea. They include the East Dragon King, Ao Guang (敖廣), the West Dragon King, Ao Run (敖閏), the South Dragon King, Ao Qin (敖欽), and the North Dragon King, Ao Shun (敖順). The East Dragon King is usually depicted with the head of a dragon and the body of a human; in fact, all of the dragon kings have the ability to shape shift into human form. The East Dragon King watches over the largest region of the four Dragon Kings and is an important character in the book, Journey to the West, which is one of the four great classics of Chinese literature. These four Dragon Kings, together with Matsu (媽祖), Goddess of the Sea, and her two monster guards, rule the wind and the waves of the mythological world.

Much like Greek mythology, where real people began to take on superhuman abilities, many characters in Chinese mythology also most likely began as everyday people doing courageous things in the face of tragedy. The story of Lin Muo-Niang (林默娘) can be traced back through history, revealing how events in her life were embellished each time they were written down, according to Taiwanese researcher Li Hsien-chang. Yet this doesn’t stop people from believing that Matsu (媽祖) can protect them from the dangers of the untamed ocean. Today, there are nearly 400 temples in Taiwan alone dedicated to the worship of the Goddess of the Sea. Temples dedicated to Matsu (媽祖) can be found throughout southeastern Asia and as far away as Chinatown in San Francisco, California. Recently, residents of southern Taiwan took part in a 3 day vegetarian-style fast to celebrate the opening of yet another Matsu temple. What can be taken home from a visit to one of these temples, if you don’t believe in the divine nature of the life of Lin Muo-Niang (林默娘)? The same lesson that can be learned from reading any classic Greek text: never fear to go above and beyond when the world around you needs it.

The Chinese pantheon isn’t as clearly defined as the Greek pantheon. The equivalent of Zeus is mostly likely the Jade Emperor, the ruler of all mythological creatures in the East. Yet, just as Zeus is not the most popular character in Greek mythology, so to the Jade Emperor doesn’t quite catch the imagination like Monkey. Monkey would be more equal to Hercules, when it comes to someone whose antics appeals to the masses. The Greek heroes while considered godlike also are anthropomorphic in nature, exhibiting human-like characteristics as they reside in heaven, sometimes making mistakes in their endeavors to better or destroy the world. So to is it with Chinese folklore. What makes Monkey so attractive is his sense of humor. Monkey is a bit of a trickster, playing jokes on people as they go about their daily lives. At one point he even plays tricks on the Jade Emperor, after which the Jade Emperor gives him a task and a promotion to keep him busy. Even this can’t stop Monkey from horse-playing, so Buddha himself must be enlisted to bring Monkey under control.

One creature stands out as unique in the world of mythology; that is, the dragon. The dragon is the only creature that appears in both eastern and western storytelling. Yet the dragon represents something entirely different in each hemisphere. In the west, the dragon is something to be feared, traditionally capturing a young princess, which our brave knight must go and fight, a tale filled with both romance and danger. In more modern children’s stories, the dragon is peaceful and fun loving, such as in the song, Puff the Magic Dragon, wherein the symbolism can’t be missed. In the east, however, the four Dragon Kings are the rulers of the four regions of the sea and must be respected. At one time, Monkey decides he needs a weapon, because tricks alone are not enough to defeat the monsters of this world, so he sneaks into the treasury of the East Dragon King, Ao Guang (敖廣), to steal a magic wishing staff which can expand to fill the universe or shrink to the size of a needle. The idea of dragons hoarding and protecting great treasures is a common element in both eastern and western literature, as we see in J.R.R. Tolkien’s, The Hobbit.

The history of the dragon in eastern mythology dates back thousands of years, long before dragons appeared in western literature. Recently, a 3,700-year-old totem made out of turquoise and looking like a python with a dragon-shaped head was discovered in central China. The artist who constructed this antique relic was clearly influenced by Chinese civilization. The oldest dragon totem in the world, however, is a 7,000-year-old jade sculpture in the shape of a dragon with a pig head. This totem was found in Inner Mongolia and is not Chinese in origin.

Like the modern day comic book story of the X-Men, the characters in both eastern and western mythology usually have some outstanding trait, some single ability that makes them different from everybody else. And by joining together under various coalitions at different times in their lives, they find strength in numbers and reach incredible heights. Lei Zheng-zi had wings and could fly, but only after eating apricots. Nezha could suddenly grow three heads and six arms. Monkey and the Dragon Kings eventually became friends and ruled together. Today, Nezha is recognized as the god of winning lottery numbers, because like Monkey, he enjoys playing tricks on people.

Next time you visit a temple in Taiwan, look closely at the carvings and artwork and see how many of the characters you can identify there. But be sure to remain respectful of the people worshiping there while you look around. Recently I came across a banister commemorating the opening of the new Matsu (媽祖) temple. In the center you can see the Jade Emperor. A collection of eight characters flanks him, four on each side. These are the eight Immortals of Chinese mythology. Each rides a different animal, one on a horse, one on a tiger, and so on. In this banner, there are only two dragons.
If you look closely at the dragon, you’ll find it is actually made up of other animals. It has the horns of a deer, the head of a camel, the neck of a snake, the body of a crocodile, the scales of a fish, the claws of a bird, and the ears of an ox. The Chinese dragon is a symbol of the Chinese people; it is a chimera, or composite animal, each part representing the different animal totems of the northern Chinese tribes. According to legend, the Celestial Dragon had nine sons, and one of these sons became the emperor of China.

These days, as my wife and I travel around Taiwan, I look more closely at the temples we pass. I’m often eager to pull out my camera and learn more about this culture that I’m now a part of. During your time in Taiwan, don’t hesitate to take in the legends growing up all around us!