Chapter 48: Hou Yi the Archer — 后羿 — Who Shot Nine Suns from the Sky
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A RECORD OF ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVEN
As gathered from the oldest accounts that remain
PROLOGUE — CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
On the Matter of Hou Yi — 后羿 — The Archer Who Shot Nine Suns from the Sky
His name is Hou Yi — 后羿.
Hou — 后 — means sovereign. Ruler. Lord. The one who leads. The one who commands.
Yi — 羿 — is his name. It means archer. The one who shoots. The one whose arrows never miss.
Together — 后羿 — Lord Yi. The Archer Sovereign. The Lord of the Bow.
He is also called Yi — 羿 — alone. He is also called the Divine Archer — 神射手 — Shen She Shou. He is also called the Lord of Archery — 弓神 — Gong Shen.
He is the greatest archer who ever lived. He shot nine suns from the sky. He saved the world from burning. He killed the monsters that terrorized humanity. He was a hero. He was a god. He was a mortal who became immortal. He was an immortal who became mortal. The accounts do not agree. All accounts agree that he was the greatest archer. All accounts agree that he saved the world.
He is also the husband of Chang'e — 嫦娥 — the Lady of the Moon. He obtained the elixir of immortality — 不死藥 — Bu Si Yao. She stole it. She drank it. She flew to the moon. He remained on earth. He died. He was forgotten. He is remembered only as the archer who shot the suns.
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On the oldest records of Hou Yi.
The name Yi appears in the earliest Chinese texts.
The Shanhaijing — 山海經 — the Classic of Mountains and Seas — compiled during the Warring States period — 戰國時代 — Zhanguo Shidai — contains the oldest account of Yi.
It states: Yi was a god. He was the Lord of Archery. He was sent by the gods to help humanity. He shot the suns. He killed the monsters. He saved the people. He was a hero.
The Shanhaijing does not explain where Yi came from. It does not explain how he became an archer. It records his deeds. It records his arrows. It records his victories. It does not record his origin.
The Huainanzi — 淮南子 — compiled under Liu An — 劉安 — around 139 before the common era — contains the most complete account of Yi's deeds.
It states: Yi was a god from heaven. He was sent by the Emperor Yao — 帝堯 — Di Yao — to save the world. The ten suns had risen together. The earth was burning. The people were dying. Yi shot nine suns. He saved the world. He also killed the monsters that terrorized humanity. He killed Ya Yu — 猰貐. He killed Zaochi — 鑿齒. He killed Jiuying — 九嬰. He killed Dafeng — 大風. He killed Fengxi — 封豨. He killed Xiushe — 修蛇. He cleared the world of monsters. The people were safe. They honored Yi as their hero.
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On the second record. The Chuci — 楚辭 — the Songs of Chu.
The Chuci — 楚辭 — the Songs of Chu — compiled during the Warring States period — contains a poetic account of Yi.
It states: Yi drew his bow. He shot the suns. The suns fell from the sky. Their feathers fell to the earth. The people were saved. They praised Yi. They honored Yi. They made him their king.
The Chuci also records the story of Yi and Chang'e. It states: Yi obtained the elixir of immortality from the Queen Mother of the West — 西王母 — Xiwangmu. He did not drink it. He kept it. His wife Chang'e stole it. She drank it. She flew to the moon. Yi was left on earth. He died. He was forgotten.
The Chuci does not explain why Yi did not drink the elixir. It does not explain why Chang'e stole it. It records the events. It records the loss. It does not explain the cause.
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On the third record. The Shiji — 史記 — Records of the Grand Historian.
The Shiji — 史記 — by Sima Qian — 司馬遷 — written approximately 100 before the common era — records Yi as a historical figure.
It states: Yi was a chieftain of the Youqiong tribe — 有窮氏 — Youqiong Shi. He was a great archer. He served the Xia dynasty — 夏朝 — Xia Chao. He rebelled. He was killed. His story became legend. He became the archer who shot the suns.
Sima Qian does not record Yi as a god. He records him as a human. He records him as a chieftain. He records him as a rebel. He records him as a man who became a legend.
This account is different from the mythological accounts. It is recorded here as an alternate tradition. The texts do not agree. The mythological Yi is a god. The historical Yi is a man. Both are recorded here. Both are preserved.
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On his appearance — the archer.
Yi is always depicted as an archer.
He carries a bow — 弓 — gong. The bow is made of wood. It is strung with sinew. It is the strongest bow in the world. Only Yi can draw it.
He carries arrows — 箭 — jian. The arrows are made of wood. They are tipped with metal. They are fletched with feathers. They are the arrows that shot the suns.
He wears the clothes of a hunter. He wears the clothes of a warrior. He wears the clothes of a god. He is always ready to shoot. He is always ready to fight. He is always ready to save the world.
His eyes are sharp. His aim is true. His hand is steady. His arrows never miss. He is the greatest archer who ever lived.
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On the shooting of the suns — how he did it.
The accounts describe how Yi shot the suns.
He stood on a mountain. He stood on Mount Kunlun — 崑崙山 — Kunlun Shan — in some accounts. He stood on the peak of the world. He was close to the sky. He could see the suns.
He drew his bow. He drew the string to his ear. He aimed at the sun. He released.
The arrow flew. It flew faster than the wind. It flew faster than light. It flew straight. It flew true. It struck the sun.
The sun screamed. The sun fell. The sun crashed to earth. The ground shook. The sea boiled. The sky darkened.
He shot again. Another sun fell.
He shot again. Another sun fell.
He shot nine times. Nine suns fell. The earth cooled. The rivers flowed. The crops grew. The people lived.
He shot a tenth time. The arrow flew. It was about to strike the tenth sun. The people cried out. They said: leave one sun. We need light. We need warmth. We need the sun to live.
Yi lowered his bow. The tenth sun remained. It still crosses the sky today.
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On the monsters he killed — the six perils.
After shooting the suns, Yi killed the monsters that terrorized humanity. The Huainanzi records six monsters.
Ya Yu — 猰貐. Ya Yu was a monster. It had the body of a cow. It had the face of a human. It had the teeth of a tiger. It ate people. Yi shot it. It died.
Zaochi — 鑿齒. Zaochi was a monster. It had teeth like chisels. Its teeth were three feet long. It used them to kill. It used them to eat. Yi shot it. It died.
Jiuying — 九嬰. Jiuying was a monster with nine heads. Each head was a snake. Each head could spit water. Each head could spit fire. It lived in the river. It attacked boats. It drowned travelers. Yi shot it. He shot nine arrows. Nine heads fell. The monster died.
Dafeng — 大風. Dafeng was a giant bird. Its wings covered the sky. Its wind knocked down trees. Its wind destroyed villages. It carried off people. It ate them. Yi shot it. He shot it in the wing. It fell. It died.
Fengxi — 封豨. Fengxi was a giant boar. It was as big as a mountain. Its tusks were like swords. It trampled crops. It destroyed villages. It ate people. Yi shot it. He shot it in the eye. It died.
Xiushe — 修蛇. Xiushe was a giant serpent. It was a thousand feet long. It lived in the lake. It ate boats. It ate people. It terrorized the south. Yi shot it. He shot it in the head. It died. Its body was cut into pieces. The pieces became mountains.
Yi killed all six monsters. The world was safe. The people were safe. They honored Yi as their hero.
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On the elixir of immortality — 不死藥 — Bu Si Yao.
After his deeds, Yi sought immortality. He traveled to the west. He traveled to Kunlun Mountain — 崑崙山 — Kunlun Shan. He met the Queen Mother of the West — 西王母 — Xiwangmu.
The Queen Mother gave him the elixir of immortality — 不死藥 — Bu Si Yao. She gave him a pill. It would make him immortal. It would make him a god. It would allow him to live forever.
She told him: take the pill. You will ascend to heaven. You will be immortal. You will be a god.
Yi did not take the pill. He kept it. He brought it home. He gave it to his wife Chang'e — 嫦娥. He told her to keep it safe. He said he would take it when the time was right.
He did not take it. He waited. He waited too long.
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On the stealing of the elixir — how Chang'e took it.
The accounts of how Chang'e stole the elixir differ.
The first account. She stole it while he was away. Yi was hunting. Yi was fighting. Yi was away from home. Chang'e found the elixir. She took it. She drank it. She flew to the moon.
The second account. She was forced to take it. Yi's student Fengmeng — 逢蒙 — tried to steal the elixir. He threatened Chang'e. She had to protect it. She drank it herself. She flew to the moon. She saved the elixir from the thief.
The third account. She took it willingly. Chang'e wanted to be immortal. She wanted to be a goddess. She did not want to stay on earth. She took the elixir. She drank it. She flew to the moon. She left Yi behind.
The fourth account. She did not steal it. Yi gave it to her. He told her to take it. He wanted her to be immortal. He wanted her to be safe. He knew he would die. He gave her the elixir. She drank it. She flew to the moon.
All four accounts are recorded here. None is declared correct. The texts do not agree. Chang'e took the elixir. She flew to the moon. Yi remained on earth. That is what the texts record.
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On Chang'e on the moon — 嫦娥 — the Lady of the Moon.
Chang'e flew to the moon. She became the goddess of the moon. She lives there still.
She lives in the Guanghan Palace — 廣寒宮 — the Palace of Vast Cold. It is cold. It is empty. It is lonely. She is alone.
She has a companion. A jade rabbit — 玉兔 — yu tu — pounds medicine in a mortar. It pounds the elixir of immortality. It pounds it forever. It never finishes. It never stops.
She has a toad — 蟾蜍 — chan chu — in some accounts. The toad is the moon spirit. It is Chang'e transformed. She became a toad. She lives in the moon. She is the toad. She is the lady. She is both.
She looks down at the earth. She sees where she came from. She sees Yi. She sees the world she left. She cannot return. She cannot leave. She is trapped in the cold palace. She is the lady of the moon.
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On the death of Yi — how he died.
After Chang'e left, Yi remained on earth. He was mortal. He had no elixir. He would die.
He was killed by his student Fengmeng — 逢蒙. Fengmeng wanted to be the greatest archer. He could not surpass Yi while Yi lived. He killed Yi. He used a peachwood club — 桃木棒 — tao mu bang. He struck Yi from behind. Yi died.
The people mourned. They honored Yi. They made him a god. He became the god of archers. He became the god of hunters. He became the god of heroes. He ascended to heaven. He became immortal in death.
He is still there. He is still the greatest archer. He is still the one who shot the suns. He is still the hero who saved the world.
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On the peachwood club — why peachwood repels evil.
The club that killed Yi was made of peachwood — 桃木 — tao mu.
After Yi's death, the peachwood club became sacred. It became a weapon against evil. It could repel demons. It could kill ghosts. It could protect the living.
This is why peachwood is used for charms — 桃符 — tao fu. This is why peachwood is used for door gods — 門神 — Menshen. This is why peachwood is used for exorcism. The wood that killed the greatest hero became the wood that protects the people. The weapon that killed Yi became the shield that protects the world.
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On the bow of Yi — where it went.
Yi's bow was passed down. It was kept by his descendants. It was used by later archers. It was lost.
Some texts say it was taken to heaven. Yi took it with him when he ascended. He uses it still. He practices in the sky. He shoots stars. He shoots clouds. He shoots the wind. He is still the greatest archer.
Some texts say it was buried with him. It lies in his tomb. It waits for him to return. It waits for him to rise. It waits for him to shoot again.
The bow is not found. It is lost. It is waiting. It is Yi's bow. It will be found when it is needed. It will be used when the world needs a hero. It will shoot again when the suns rise again.
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On what he represents.
He represents the hero who saves the world. He represents the one who acts when others cannot. He represents the one who does what must be done.
He shot the suns. He killed the monsters. He saved the people. He was a hero. He was honored. He was loved.
But he lost everything. He lost his wife. He lost his immortality. He lost his life. He died alone. He died by betrayal. He died without the one he loved.
He is the hero who saved the world and lost everything. He is the one who gave everything and received nothing. He is the one who is remembered for his deeds but forgotten in his suffering.
He is Hou Yi. He is the Archer. He is the Lord of the Bow. He is the one who shot the suns. He is the one who saved the world. He is the one who died alone. He is remembered. He is honored. He is the hero.
END OF CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT