Sunday, February 22, 2015

   


Post #9
Myth retold, The Jade Emperor and the Four Dragons.
  Long ago, in China, there were no rivers or lakes. The only water source was the Great Sea. On my command, four of my dragons would pick up water from the Great Sea and carry it throughout the land, giving water to the earth. This brilliant system that I had created worked beautifully. One day I was walking through my gardens when I came across a beautiful Fairy. It turned out that she was the Fairy Queen. She was very gorgeous, so I quickly married her. We lived a lavish and happy life in my magnificent castle up in Heaven. The Fairy Queen had a heavenly voice, which literally captivated me. I fell under her spell, and was unable to give orders to my four dragons, Long, Eastern, Yellow and Pearl. They desperately wanted to bring water to the land, but they knew that if they acted without my permission, they would be punished.
Image result for Four dragons
Ten years had passed without rain. The once green and lush grass, turned brown and stiff. The once magnificent gardens with great Bonzi trees and lovely smelling flowers, turned dry and brown. With no water, many of my people starved. Their crops had not grown, so there was no food to feed them. Many had to give up their farms and rice patties. China was plunged into poverty and drought. Long, Eastern, Yellow and Pearl watched helplessly. "Enough is enough!" Declared Long. "The Jade Emperor has failed to provide for these people. We must do something."
"If we act without the Jade Emperor's permission, he will surely punish us." Argued Yellow.
"He clearly has lost interest in earth. Maybe he will not notice?" Offered Pearl.
"I say we bring water to the starving people! How many more mortals shall die before the Jade Emperor notices? We are dragons. We have always helped those in need, why stop now? I don't care what the consequences are, we cannot just watch these people starve!" Proclaimed Eastern. The other dragons were empowered by Eastern's speech. The four of them decided to go against my orders and bring water to the land. The dragons brought life back to China, and I was thankful for that, but they disobeyed me, which was very disrespectful and unforgivable. This act broke the spell that the Fairy Queen had on me. I immediately sent my guardians, the Four Diamonds, to bring the dragons to me. I was very angered that my dragons acted without my consent. They practically committed treason! I ordered Tu Di Gong, the earth god, to trap each of my dragons under a mountain.
My dragons accepted their punishment. As Tu Di Gong trapped each of them under a mountain, the dragons used what magic they had left and transformed themselves into rivers, so the people of China would never have to go through drought and famine again.

Another version of this myth said that the Fairy Queen was the mother of my seven daughters, because they each have wings on their backs.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Post #8
The Jade Emperor and the Four Dragons
My dragons betrayed me by bringing water to the land without my permission. When they spread the rain all over China, I snapped out of the spell and was enraged at what they had done. My loyal dragons had broken their vow to serve me! I commanded my guardians to bring the dragons to me immediately. I punished my dragons for disobeying me, even through it was for the good of my mortal subjects. I had a mountain god trap each dragons under a mountain. The dragons used what little magic they had left to turn themselves into rivers, so they people of China would never have to go through a severe drought or famine again. Eastern, Pearl, Yellow and Long transformed themselves into rives. The Eastern, also known as the Black, River, the Pearl River, the Yellow River and the Long River.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Post #7
The Jade Emperor and the Four Dragons.
   The climax of this myth would be when my dragons disobeyed me. Long, Yellow, Eastern and Pearl watched my people fall victim to drought and famine. After ten years, they decided enough was enough. My dragons went behind my back and flew to the sea, knowing that I would be angry at them. They picked up water and spread it out across the land. This disobedience caught my attention, and broke the spell that the Fairy Queen had on me. I was furious at my dragons for going behind my back and acting without my permission. I had my guardians bring the dragons up to Heaven, where I punished them. They begged for forgiveness and I showed them mercy by calling upon a mountain god. I asked him to trap each of my dragons under a mountain, as punishment. There they will stay for eternity.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Post #6
  The Jade Emperor and the Four Dragons.
  In this myth, I am the main contributor to the conflict. I fell in love with a fairy queen. Her voice sounded like heaven, and I quickly married her. Her songs soon enchanted me, and fell under a spell. I was unable to command my dragons to bring water to my people. My dragons watched helplessly as my people suffered. Without the command to my dragons, they could not bring water from the sea and spread it across the land. These actions started a 10 year drought.
Post #4
The Emperor and the Four Dragons takes place in China.
 This story starts off in China. The grass is green and the flowers are blooming. The rice patties and farms are plentiful and feed all of my people. Water is brought to the land in order to keep it this way. When the water supply stops, the setting changes. Flowers droop to the dirt, wilting. The land slowly dries out. The farms die and my people are plunged into poverty and famine. Through a series of events, the water supply is re-instated. The fields once again prosper. The gardens grow larger and more exquisite flowers than ever before. My people live happily and healthily.
  This myth takes place long ago in China.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Post # 5 Character development
 The Jade Emperor and the Four Dragons.
In the myth, The Jade Emperor and the Four Dragons, there are many characters. The four dragons, Eastern, Pearl, Yellow and Long, make sure that the land is watered. On my orders, the dragons carry water from the sea and distribute it all across the land. Basically, the dragons make it rain. The dragons are very serious and loyal to the people of China. The dragons are willing to do anything to help them, even if it gets them in trouble.
  I also have a key role in this story. I act over confident, and let my pride blind me. Instead of making sure my people are healthy and happy, I ignore them and let myself get captivated by the beauties in my palace.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Post #3
   There are many cultural pieces related to me, the Jade Emperor. Stuart Alve Olson wrote a novel called The Jade Emperor's Mind Seal Classic, The Taoist Guide to Health, Longevity and Immortality. The novel is about Taoist concepts and health tips for achieving larger goals. It also includes the steps needed to achieve immortality, something that I am an expert on. It also talks about the three treasures of Taoism. The physical and sexual energy (ching), the breath and vital energy (qi) and the spiritual and mental energy (shen).
   There is also a video game called the "Jade Empire". It is about a young martial arts student defeating the leader of the Jade Empire. Many say that the mortal Chinese emperors are my decedents, or have part of my soul in them.
   There are also many painting of me. This one was painted around the 16th century, the artist is unknown. It depicts me sitting in the heavens in full imperial robes. It was painted with ink and gold, onto a silk cloth.
 
    Many of my worshipers built be halls, or temples as a sign of their devotion to me. This one is the Jade Emperor Pagoda. It was built in 1909 to honor me. The inside is filled with a large alter, with a statue of me with my guardians, the Four Big Diamonds. There are always incense burning, inside.

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Post #2
G. My main responsibility as the Jade Emperor is to protect the universe from evil spirits, while maintaining the the balance of good and evil, or the yang and yin. I punish humans who have sinned with bad luck, and I punish bad behaving Gods by reducing their heavenly rank. I reward my subjects with good fortune and promotions in my heavenly court.
H. When looking at spirit money, or heavenly money, you will see a picture of my face in the middle of it, wearing imperial robes. In the picture I am surrounded by the Eight Immortals. Each of the Eight Immortals represent a type of Chinese person. The old, the young, the men, the women, the rich, the poor, the noble, and the humble.
I. Many of the Chinese people began to worship me during the end of the Tang dynasty and in the beginning of the Song dynasty.
J. I am a symbol for the supreme ruler for the religion of Daioism, and Taoism, some of the main religions of China.
K. I am known to do little work. Some say that I cannot handle pressure well, and have poor problem solving skills. I often use my powers to improve my human subject's lives.
L. I have three main friends at court that help me rule. Cheng Huang does my paperwork for me. Tu Di Gong looks after villages, he ensuring that there is no sickness or famine. My third friend, Zao Jung, visits all the villages and towns before New Years. He reports back to me which of the villages and towns should be rewarded for their tidiness, crops they grew, and improvements that they have made. I then determine the rewards accordingly.
M. I am often wearing robes with dragons embroidered in them. I also have a head piece with thirteen strings of pearls on it.