Hongjun Laozu
Encyclopedia
Hongjun Laozu lit.
"Great Balance Ancestor" is a Daoist deity and legendary teacher of the Three Pure Ones
in Chinese mythology
. Hongjun 鴻鈞 is a graphic variant
of hungjun "primordial nature", as used in the Chinese idiom Xian you hongjun hou you tian 先有鸿钧后有天 "First there was Nature and then there was Heaven".
Daoists mythologize Hongjun Laozu as the ancestor of xian
"trancendents; immortals" (Werner 1922:133-134) and use the honorific name Hongyuan Laozu "Great Primal Ancestor". In Chinese creation myths, hongyuan 鸿元 or 洪元 is a cosmological term for "the universe before the separation of heaven and earth".
Some legends about the creator Pangu
(Werner 1922:128-130) refer to Hongjun Laozu as Xuanxuan Shangren "Mystery of Mysteries Saint" (a reference to the Daodejing 1, tr. Mair 1990:59, "Mystery or mysteries, the gate of all wonders!").
. He was the person who captured Nian
, the great beast that terrorised the people of China
every Chinese New Year.
Every Chinese New Year was a time of suffering and fear for the people of China because of Nian
, the great beast. One Chinese New Year's Eve, a monk named HongJun LaoZu came to a village in China
. He saw how everyone looked sad and frightened, so he went to a young man and said "Why are you so sad? It is Chinese New Year
, a time for celebration." The man replied "Do you not know? Have you not heard about Nian
? He comes every New Year and terrorises us, even eats us." The monk said "I will go and reason with Nian
." So off he went, to find Nian
.
When HongJun LaoZu came to Nian
, he said "Nian
, I have come to reason with you. Stop eating and terrorising the people of China
." But Nian
Said "HoHo. You have delivered yourself to me old man, now I will eat you." "Oh, but what will that prove? Eating me isn't great! Would you dare to eat the poisonous snakes on the mountains?" "Bah! What's so difficult about that?" So Nian
went to the poisonous snakes and ate them up. "How is this? Am I not great?" "At the back of the mountain there are many great beasts. Can you subdue them?" So Nian went and scared all of the dangerous beasts out of the back of the mountain.
"Old man, now its time for me to eat you!" "OK just wait while I take my clothes off, I will taste much better then". So the old man took his clothes off to reveal his undergarments, which were red. "OK you can eat me now." But Nian
said "Ah! a red undergarment! I dearly hate red, get out of my sight quickly." "HaHa! I knew you were afraid of red!" so the old man went into the town on top of Nian
and said "Dear villagers, do not be afraid. Nian
is most terrified of red. From now on each house must paste red on each of their doors to prevent Nian
creating havoc."
After that, the people started to paste red paper on their front doors before New Year's Day
.
Literal translation
Literal translation, or direct translation, is the rendering of text from one language to another "word-for-word" rather than conveying the sense of the original...
"Great Balance Ancestor" is a Daoist deity and legendary teacher of the Three Pure Ones
Three Pure Ones
The Three Pure Ones also translated as the Three Pure Pellucid Ones, the Three Pristine Ones, the Three Divine Teachers, the Three Clarities, or the Three Purities is the Taoist Trinity, the three highest Gods in the Taoist pantheon. They are regarded as pure manifestation of the Tao and the...
in Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
. Hongjun 鴻鈞 is a graphic variant
Variant Chinese character
Variant Chinese characters are Chinese characters that are homophones and synonyms. Almost all variants are allographs in most circumstances, such as casual handwriting...
of hungjun "primordial nature", as used in the Chinese idiom Xian you hongjun hou you tian 先有鸿钧后有天 "First there was Nature and then there was Heaven".
Daoists mythologize Hongjun Laozu as the ancestor of xian
Xian (Taoism)
Xian is a Chinese word for an enlightened person, translatable in English as:*"spiritually immortal; transcendent; super-human; celestial being"...
"trancendents; immortals" (Werner 1922:133-134) and use the honorific name Hongyuan Laozu "Great Primal Ancestor". In Chinese creation myths, hongyuan 鸿元 or 洪元 is a cosmological term for "the universe before the separation of heaven and earth".
Some legends about the creator Pangu
Pangu
Pangu was the first living being and the creator of all in Chinese mythology.- The Pangu legend:...
(Werner 1922:128-130) refer to Hongjun Laozu as Xuanxuan Shangren "Mystery of Mysteries Saint" (a reference to the Daodejing 1, tr. Mair 1990:59, "Mystery or mysteries, the gate of all wonders!").
Myth
Hongjun Laozu was the monk who is told about in the myth of Chinese New YearChinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
. He was the person who captured Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
, the great beast that terrorised the people of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
every Chinese New Year.
Every Chinese New Year was a time of suffering and fear for the people of China because of Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
, the great beast. One Chinese New Year's Eve, a monk named HongJun LaoZu came to a village in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He saw how everyone looked sad and frightened, so he went to a young man and said "Why are you so sad? It is Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...
, a time for celebration." The man replied "Do you not know? Have you not heard about Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
? He comes every New Year and terrorises us, even eats us." The monk said "I will go and reason with Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
." So off he went, to find Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
.
When HongJun LaoZu came to Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
, he said "Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
, I have come to reason with you. Stop eating and terrorising the people of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
." But Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
Said "HoHo. You have delivered yourself to me old man, now I will eat you." "Oh, but what will that prove? Eating me isn't great! Would you dare to eat the poisonous snakes on the mountains?" "Bah! What's so difficult about that?" So Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
went to the poisonous snakes and ate them up. "How is this? Am I not great?" "At the back of the mountain there are many great beasts. Can you subdue them?" So Nian went and scared all of the dangerous beasts out of the back of the mountain.
"Old man, now its time for me to eat you!" "OK just wait while I take my clothes off, I will taste much better then". So the old man took his clothes off to reveal his undergarments, which were red. "OK you can eat me now." But Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
said "Ah! a red undergarment! I dearly hate red, get out of my sight quickly." "HaHa! I knew you were afraid of red!" so the old man went into the town on top of Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
and said "Dear villagers, do not be afraid. Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
is most terrified of red. From now on each house must paste red on each of their doors to prevent Nian
Nian
According to Chinese mythology, a Nian is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains. Once each spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, and prefers children. Weaknesses of the Nian are purported to be a sensitivity to loud noises, and a fear of the...
creating havoc."
After that, the people started to paste red paper on their front doors before New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
.