A RECORD OF ALL THINGS UNDER HEAVEN
As gathered from the oldest accounts that remain
PROLOGUE — CHAPTER THIRTEEN
On the Matter of Erlang Shen — 二郎神 — the Divine Second Son
His name is Erlang Shen — 二郎神.
Er — 二 — means two. Second.
Lang — 郎 — means son. Boy. Young man.
Shen — 神 — means god. Divine being.
Together — 二郎神 — the Divine Second Son. The God of the Second Son.
He is also called Yang Jian — 楊戩 — in the Fengshen Yanyi — 封神演義 — and the Xiyou Ji — 西遊記.
He is also called the True Lord Erlang — 二郎真君 — Erlang Zhenjun.
He is also called the Illustrious Sage — 顯聖二郎真君 — Xiansheng Erlang Zhenjun.
He is also called the Erlang of Guankou — 灌口二郎 — Guankou Erlang — after the place where his most ancient worship began.
He is the nephew of the Jade Emperor — 玉皇大帝 — Yu Huang Dadi.
He is the greatest warrior in heaven.
He has a third eye — 第三隻眼 — di san zhi yan — in the center of his forehead.
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On the three origin accounts.
The records do not agree on who Erlang Shen was before he became a god.
Three accounts exist. They are recorded here in order. None is declared more true than the others.
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The first account. The engineer's son.
During the Warring States period — 戰國時代 — Zhanguo Shidai — the people of Sichuan — 四川 — Sichuan — suffered.
Every year the Min River — 岷江 — Min Jiang — flooded.
The floodwaters destroyed the crops. The people went hungry. The region was called the Inundated Land — 澤國 — Ze Guo — and the Red Basin — 赤盆 — Chi Pen.
The King of Qin — 秦王 — Qin Wang — sent an official named Li Bing — 李冰 — to solve the problem.
Li Bing was a hydraulic engineer — 水利工程師 — shuili gongchengshi.
He investigated the river for a long time.
He discovered the cause. Spring meltwater from the mountains rushed down at great speed. When it reached the flat Chengdu Plain — 成都平原 — Chengdu Pingyuan — it slowed. The silt accumulated. The banks burst.
He devised a solution.
He would not build a dam. A dam would block the river. The Qin needed the river open for military vessels.
He would divide the river instead.
He built a fish-mouth levee — 魚嘴 — Yuzui — a long embankment shaped like a fish's mouth — to split the river into two. The inner river — 內江 — Nei Jiang — deep and narrow — carried water for irrigation. The outer river — 外江 — Wai Jiang — wide and shallow — drained the excess.
He built a flying sand spillway — 飛沙堰 — Feishayan — to discharge flood water and remove silt.
He cut a channel through Mount Yulei — 玉壘山 — Yulei Shan — to carry water to the plains beyond. He used fire to heat the rock and water to cool it. The rock cracked. The workers removed it piece by piece. Eight years of work produced a channel twenty meters wide.
This system was called the Dujiangyan — 都江堰 — Du Jiang Yan — the Metropolis River Weir.
It was completed approximately 256 years before the common era.
It is still in use today. More than two thousand years later.
Li Bing's son assisted him. The son's name was Erlang — 二郎 — the Second Son.
The people of Sichuan deified them both.
Li Bing became a water god.
Erlang became Erlang Shen.
Their temple is the Erwang Temple — 二王廟 — Er Wang Miao — the Temple of the Two Kings — built near the irrigation site. It has stood for over two thousand years.
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The second account. The nephew of the Jade Emperor.
Princess Yaoji — 瑤姬 — was the sister of the Jade Emperor — 玉皇大帝 — Yu Huang Dadi.
Her duty was to govern the realm of desire — 欲界 — Yujie — and limit the mortal urges of the gods.
She failed her own duty.
She fell in love with a mortal scholar named Yang Tianyou — 楊天佑.
He had given her his own heart to save her life after she was wounded by a dragon.
She married him.
They had three children.
The eldest was Yang Jiao — 楊蛟.
The second was Yang Jian — 楊戩.
The third was Yang Chan — 楊嬋 — also called the Holy Mother of Mount Hua — 華山聖母 — Huashan Shengmu.
The Jade Emperor discovered the marriage.
He was furious.
He sent his armies.
They killed Yang Tianyou. They killed Yang Jiao.
Only Yang Jian and his sister Yang Chan escaped.
The Jade Emperor imprisoned Princess Yaoji — 瑤姬 — beneath Peach Mountain — 桃山 — Tao Shan.
Yang Jian grew up.
He became the disciple of Yuding Zhenren — 玉鼎真人 — the Perfect Person of the Jade Bowl — at Jinxia Cave — 金霞洞 — Jin Xia Dong — on Yuquan Mountain — 玉泉山 — Yuquan Shan.
By the age of seventeen he had cultivated powerful abilities.
He obtained the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade — 三尖兩刃刀 — San Jian Liang Ren Dao.
He went to Peach Mountain.
He split it open with his blade.
He freed his mother.
The Jade Emperor saw this.
He recognized Yang Jian's power and his filial devotion — 孝心 — xiao xin.
He appointed him as the head of the celestial army.
Yang Jian became Erlang Shen.
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The third account. The hero of Guankou.
In the ancient chronicles of Sichuan there is a record of a hero named Zhao Yu — 趙昱.
Zhao Yu was a hermit — 隱士 — yinshi — who lived on Mount Qingcheng — 青城山 — Qingcheng Shan.
Emperor Yang of Sui — 隋煬帝 — Sui Yangdi — appointed him governor of Jiazhou — 嘉州 — Jiazhou.
A flood dragon — 蛟龍 — jiao long — had been tormenting the region for years.
Zhao Yu set forth with one thousand men.
When he reached the river he dove in alone with his double-edged sword — 雙刃劍 — shuang ren jian.
He emerged holding the dragon's head.
After his death the region was again plagued by flood.
He was seen riding a white horse — 白馬 — bai ma — amidst the swirling currents.
The local people built a temple to him.
They called him Erlang.
The floods were subdued.
In this account Erlang Shen is the deification of Zhao Yu. He is not an engineer's son. He is not a divine nephew. He is a mortal governor who killed a dragon and became a god.
All three accounts are preserved here.
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On his appearance.
He is a young man — 年輕男子 — nianqing nanzi.
His bearing is refined — 氣宇不凡 — qi yu bu fan.
His visage is noble — 面容高貴 — mianrong gaogui.
His ears hang down to his shoulders — 耳垂及肩 — er chui ji jian.
His eyes shine — 目光炯炯 — muguang jiongjiong.
On his head he wears a hat with three peaks — 三山帽 — san shan mao — adorned with phoenixes — 鳳凰 — Fenghuang.
His robe is pale goose-yellow — 淡黃色 — dan huang se.
His boots are lined with cloth of gold — 金布 — jin bu.
Dragons coil around his socks.
His jade belt — 玉帶 — yu dai — is decorated with eight jewels — 八寶 — ba bao.
At his waist is a bow — 弓 — gong — curved like the moon.
In his hand is the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear — 三尖兩刃槍 — San Jian Liang Ren Qiang.
This description comes from the Journey to the West — 西遊記 — Xiyou Ji.
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On the third eye.
It is called the Truth-Seeing Eye — 天眼 — Tian Yan — the Eye of Heaven.
It is located in the center of his forehead — 額頭中央 — etou zhongyang.
It sees through all illusions — 幻象 — huanxiang.
It sees the true form of any demon regardless of disguise.
It sees lies. It sees guilt.
It remains active regardless of what form Erlang takes during his transformations.
Some regional accounts say it can be used as a weapon. It shoots fire. It shoots blasts of light. It can destroy mountains. It can cripple immortals.
All accounts agree on one thing. Nothing that exists in the three realms can deceive the Truth-Seeing Eye.
Nothing.
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On Xiaotian Quan — 嘯天犬 — the Howling Celestial Dog.
Erlang Shen is never without his dog.
The dog is called Xiaotian Quan — 嘯天犬 — the Howling Celestial Dog.
In one account Xiaotian Quan began as a stray dog — 流浪狗 — liulang gou — that showed unusual loyalty to Erlang. He elevated it to immortality.
The dog has six legs — 六條腿 — liu tiao tui in some accounts.
It can howl with destructive force. The shockwave from its howl shakes heaven and earth.
Its sense of smell can track any target through any transformation.
During the battle with the Monkey King — 孫悟空 — Sun Wukong — the dog bit the Monkey King's leg. This allowed Erlang Shen to gain the upper hand.
Without the dog the battle would have continued.
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On the seventy-two transformations — 七十二變 — Qi Shi Er Bian.
Erlang Shen can transform into seventy-two different forms.
Any animal. Any person. Any object.
His third eye remains active in every form.
He used this ability extensively in the Fengshen Yanyi — 封神演義.
When the Seven Monsters of Meishan — 梅山七怪 — Meishan Qi Guai — used their animal forms as weapons, Erlang Shen transformed to counter each one.
He allowed himself to be swallowed by a flying mink — 飛貂 — fei diao — deliberately.
Inside the mink's body he transformed.
He killed it from within.
He took its form.
He used its form to steal the enemy's greatest weapon.
His third eye identified each animal's true weakness. He exploited each weakness in turn.
All seven were defeated.
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On the battle with the Monkey King.
The Monkey King — 孫悟空 — Sun Wukong — disrupted heaven.
One hundred thousand celestial soldiers — 十萬天兵 — shi wan tian bing — could not stop him.
The Four Heavenly Kings — 四大天王 — Si Da Tianwang — could not stop him.
Nezha — 哪吒 — could not stop him.
The Jade Emperor sent for Erlang Shen.
Erlang Shen arrived at Huaguo Mountain — 花果山 — Huaguo Shan — with his six sworn brothers — 六兄弟 — liu xiongdi — and Xiaotian Quan — 嘯天犬.
They fought.
The battle lasted over three hundred rounds — 三百回合 — san bai huihe.
Neither was defeated.
Sun Wukong transformed. Erlang Shen used his third eye to see through each transformation.
Erlang Shen transformed. Sun Wukong used his own knowledge of transformations to follow.
They matched each other form for form.
Laozi — 太上老君 — Taishang Laojun — threw his Diamond Snare — 金剛琢 — Jin Gang Zhuo — from above.
It struck Sun Wukong.
He stumbled.
Erlang Shen's brothers tied him.
The battle ended.
The Monkey King was captured.
Not by Erlang Shen alone. But Erlang Shen held him long enough.
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On his refusal to submit to the Jade Emperor directly.
This detail is recorded in the Xiyou Ji — 西遊記.
Erlang Shen lives at Guankou — 灌口 — not in the Jade Emperor's heavenly court.
He accepts the Jade Emperor's commands.
He does not bow to the Jade Emperor directly.
He bows to his own altar.
When the Jade Emperor requests his assistance, he sends a message through the celestial officials.
He does not attend the Jade Emperor's court in person.
The Jade Emperor permits this.
The reason given: Erlang Shen is a relative. The rules of the court are for officials. Relatives are governed by different courtesies.
This is the official explanation.
The records note it without further comment.
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On the Lotus Lantern — 寶蓮燈 — Bao Lian Deng.
Erlang Shen's sister Yang Chan — 楊嬋 — the Holy Mother of Mount Hua — 華山聖母 — Huashan Shengmu — made the same transgression as their mother.
She married a mortal man named Liu Yanchang — 劉彥昌.
They had a son named Chen Xiang — 沉香.
Erlang Shen was furious.
He imprisoned his sister beneath Mount Hua — 華山 — Huashan.
He used a magical lotus lantern — 寶蓮燈 — Bao Lian Deng — to seal her.
When Chen Xiang came of age, he sought to free his mother.
He trained under various immortals.
He obtained a divine axe — 神斧 — shen fu.
He challenged his uncle.
They fought.
Chen Xiang split Mount Hua with his axe.
He freed his mother.
Erlang Shen was defeated by his own nephew.
The records note this without comment.
The pattern is observed. In this family, sons split mountains to free their mothers.
It happened in one generation.
It happened in the next.
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On his domains.
He is the god of water control — 水利之神 — shuili zhi shen.
He is the god of justice — 正義之神 — zhengyi zhi shen.
He is the god of engineering — 工程之神 — gongcheng zhi shen.
He is the god of demon subjugation — 降魔之神 — xiangmo zhi shen.
He is the god of hunting — 狩獵之神 — shoulie zhi shen.
He is the patron of Sichuan province — 四川省 — Sichuan Sheng.
He is the protector of children — 兒童保護者 — ertong baohu zhe.
He is the patron of brewing — 釀造守護神 — niangzao shouhushen.
He is considered the creator of Chinese opera — 中國戲曲創始人 — Zhongguo xiqu chuangshiren — in some traditions.
He blesses those who live outside conventional social structures.
These domains do not all fit neatly together.
This is noted.
He accumulated them over a thousand years of worship from many different peoples in many different regions.
Each group gave him what they needed from a god.
He absorbed all of it.
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On his weapons.
The Three-Pointed Double-Edged Spear — 三尖兩刃槍 — San Jian Liang Ren Qiang. Three points. Two cutting edges. Powerful enough to penetrate steel and stone.
The Divine Bow — 神弓 — Shen Gong — curved like the moon. Used at a distance. He is recorded as a skilled archer.
The Truth-Seeing Eye — 天眼 — Tian Yan. Not a weapon in the conventional sense. Used as one in some accounts.
Xiaotian Quan — 嘯天犬 — the Howling Celestial Dog. Not a weapon. A companion. Used in battle regardless.
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On his temples and festivals.
The Erwang Temple — 二王廟 — Er Wang Miao — near Dujiangyan in Sichuan stands as the oldest and most famous.
It honors both Li Bing and his son.
The Water Releasing Festival — 放水節 — Fang Shui Jie — is held during Qingming — 清明 — in early spring.
Temple fairs are held from the twenty-fourth to the twenty-sixth day of the sixth lunar month — 六月二十四至二十六 — liu yue er shi si zhi er shi liu.
The twenty-fourth day is the birthday of Erlang — 二郎生日 — Erlang shengri.
The twenty-sixth day is the birthday of Li Bing — 李冰生日 — Li Bing shengri.
The Fulong Temple — 伏龍觀 — Fulong Guan — is said to be the site where Erlang chained the flood dragon. The dragon is imprisoned beneath it. It has been imprisoned there since before the common era.
The temple stands.
The dragon remains.
The floods do not come.
END OF CHAPTER THIRTEEN