Princess Longji
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Princess Longji (Chinese: 龙吉公主) is a character in the classic Chinese novel, Fengshen Yanyi.[1] She is the daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, Haotian Shangdi (identified with the Jade Emperor), and his wife, Yaochi Jinmu (identified with the Queen Mother of the West).[2] Her magical prowess was formidable, especially in water-based spells, which made her one of the most capable warriors in the Zhou army. She boasted a series of victories, including defeating notable figures like Luo Xuan, injuring Kong Xuan, and capturing Hong Jin. She had the magic weapons Wulu Universe Net (雾露乾坤网), the Four Sea Bottle (四海瓶), the Universe Needle (乾坤针), and the Dragon Binding Rope (捆龙索); the sword weapons are the Two Dragon Sword (二龙剑), Luan Flying Sword (鸾飞剑), and the Yaochi White Light Sword (瑶池白光剑). Erlang Shen is her cousin since he is the Jade Emperor’s nephew.
Legend
[edit]Fengshen Yanyi
[edit]In Fengshen Yanyi, Princess Longji is depicted as a celestial princess who was a skilled swordswoman with the ability to control water and rain. During her stay in the celestial temple, she faced demotion to mortal status and was subsequently exiled to Earth as punishment for her failure to obtain the Peaches of Immortality before the Peach Festival. While on Earth, she became embroiled in the conflict between the Shang and Zhou armies. Initially, she aided Yang Jian in defeating Earth Traveler Sun and later thwarted Fire God Luo Xuan, who had nearly burned down most of West Qi. She holds hope that one day, her immortal status will be reinstated, allowing her to return to the Heavenly Court. Upon learning of her remarkable achievements, Jiang Ziya welcomed Princess Longji into his army and granted her a residence in West Qi.
Princess Longji married the captured Shang general, Hong Jin, with the intention of converting him into an ally for the Zhou army. Together, they participated in numerous battles against the Shang dynasty, but tragically, both met their demise at the hands of the Jinling Shengmu. She was appointed as the Lord of the Red Phoenix Star (红鸾星) and Hong Luanxing (紅鸞星) in the end.[1][3][4] Three figures on the list of gods, Princess Longji, Ao Bing, and Li Gen, already belong to the Heavenly Court. It is unusual for only a few immortals to be included on the list of gods.[5][6]
Legend of the Queen Mother of the West
[edit]In the Legend of the Queen Mother of the West (西王母传奇), Princess Longji became upset after her mother, the Queen Mother of the West, forced her to offer a rare 9,000-year peach to Nüwa instead of keeping it herself. To comfort her, the Seventh Fairy gave Longji a 6,000-year peach, but a mouse spirit suddenly stole it in the Peach Garden of Immortality. After eating the peach, the spirit gained immortality and later took human form. Longji blamed Nüwa for the loss and carried the resentment into adulthood.[7]
Years later, Nüwa visited the Yaochi Palace with her attendant Zhao Gongming and his sacred white elephant. After the elephant frightened Longji and Zhao Gongming ignored her, Longji decided to take revenge. She stole the Yaochi Swords, captured the immortal mouse spirit, and forced it to kill the white elephant by falsely claiming it had been poisoned and needed an antidote. When the Queen Mother learned that Longji caused the death of Nüwa’s sacred animal, she became furious. However, after the pleas of Longji’s seven sisters, she exiled Longji to the Peach Garden and forced her to work there under guard.[7]
Longji later escaped with her maid Meixiang and fled to the Eastern Women’s Kingdom, where they searched for a ten-thousand-year Lingzhi mushroom to cure a deadly plague. During the journey, Longji killed a giant python guarding the Lingzhi but was poisoned by a flying snake before Meixiang saved her with part of the mushroom. Longji later encountered Zhao Gongming again, tricked him into removing the poison from her body, and trapped him with the magical Jueqing Net. Later, Longji met Yang Jian and fell in love with him after a conflict between him and Zhao Gongming.[7]
Longji eventually brought Yang Jian back to the Yaochi Palace, but the Queen Mother discovered he was the illegitimate son of the Jade Emperor and became furious. Yang Jian was imprisoned inside an ice pillar, and during the Peach Banquet the Queen Mother publicly exposed and humiliated him before the heavenly court. Princess Longji could only stand silently as Yang Jian remained bound beside the cursed donkey, who was revealed to be the Jade Emperor’s mortal lover.[7]
Other novel
[edit]The story of Princess Longji's romance was later published as the 2002 novel Princess Longji by Ji Zhen. It depicts a serene woman dedicated to spiritual cultivation who unexpectedly encounters Hong Jing, a young general with whom she has a prior connection.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Chen, Fan Pen Li. Chinese Shadow Theatre: History, Popular Religion, and Women Warriors. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 978-0-7735-7599-8.
- ^ 中国古典小说普及文库：封神演义 (in Chinese). Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-80761-938-3.
- ^ 西周英雄傳奇: 封神榜 (in Chinese). 時報出版事業有限公司.
- ^ 傳世藏書: 西游记, 封神演义, 平妖传, 绿野仙踪 (in Chinese). 海南国际新闻出版中心.
- ^ 李艮本是巡海夜叉，为何被封"大祸星"！他带来什么"大祸"了？_哪吒_天庭_敖丙. 搜狐 (in Chinese). 16 August 2022.
- ^ "封神酱油党：露一面就战死，却进了封神榜，与玉帝的女儿共事". Sina (in Chinese). 27 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d 西王母传奇 (in Chinese). 巴蜀书社. 2000. p. 4. ISBN 978-7-80659-097-3.
- ^ Zhen, Ji (2002). 龍吉公主 (in Traditional Chinese). ISBN 9789864241927.