China Folklore Compendium - (Folk Literature Section) (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Chen Jianxian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-12-01
Features: The Supplement to the Records of the Three Sovereigns in the Records of the Grand Historian states: "The Flame Emperor Shennong, of the Jiang clan, was born to the goddess Nudeng, daughter of the goddess Nüwa, who was the consort of Shao Dian. He was conceived by Shennong and became the Flame Emperor, with a human body and a bull's head. He grew up by the Jiang River and took its name as his surname. Ruling under the fire virtue, he was called the Flame Emperor, and officials were named after fire. He carved wood into plows and twisted wood into hoes. Using plows and hoes, he taught the people. As he taught agriculture, he was known as Shennong. He then established the Lao sacrifice, whipped plants with red whips, began tasting hundreds of herbs, and thus began the use of medicine. He also created the five-string zither, taught people to hold markets at noon, trade, and then return, each finding what they needed." From this legend, Shennong is not only considered one of the earliest inventors of Chinese agriculture but possibly also of Chinese medicine and markets.
Another legendary agricultural inventor is Houji. The Classic of Mountains and Seas·Great West states: "There was a Western Zhou state, of the Ji clan, who ate grains. A man named Shu Jun was farming. The Emperor Jun bore Houji, who descended with the hundred grains." The Classic of Mountains and Seas·Seas Within states: "Between the Southwest Black Water, there is the Duguang Plain, where Houji is buried. There are rich soybeans, rich rice, rich millet, and rich millet, and the hundred grains grow spontaneously." Since Houji descended with the hundred grains and his burial site is described as a place where "the hundred grains grow spontaneously," he is clearly an agricultural cultural hero.
In addition to hunting and agriculture, ancient texts contain many records of cultural inventions. For example, the Shiben·Creation states: "Fuxi invented the qin, Shennong invented the se, Nüwa invented the xeng and hong. Zhuanxu ordered the Flying Dragon Clan to cast the Hong Bell, whose sound resonated far. Zhu Rong invented the market. Goumang invented the net. Huangdi sent Xihe to observe the sun and Changxi to observe the moon. Linglun created the lü and lv. Zixu created writing. Shi Huang created pictures. Bo Yu created clothing. Yin Shou created mirrors. Chiyou created bronze weapons. Wu Xian invented divination. Wu Peng invented medicine. Wu Xian created bronze drums. Feng Meng invented archery. He created the ox-drawn plow. Xiangtu created the horse-drawn chariot. Xi Zhong first invented the wheel. Su Sha invented salt-making. Hua Yi invented wells. Yao invented weiqi, and Dan Zhu was skilled in it. Jing created city walls. Gao Yao created the five punishments. Shun created the xiao, and Ku created music. Guoshou invented painting. Kunwu invented pottery." These can all be seen as fragments of ancient myth.