1. The Miraculous Birth of the Yellow Emperor
Chapter 1: The Auspicious Sign of the Shaodian Clan
On the ancient Central Plains, countless tribes were scattered across the land. Among them, the Shaodian clan was situated by the banks of the Ji River, a place with lush water and grass, where people lived by fishing and hunting. The leader of the tribe, Shaodian, was a wise leader, and his wife, Fubao, was gentle and virtuous. One starry night, Fubao was outdoors and felt a great lightning bolt encircling the Big Dipper. From that moment, she became pregnant.
After a pregnancy lasting twenty-four months, on a warm, flower-filled spring day, Fubao gave birth to a boy. This child was extraordinary. At birth, his body was surrounded by a faint golden light, and his cry was as loud as a bell. Even more astonishing, as soon as he was swaddled, he clearly uttered two words: “Xuan Yuan.” The tribe’s shaman performed a divination and declared that this was a blessing from heaven bestowed upon the Shaodian clan, and that this child would lead their people to prosperity.
Shaodian gave his son the family name Gongsun and the personal name Xuanyuan. Xuanyuan grew at an astonishing rate. By three months old, he could already express his needs in full sentences; by one year old, he was following the elders in the tribe to learn etiquette; by three years old, he was already observing the movements of the sun, moon, and stars, and asking the tribe’s craftsmen about techniques for making tools.
Chapter 2: A Time of Turmoil
The year Xuanyuan turned ten, the entire Central Plains fell into chaos. The Shennong clan, which ruled over the various tribes at the time, was declining in power and could no longer maintain order. Tribal leaders declared themselves kings and attacked each other. Powerful tribes bullied weaker ones, seizing their grain, livestock, and land. People were displaced, and fields lay barren.
The young Xuanyuan witnessed all this and was filled with worry. He often stood alone by the Ji River, pondering how to end this chaos. “Why can’t people live together in peace? Why must powerful tribes bully weaker ones?” These questions troubled him.
By the age of fifteen, Xuanyuan was already assisting his father in managing tribal affairs. He invented stronger weapons and more efficient farming tools, taught his tribespeople to clear wasteland for cultivation, and to plant the five grains. Under his guidance, the Shaodian tribe grew increasingly powerful, attracting many smaller neighboring tribes to join them.
Chapter 3: First Display of Brilliance
One day, an envoy, covered in wounds, arrived at the Shaodian tribe. He was a representative from the Youxiong tribe to the west. “Chiyou’s army has raided our village, taken the grain we stored for winter, and killed our warriors. Please, Shaodian clan, save us!” The envoy knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly.
Chiyou was the leader of the Jiuli tribe from the east. Legend says he had eight feet, three heads, six arms, a bronze head, and an iron forehead, making him invulnerable to weapons. The army he led was fierce and skilled in battle, using weapons far more advanced than other tribes.
In the tribal council, the elders were divided. Some thought they should immediately send troops to aid the Youxiong tribe; others believed Chiyou was too powerful and that the Shaodian clan should not bring trouble upon themselves.
Xuanyuan stood up, his voice as firm as iron: “If we turn a blind eye to the suffering of our neighbors, then when disaster befalls us, no one will come to our aid either. An army fighting for justice will surely defeat a tyrannical enemy!”
Finally, the Shaodian decided to send troops. Xuanyuan personally trained an elite force of three hundred men, equipped with bronze weapons and defensive fortifications he designed. This was the first organized military operation with tactical planning in the history of the Central Plains.
Chapter 4: The Battle of Banquan
During the campaign to aid the Youxiong tribe, Xuanyuan’s military talent was fully displayed. He not only repelled Chiyou’s forces but also helped the Youxiong tribe rebuild their homes. This battle made Xuanyuan famous, and many oppressed smaller tribes came to pledge allegiance.
However, the Yandi tribe from the south felt threatened. Yandi, a descendant of the Shennong clan, considered himself the legitimate ruler of the land. Seeing Xuanyuan’s growing influence, he decided to strike first.
Yandi led his army northward and confronted Xuanyuan’s forces on the plains of Banquan. At the front of the battle lines, Yandi shouted, “Xuanyuan! You are merely a youngster from the Shaodian clan. What right do you have to oppose me?”
Xuanyuan replied calmly, “I took up arms not to seize power, but to end this era where the strong prey on the weak. If you are willing to join me in establishing order, allowing the common people to live in peace and prosperity, I would be willing to acknowledge you as my sovereign.”
Yandi laughed heartily: “The strong preying on the weak is the law of nature! Today, I will show you what real power is!”
The battle raged for three days and three nights. Xuanyuan did not seek a quick victory but instead adopted a strategy of attrition. He knew that Yandi’s army had traveled a long distance and had a lengthy supply line. Simultaneously, he sent a small detachment to circle behind enemy lines and cut off Yandi’s food supplies.
By the third day, Yandi’s soldiers were starving and their morale was low. Xuanyuan seized the opportunity to launch a general offensive, but he gave orders not to kill any soldiers who surrendered. In the end, Yandi was moved by Xuanyuan’s righteousness and voluntarily laid down his weapons.
“I have lost,” Yandi sighed, “not only militarily but also in terms of virtue. From now on, I am willing to follow your commands.”
Chapter 5: The Decisive Battle of Zhuolu
After pacifying Yandi, Chiyou remained the only major threat in the Central Plains. Chiyou was not only militarily powerful but also skilled in using weather and terrain to his advantage. The weather in the areas he controlled was unpredictable, often shrouded in thick fog that disoriented invading armies.
Xuanyuan knew this would be a tough battle. He allied with Yandi and other submissive tribes to form a massive coalition army. Before setting out, he held a grand oath-taking ceremony.
“Warriors!” Xuanyuan stood on a high platform, his voice carrying across the entire camp. “The foe we face is the brutal Chiyou. He burns, kills, and plunders, committing every evil imaginable. But we do not fight for hatred; we fight for peace! We fight so that our children and grandchildren can live in a world without fear!”
The coalition army’s morale was high as they marched towards Zhuolu, Chiyou’s stronghold. True to form, as soon as they entered Chiyou’s territory, the weather turned strange. A thick fog enveloped the battlefield; soldiers could not see their own hands in front of their faces, and the ranks began to fall into disarray.
At this critical moment, Xuanyuan unveiled another of his inventions – the South-Pointing Chariot. On this vehicle was a small wooden figure whose arm always pointed south, no matter which way the chariot turned. Guided by these chariots, the coalition army managed to maintain their direction in the dense fog.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. Chiyou’s soldiers were incredibly brave, and their bronze weapons were sharper than those of the coalition. At the crucial moment, Xuanyuan ordered his soldiers to blow specially made horns that produced a sound like a dragon’s roar. This sound had a peculiar intimidating effect on Chiyou’s troops, causing their formation to break down.
Xuanyuan personally entered the fray and engaged Chiyou in single combat. The two fought for three hundred rounds. Ultimately, Xuanyuan used a stratagem to lure Chiyou into a trap and captured the tyrant who had wreaked havoc for years.
Chapter 6: Sovereign of All Under Heaven
After the Battle of Zhuolu, the lords of the land gathered at Mount Fu and unanimously elected Xuanyuan as the Son of Heaven, bestowing upon him the title Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor. This was because Huangdi believed the virtue of Earth was predominant, and the color of earth is yellow, hence the name Yellow Emperor.
At the enthronement ceremony, the Yellow Emperor announced his new strategy for governing: “From this day forward, all tribes shall exercise autonomy, but they must abide by common laws and regulations. Powerful tribes must not bully weaker tribes; all disputes should be resolved through negotiation or legal judgment.”
He established the positions of Left and Right Grand Supervisors to oversee the actions of the various tribes; standardized weights and measures to facilitate trade; promoted agricultural techniques to increase grain production; and ordered officials to observe celestial phenomena and create a calendar to guide agricultural activities.
The Yellow Emperor also invented writing, musical scales, medicine, and many other things that profoundly influenced later generations. He taught people how to build houses, make clothing, and domesticate animals. Under his rule, the first true dawn of civilization appeared on the Central Plains.
In his later years, the Yellow Emperor often toured the four directions. He climbed Mount Tai and viewed the Eastern Sea; traveled west to Kongtong and south to the Yangtze River. Wherever he went, he found people living in peace and contentment, and tribes coexisting harmoniously. He eventually passed away at Mount Qiao, said to have lived over one hundred years. The people mourned as if they had lost their own parents, and various tribes built temples to worship this great progenitor.
Although the Yellow Emperor had departed, the civilization he founded took root like a seed in this land, eventually growing into a towering tree. His descendants carried on his work, continuing to propel Chinese civilization forward.