Liu Chenxiang () is a mythical hero and

demigod A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...

in the Chinese folktale ''

The Magic Lotus Lantern ''The Magic Lotus Lantern'' is a Chinese fairy tale from the Tang dynasty (618–907). Story Sanshengmu was an immortal who had fallen in love with a mortal man. Her brother, Erlang Shen, was against it but she stole a magical lotus lantern and ...

''. At the top of the Western Peak of

Mount Hua Mount Hua () is a mountain located near the city of Huayin in Shaanxi Province, about east of Xi'an. It is the "Western Mountain" of the Five Great Mountains of China and has a long history of religious significance. Originally classified as ...

, there is a historic giant stone which is a hundred feet high, called Axe-splitting Rock, that has been cut neatly into three parts. Legend has it that it was cut by Chen Xiang to split the mountain in order to save his mother, who was trapped within it.

Legend

According to the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdom ...

folk tale ''The Magic Lotus Lantern'', his mother,

Huayue Sanniang Huayue Sanniang (), also known as Sanshengmu (), is a Chinese goddess who possesses a magical lotus lantern. She is a goddess of marriage and love in the Chinese folk religion. Legends According to a legend, Huayue Sanniang is the daughter of the ...

, a goddess in the Heavenly Palace, fell in love with a mortal scholar, Liu Yanchang. Their love was strongly opposed by her elder brother,

Erlang Shen Erlang Shen () or Erlang, also known as the Lord of Sichuan (), is a Chinese god with a third truth-seeing eye in the middle of his forehead. Erlang Shen may be a deified version of several semi-mythical folk heroes who helped regulate China ...

. With the help of the magic lotus lantern, the goddess defeated her brother and married the scholar. Later, she gave birth to her son, Chen Xiang. After seven years, Erlang Shen was able to locate the couple by the light of the magical lotus lantern. He then denies the marriage and captures Chen Xiang. After Erlang Sheng took the lantern from Huayue Sanniang, he releases Chen Xiang. However, he pushed Huayue Sanniang down under the giant stone at the top of the Western Peak of

. After nine years, Chen Xiang had gradually grown up into a thoughtful young man. One day, he learns of how his mother was imprisoned and determines to go to Mount Hua to rescue his mother. Chen Xiang encounters many trials during his journey. He learned martial arts skills from the

Monkey King The Monkey King, also known as Sun Wukong ( zh, t=孫悟空, s=孙悟空, first=t) in Mandarin Chinese, is a legendary mythical figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel '' Journey to the West'' ( zh, ...

. His teacher varies depending on the preference of the storyteller including

Lü Dongbin Lü Dongbin (796 CE – 1016 CE) is a legendary Chinese scholar and poet said to have lived during the Tang Dynasty. Whether he actually lived the two hundred and twenty years cannot be determined. Elevated to the status of an immortal in the ...

He Xiangu He Xiangu, birth name He Qiong, is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. She is often seen as the only female among the Eight Immortals (though the sex of Lan Caihe, another of the Eight Immortals, ...

Li Tieguai Li Tieguai ( Mandarin: ; lit. "Iron Crutch Li") is a Chinese mythological figure and one of the Eight Immortals in the Taoist pantheon. He is sometimes described as irascible and ill-tempered, but also benevolent to the poor, sick and the needy, ...

Taibai Jinxing Taibai Jinxing () is a deity in Chinese folk religion and Taoism. He is the son of Bai Di, the White Emperor, and his name means 'Evening Star'. The Fengshen Yanyi refers to him as an aide in the entourage of the Jade Emperor. In Chinese astr ...

, Pili Daxian and

Shen Gongbao Shen Gongbao (申公豹) is a major character featured within the famed classic Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods. Shen Gongbao is a disciple of Yuanshi Tianzun, Jiang Ziya's junior fellow apprentice. Background Shen Gongbao is good at com ...

. He impressed the Monkey King, so he made a powerful weapon called Mountain-Opening Axe. He fought Erlang Shen with the axe, and just as Erlang Shen was ready to kill Chen Xiang, the lotus lantern's light penetrated Chen Xiang's body and merged with him, and he was able to defeat Erlang Shen. After he defeated his uncle, Chen Xiang split open Mount Hua with his magical axe and rescued his mother, reuniting his family.

Influence

Relief of Liu Chenxiang and Huayue Sanniang

Films

*'' Save Mother from Mountain'' (小英雄劈山救母), a 1928 Chinese film *'' Breaking Open the Mountain to Rescue Mother'' (劈山救母), a 1950 Hong Kong film *'' The Precious Lotus Lamp'' (寶蓮燈), a 1956 Hong Kong

Cantonese opera Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Guangdong Province. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau and among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. Like all versions of Ch ...

film *'' The Precious Lotus Lamp, Part II'' (1957) *'' The Precious Lotus Lamp, Part III'' (1958) *'' The Magic Lotus Lantern'' (寶蓮燈), a 1959 Chinese film *'' Breaking Open the Mountain to Rescue Mother'' (劈山救母), a 1961 Taiwanese film *'' The Lotus Lamp'' (七彩寶蓮燈), a 1963 Hong Kong

film *'' The Magic Lamp'' (寶蓮燈), a 1964 Hong Kong

Huangmei opera Huangmei or Huangmei tone ( or , pinyin: or ) originated as a form of rural folk song and dance that has been in existence for the last 200 years and possibly longer. Huangmei opera is one of the most famous and mainstream opera in China (others ...

film *'' The Lotus Lamp'' (寶蓮燈), a 1965 Hong Kong film *'' The Magic Lotus Lantern'' (寶蓮燈), a 1976 Hebei bangzi film

Animation films

*''Saving Mother'' (西嶽奇童), a 1984 Chinese film *'' Lotus Lantern'', a 1999 Chinese film *''Chen Xiang'' (西嶽奇童), a 2006 Chinese film *'' New Gods: Yang Jian'', a 2022 Chinese film

TV series

*''The Lamp Lore'' (寶蓮燈), a 1986 Hong Kong TV series *''The Polien Lantern'' (天地傳說之寶蓮燈), a 2001 Chinese-Taiwanese TV series *'' Lotus Lantern'', a 2005 Chinese TV series *''

Prelude of Lotus Lantern ''Prelude of Lotus Lantern'' () is a 2009 Chinese mythology fantasy television series. The television series directed by Hong Kong director Mang San Yu and written by Wang Biao, and starring Vincent Chiao, Zhou Yang, Liu Xiaoqing and Liu Tao. It ...

'' (2009)

References

* {{Magic Lotus Lantern Chinese deities Chinese gods Heroes in mythology and legend Magic Lotus Lantern