Ping Sien Si - 004 Huang Feihu (16134825352)

Huang Feihu is a fictional character in the Chinese epic fantasy novel ''

Fengshen Bang ''The Investiture of the Gods'', also known by its Chinese names () and is a 16th-century Chinese novel and one of the major vernacular Chinese works in the gods and demons (''shenmo'') genre written during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Cons ...

''. Originally known as Prince Wucheng () of the

Shang Dynasty The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...

, he defects to Xiqi (西岐; the precursor to the

Zhou Dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...

), a vassal state under Shang, after the tyrannical

King Zhou of Shang King Zhou (; ) was the pejorative posthumous name given to Di Xin of Shang () or King Shou of Shang (), the last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. He is also called Zhou Xin (). In Chinese, his name Zhòu (wikt:紂, 紂) also refers to a ...

caused the death of his wife. He brings along his two younger brothers, three sons, four close friends, and hundreds of followers loyal to him. Huang Feihu later participates in the campaign led by King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty to overthrow King Zhou of Shang. He is killed in action during a battle against the Shang general Zhang Kui (張奎).

Biography

Huang Feihu is born in a family of officials who have served the

for seven generations. Huang Feihu's father

Huang Gun Huang Gun (Chinese character, Chinese: 黄滚; Pinyin: Huáng Gǔn) is a character featured within the famed classic Chinese novel ''Fengshen Yanyi''. Huang Gun is the father of Prince Huang Feihu and has guarded the Demarcation Pass for many a yea ...

is a Shang general tasked with defending the border. Huang Feihu himself is granted the title of "Prince Wucheng Who Guards the Kingdom" (鎮國武成王; usually shortened to "Prince Wucheng"). Huang Feihu's younger sister, Consort Huang, is also a concubine of

King Zhou King Zhou (; ) was the pejorative posthumous name given to Di Xin of Shang () or King Shou of Shang (), the last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. He is also called Zhou Xin (). In Chinese, his name Zhòu ( 紂) also refers to a horse cr ...

, the last ruler of the Shang Dynasty. Near the end of the Shang Dynasty, King Zhou becomes obsessed with his concubine

Daji Daji () was the favourite consort of King Zhou of Shang, the last king of the Shang dynasty in History of China, ancient China. In legends and fictions, she is portrayed as a malevolent fox spirit who kills and impersonates the real Daji. Her ide ...

, who is actually a vixen spirit in disguise as a woman. King Zhou is a ruthless and bloodthirsty tyrant who uses cruel means to torture and kill those who oppose him, including his own ministers who dared to speak up to him. At one point, King Zhou lusts for Huang Feihu's wife, Lady Jia, and attempts to seize her for himself. Lady Jia commits suicide to preserve her dignity. Consort Huang scolds King Zhou for his wicked ways and the king kills her by throwing her off Zhaixing Tower in anger. Huang Feihu is furious when he learns the truth and he defects to Xiqi (西岐; the precursor to the

), a vassal state under Shang, bringing along his family and loyal followers. Huang Feihu receives a warm welcome in Xiqi and is treated with respect. His title is changed to "Prince Wucheng Who Founds the Kingdom" (開國武成王). After the death of

Ji Chang King Wen of Zhou (; 1152–1050 BC, the Cultured King) was Count of Zhou during the late Shang dynasty in ancient China. Although frequently confused with his fourth son Duke of Zhou, also known as "Lord Zhou", they are different historical perso ...

(Western Duke and lord of Xiqi), his son Ji Fa (later

King Wu of Zhou King Wu of Zhou () was the first king of the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BC and ended three years later in 1043 BC. King Wu's ancestral name was ...

) leads a campaign to overthrow King Zhou of Shang. Huang Feihu dedicates the rest of his life to assisting Ji Fa in toppling the Shang Dynasty, participating in various battles against Shang. He is eventually killed in a battle at Mianchi (澠池; present-day

Mianchi County Mianchi County is a county under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Sanmenxia, in the northwest of Henan province, bordering Shanxi province to the north and northwest. Its population in 2019 was 353,200. History Mianchi is kno ...

Henan Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is al ...

) against the Shang general Zhang Kui (張奎). At the end of the novel,

Jiang Ziya Jiang Ziya ( century BC – century BC), also known by several other names, was a Chinese noble who helped kings Wen and Wu of Zhou overthrow the Shang in ancient China. Following their victory at Muye, he continued to serve ...

grants Huang Feihu the post of "Dongyue Taishan Tianqi Rensheng Dadi" (東嶽泰山天齊仁聖大帝), the leader of the rulers of the

Five Sacred Mountains The Sacred Mountains of China are divided into several groups. The ''Five Great Mountains'' () refers to five of the most renowned mountains in Chinese history, and they were the subjects of imperial pilgrimage by emperors throughout ages. They ...

. Huang Feihu oversees the fortunes and fates of mortals and the Eighteen Levels of Hell.Xu Zhonglin. ''Fengshen Bang'', Chapter 99.

Translation of title

Dongyue Taishan Tianqi Rensheng Dadi () roughly translates to The Equal to Heaven, Benevolent and Sacred Great Emperor of the Eastern Summit

Mount Tai Mount Tai () is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an. It is the highest point in Shandong province, China. The tallest peak is the '' Jade Emperor Peak'' (), which is commonly reported as being t ...

Family and associates

*Father: Huang Gun (黃滾) *Spouse: Lady Jia (賈氏) *Siblings: **Huang Feibiao (黃飛彪), younger brother **Huang Feibao (黃飛豹), younger brother **Consort Huang (黃貴妃), younger sister, King Zhou of Shang's concubine *Children: ** Huang Tianhua (黃天化), slain by Gao Jineng **Huang Tianlu (黃天祿), slain by Wu Wenhua **Huang Tianjue (黃天爵) **Huang Tianxiang (黃天祥) *Subordinates: **Huang Ming (黃明) **Zhou Ji (周紀) **Long Huan (龍環) **Wu Qian (吳謙)

References

Xu Zhonglin Xu Zhonglin (; 1567 - c. 1619 or 1620) was a Chinese writer who lived in the Ming dynasty. He is best known as the author of the 16th century semi-mythical novel '' Investiture of the Gods'' (). He was born in Yingtian Prefecture, present-day Na ...

. ''

''.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Huang, Feihu Investiture of the Gods characters Chinese gods