Princess Longji () is a character in the classic Chinese novel, ''

Fengshen Yanyi ''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 ...

''. She is the daughter of the Emperor of Heaven, Haotian Shangdi (identified with the

Jade Emperor The Jade Emperor or Yudi ( or , ') in Chinese culture, traditional religions and myth is one of the representations of the first god ( '). In Daoist theology he is the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, the three ...

), and his wife, Yaochi Jinmu (identified with the

Queen Mother of the West The Queen Mother of the West, known by various local names, is a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology, also worshipped in neighbouring Asian countries, and attested from ancient times. From her name alone some of her most importan ...

). 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 Kong Xuan () is a peacock spirit who became King Zhou’s general in the novel '' Fengshen Yanyi''. His character is based on Mahamayuri from Buddhist myth. When the evil King Zhou, the last ruler of the Shang dynasty, was rebelled against by his ...

, and capturing Hong Jin.

Legend

In ''Fengshen Yanyi,'' Princess Longji is depicted as a celestial princess 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 In Chinese mythology, Peaches of Immortality ( or ) are consumed by the immortals due to their mystic virtue of conferring longevity on all who eat them. Peaches symbolizing immortality (or the wish for a long and healthy life) are a common symbo ...

before the Peach Festival. While on Earth, she became embroiled in the conflict between the

Shang 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 f ...

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 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 ...

welcomed Princess Longji into his army and granted her a residence in West Qi. Princess Longji married the captured Shang general,

Hong Jin Hong Jin (27 August 1877 – 9 September 1946), also known as Hong Myeon-hui, was a leader of the Korean independence movement. He is also sometimes known by his pen name Mano (만오, 晩悟), and his Christian name, Andre. He was born under th ...

, with the intention of converting him into an ally for the Zhou army. Together, they participated in numerous battles against 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 ...

, but tragically, both met their demise at the hands of the

Jinling Shengmu Jinling Shengmu () is a Taoist deity and character in the 16th-century Chinese novel, ''Fengshen Yanyi'', which is also known as ''The Investiture of the Gods''. Legend In ''Fengshen Yanyi'', Jinling Shengmu is an immortal from Golden Turtle Isl ...

. She was appointed as the Lord of the Red Phoenix Star (红鸾星) in the end. Three figures on the list of gods, Princess Longji,

Ao Bing Ao Bing () is a character in the classic Chinese novel ''Investiture of the Gods'' (''Fengshen Yanyi''). He is a dragon prince and the third son of the East Sea Dragon King Ao Guang of the Crystal Palace. He has two brothers named Ao Jia and Ao Yi ...

, 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.

References

Chinese goddesses Taoist deities Investiture of the Gods characters {{Deity-stub