''The Magic Lotus Lantern'' is a Chinese fairy tale from the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

(618–907).

Story

Sanshengmu was an immortal who had fallen in love with a mortal man. Her 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's ...

, was against it but she stole a magical lotus lantern and escaped the palace for earth-The lotus lantern, no matter which monster or fairy, as long as the lotus lantern shines, it will be shocked and convinced. Sanshengmu eventually had a son named Chen Xiang. After seven years Erlang Sheng was able to locate the couple by light of the magical lotus lantern. He captured Chen Xiang so that Sanshengmu would return the lantern, and when she did she was imprisoned under a mountain. Chen Xiang learns of how his mother was imprisoned and plans to get the lantern back to look for his mother. Chen Xiang encounters many trials during his journey and in the time became a young man. He impressed the Monkey King so he made Chen Xiang magical axe. Chenxiang fought Erlang Shen with the axe and just as Erlang Shen was ready to kill Chenxiang, the lotus lantern’s light penetrated Chenxiang's body and merged with him so he was able to defeat Erlang Shen. Chenxiang splits the mountain in half, Sanshengmu was rescued, and mother and son were reunited.

Adaptations

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 ''Hebei bangzi'' ( 河北梆子) is a genre of Chinese opera from the northern province of Hebei. It may also be found in the nearby cities of Beijing and Tianjin, as well as in Shandong, Henan, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia, ...

film

Animation films

*''Saving Mother'' (西嶽奇童), a 1984 Chinese film *''

Lotus Lantern ''Lotus Lantern'' () is a Chinese animated feature film based on the Chinese fairy tale, The Magic Lotus Lantern, produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio. Plot The story is based on the traditional Chinese folklore about a boy named Chenxiang ...

'', a 1999 Chinese film *''Chen Xiang'' (西嶽奇童), a 2006 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 *''

'', 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

* *{{cite book, title=The Beating of the Dragon Robe: A Repertoire of Beijing Opera; Synopses of 100 Most Popular Pieces, last=Li Nianpei, year=1988, publisher=

Joint Publishing Joint Publishing (), also known as Sanlian Press or SDX Joint Publishing, is a book store chain and publisher founded at Queen's Road Central in Hong Kong on 18 October 1948. Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) is one of major book store chains in Hong ...

, isbn=962-04-0636-2, url-access=registration, url=https://archive.org/details/beatingofdragonr00lini Chinese fairy tales