King Zhou's Pilgrimage to the Temple of Nuwa

One day, King Zhou ascended the palace early in the morning, summoning his courtiers and ministers to gather. The scene was magnificent:

The auspicious mist enveloped the surroundings, and King Zhou sat atop the golden dragon throne. Radiant lights of good fortune danced around him as ministers and generals lined up before the white jade steps.

Eight hundred sandalwood incense burners emitted golden smoke, while pearl curtains swayed gracefully. Fragrant musk perfumed the air, and precious fans swirled like whirlwinds, all under the gaze of the king.

The Emperor inquired of the Chief Minister, "Is there any memorial to be presented, or is it a routine morning assembly?"

Before he could finish speaking, a man from the right side of the assembly stepped forward, knelt on the golden steps, and raised a tooth-shaped scepter high, addressing the king, "I am Shan Rong, your humble servant, and I hold the position of Prime Minister. I oversee the affairs of the court, and I dare not fail in my duty. Tomorrow is the fifteenth day of the third month, the sacred birthday of Nuwa, the Goddess. I humbly request Your Majesty to visit the Temple of Nuwa to offer incense."

The King questioned, "What deeds have Nuwa accomplished to deserve such an honor? Why should I, the ruler of ten thousand chariots, go there to offer incense?"

Shan Rong replied, "Nuwa, the Goddess, is an ancient divine being with unparalleled virtue. In ancient times, when Gonggong clashed with Zhu Rong, causing the heavens to tilt and the earth to collapse, Nuwa mended the broken sky using five-colored stones, thus earning great merit for the people.

"The commoners established altars and performed rituals to express their gratitude. Today, we continue this tradition to pray for the well-being of our nation, the continuity of our dynasty, favorable weather, and the prevention of disasters. Nuwa is the benevolent deity who protects our nation and its people. Your Majesty should offer incense to her."

The King agreed, "I accept your memorial."

King Zhou then returned to the palace, and his decree was issued. The following day, the Emperor, accompanied by courtiers and ministers, embarked on a pilgrimage to the Temple of Nuwa.

In this chapter, King Zhou's absence from the palace did not bode well. The act of offering incense had disrupted the balance, causing widespread suffering among the people.

As the saying goes, "Casting a line into the river will inevitably yield a catch." Indeed, a poem illustrates this:

The Emperor's carriage leaves the Phoenix City, Banners and flags radiate auspicious colors. The dragon's brilliance shines as the sword cleaves the wind, Red-feathered standards flutter, resembling the sun and moon.

Willow trees by the embankment divide the realm of immortals, Streamers of flowers shine upon jade robes so clear. To understand the pilgrimage and gaze upon the celestial map, All the nations' officials and scholars pay respects to the wise sovereign.

The procession reaches the southern gate of Ao Ge City, Each household burns incense and lays out offerings. Three thousand cavalrymen and eight hundred royal guards, General Huang Feihu, the Martial God, safeguards the journey.

The Emperor arrives at the Temple of Nuwa, He disembarks from his carriage and ascends the grand hall. Incense burns within the censers, Ministers and generals offer their congratulations.

The King gazes at the splendid palace, A sudden gust of wind sends shivers down his spine.

King Zhou was admiring the splendid palace, its buildings grand and towering, when suddenly, a gust of wild wind swept through, lifting the curtains and revealing the sacred image of Nuwa. Her appearance was divine, her countenance exquisite, and she radiated resplendent colors, possessing celestial beauty.

She appeared like a fairy descended to the mortal realm or the moon goddess stepping onto the Earth.

As an ancient saying goes, "When a nation prospers, there must be auspicious signs; when it declines, there will be ominous omens."

Upon seeing her, King Zhou's spirit swayed, and he was suddenly overcome by lustful thoughts.

He pondered, "I, as the Emperor, hold dominion over the four seas and possess six palaces, but none of them compares to this enchanting beauty."

King Zhou then commanded, "Fetch the four treasures of the study."

His attendants quickly brought the writing materials to him. The Emperor dipped a purple brush into ink and composed a poem on the palace's pink walls:

"In the palace of phoenix and luan, a scene beyond compare,

All adorned with intricate gold embellishments rare.

Curving mountains, hues of green, like a painting they seem,

Graceful sleeves flutter, reflecting the rosy dream.

Pear blossoms in the rain compete in their charm,

Peonies in the mist bloom, with grace they disarm.

With enchanting beauty and movements so free,

Retrieve this bewitching maiden to accompany me."

After the Emperor finished, Prime Minister Shan Rong stepped forward and advised, "Nuwa is an ancient and benevolent deity, the patron of the city of Chao Ge. Your servant requests permission to offer incense and pray for blessings. This will bring prosperity to the people, ensure favorable weather, harmony, and peace.

"Your Majesty, by composing a poem that disrespects the divine, you risk angering the heavens. It is not in accordance with the proper rituals for the Emperor's pilgrimage. I beseech you to purify yourself with water to show sincerity and avoid harming your reputation."

The King responded, "I composed the poem merely to praise Nuwa's unparalleled beauty, without ulterior motives. You need not say more. Moreover, I, as the sovereign of the land, wish for the commoners to witness this beauty. They shall see that the Goddess's beauty is beyond compare and that my words are but a remnant of my admiration."

With that, the King returned to the palace, and the courtiers and ministers silently nodded, refraining from further discussion.

As evidence:

The dragon-carriage and phoenix-chariot leave the Imperial Capital, Holding incense and offering blessings to the Divine Maiden. Thinking it is for the people's happiness and prosperity, Who would have thought a poem would startle the populace?

Now, foxes and wolves hold positions of power; Tigers and leopards are everywhere in high office. When such phenomena occur in the heavens above, It only causes heroes to sigh in discontent.

The Emperor returned to his palace and ascended the Dragon Virtue Hall. The commoners came to congratulate him and then dispersed. Coincidentally, it was a day of worship, and the three palaces of the Queen, the Western Palace, and the Xingqing Palace held their morning audience before retreating. We will leave these matters unmentioned for now.

Meanwhile, Nuwa, the Goddess, celebrated her birthday on the fifteenth day of the third month.

She paid respects to Fuxi, Yan Emperor, and Yellow Emperor at the Palace of Fire Clouds and then returned on the azure phoenix. She sat in her palace, attended by Jade Maidens and Golden Boys, offering her prayers.

When she looked up and saw the poem on the pink walls, she became furious. She exclaimed, "King Zhou is an unworthy and depraved ruler who has failed to cultivate virtue and protect his kingdom. Now, he dares to disrespect me with a poem! This is utterly despicable! I remember the time when Cheng Tang defeated King Jie to rule the world. He reigned for over six hundred years, but now his time is up. If I don't give him the retribution he deserves, my divine power will be questioned."

Nuwa immediately summoned the Azure Cloud Boy to ride the Azure Phoenix and fly to Chao Ge City for a visit. But that's a story for another time.

However, the two princes, Yin Jiao and Yin Hong, came to pay their respects to their father, King Zhou. Yin Jiao later became the "Yearly Grand Duke" on the "List of Gods," and Yin Hong was the "God of the Five Grains."

Both of them were renowned divine generals. While they were performing their greetings, two beams of red light shot into the sky above them.

As the Goddess was conducting her ceremony, these energies blocked her path among the clouds. She glanced down and realized that King Zhou still had twenty-eight years of prosperity in his fate. She understood that rushing things would be unwise, so she temporarily returned to her palace, feeling displeased.

She summoned a colorful cloud servant to fetch a golden gourd from the palace's inner chambers and placed it beneath her red carpet. She lifted the gourd's cover and pointed her finger inside.

From the gourd, a white thread of light emerged, extending about four to five zhang in height. Above this white light hung a multicolored flag with a radiant, auspicious appearance known as the "Demon-Attracting Flag."

Before long, a mournful wind began to blow, and a gloomy mist enveloped the surroundings. Dark clouds gathered, and after several gusts of wind, all the demons from around the world had arrived at the palace, awaiting the Goddess's command.

The Goddess instructed the colorful cloud servant, saying, "Order all the demons and monsters to retreat from their respective locations. Leave only the three demons at the Xuan Yuan Tomb to await my orders."

The three demons entered the palace and paid their respects, saying, "Goddess, may your divine life be endless!"

These three demons included a thousand-year-old fox spirit, a nine-headed pheasant spirit, and a jade and stone pipa spirit. They prostrated themselves before the Goddess.

The Goddess said, "Listen to my secret orders. King Cheng Tang's fortune has dimmed, and he will lose his rule over the world. The phoenix will sing on Qishan, and Western Zhou has already given birth to a saintly ruler.

"Fate has already been decided, and it cannot be altered. You three demons must conceal your demonic forms, reside within the palace grounds, and bewilder and confuse the King's heart. Wait until King Wu defeats King Zhou, and assist in his success. Do not harm the common people. Once the task is accomplished, you will also attain enlightenment."

After giving her instructions, the Goddess received their gratitude, and the three demons transformed into a clear wind and departed. It was indeed true that the fox spirit heeded her orders and used her demonic powers, causing the downfall of King Cheng Tang's rule, which had lasted for over six hundred years. A poem was composed as proof, which goes:

"In the middle of the third month, the King embarked on an incense pilgrimage, A poem he recited, causing disaster to presage. Not realizing his talent should be spent wisely, He now faces a world in turmoil, oh how unwise he be!"

Leaving aside the Goddess Nuwa's orders to the three demons, let us continue.

Now, King Zhou, after his incense pilgrimage, became deeply infatuated with the beauty of Nuwa. He couldn't stop thinking about her day and night, forgetting about the changing seasons. When he saw the ladies from his six palaces and three chambers, they were like mere dust and dirt to him, and he couldn't bear to look at them anymore. His mind was filled with this matter all day long, and he was utterly unhappy.

One day, while ascending to the Xianqing Hall, he happened to have his trusted official by his side. This official, named Fei Zhong, was one of King Zhou's favored ministers.

Recently, he had heard about the Tai Shi Fei (Empress Dowager) being sent to pacify the North Sea and leading a mighty army on a distant expedition. Due to this, he had risen in favor and influence at court, along with another courtier named You Hun.

These two courtiers constantly filled the King's ears with their cunning and flattering words, and King Zhou was eager to heed their counsel. In general, the kingdom was in danger as the scheming ministers held sway. After a short while, Fei Zhong was granted an audience with the King.

The King said, "I recently visited the Nuwa Palace for an incense pilgrimage and happened to see her extraordinarily beautiful appearance, which is unmatched in this world. Among the ladies of my six palaces and three chambers, none of them can compare. What should I do about this?"

Fei Zhong suggested, "Your Majesty, as the ruler of the world, possessing wealth and control over the four seas, your people's fate and prosperity are under your command. There is nothing beyond your reach. Tomorrow, issue an edict to all the feudal lords of the four regions, instructing each town to select a hundred beautiful women to serve in the royal court. Why worry that the world lacks unparalleled beauties to fill your court?"

King Zhou was greatly pleased with Fei Zhong's proposal, saying, "Your suggestion aligns perfectly with my desires. Tomorrow, I shall issue the decree. You may now take your leave." He then ordered his departure from the court.