China covers nearly 4 billion square miles in Asia, roughly 14 percent of the world’s landmass. It has grasslands and deserts, a long coastline, and some of the highest mountains in the world. Its rich river valleys have hosted civilizations for thousands and thousands of years. When Rome was still young, China’s ancestors were wrestling with the problems of governing an empire as populous and diverse as any ever known. When Europe was struggling to recover from the Dark Ages, China was outfitting merchant vessels to sail across the oceans. So it is not surprising that China has a long history, rich with events and achievements. This long history has produced a tapestry of interwoven myths, religious stories, legends, and folk beliefs, which have all changed over time. Even today, as the stories are told to a new generation, the tellers transform them in the very process of preserving them— one more reminder that myths and mythmaking are a vital part of the human experience.
LO-PIN See LOBIN. LORD OF THE GRANARY (WU XIANG, LIN CHN, LIN JUN, WU-HSIANG) The hero who founded the mythological city of Yicheng in SHU, modern Sichuan (Szechwan) in south-central China. He is the father of the BA tribe, who inhabited the region. He was the son of Chengli and descended from Da Hao; his name was Wu Xiang. According to the story, five CLANS in the region lived in a pair of mountain caves on Mount Wuluo. Until Wu Xiangs time, they had all been subjects of another god. Then they decided to rule themselves, and Wu Xiang competed with champions from each of the other clans to see who would gain the right to rule. The contest consisted of throwing swords at a rock. His was the only one to hit. The others were disappointed, and Wu Xiang suggested a new contest. They would all make boats of clay and see whose floated. Again, his was the only winner, and the others accepted him as their lord, calling him the Lord of the Granary, Lin Jun.
id: 0b9ce821fa8a5a96a4fb1735aa9a3198 - page: 92
Later the Lord of the Granary sailed his boat down to the Salt River. There he was met by the beautiful SALT RIVER GODDESS. She asked him to stay with her forever, but the Lord of the Granary declined. However, that night as he slept, she came and lay with him. In the morning, she turned into a bug. The goddess then gathered other bugs together, blocking out the sky so that the Lord of the Granary could not find the direction home. He also could not see which one of the many flies was she, so there was no way of dispelling the insects. Finally, the Lord of the Granary announced that they should get married. He gave one of her servants a green SILK belt, saying that the goddess should wear it as a token of their engagement. As soon as she put it on, he knew where she was and killed her with an arrow (see ARCHERY). His path was then clear to return home. LORD OF THE RIVER See HO-PO.
id: e0b8c44f6b1bb986914632a233a9a2ad - page: 92
LOTUS 75 The Lord of the Granary, an important hero in Chinese mythology (The Dragon, Image, and Demon, 1886) LORD OF THE WEST See WEN. LO RIVER A tributary of the YELLOW RIVER. LOTUS The lotus is a beautiful water FLOWER in the same family as water lilies. It symbolizes many things in art, myth, and legends around the world. For Buddhists and many others in Asia, the lotus represents immortality and purity, as well as ENLIGHTENMENT. Scholars trace the symbolism to India, where the lotus is included in the depictions of early myths. Some Buddhists believe that the appearance of a new BUDDHA on EARTH is marked by the blossoming of a special lotus. Lotus flowers are included in many pieces of art and literature describing NIRVANA and paradise. Paintings of the Buddha, for example, often show him sitting on a lotus flower.
id: 84f9a7e9836d06341c55c76672b6aee9 - page: 92
76 LOTUS SUTRA It is also the emblem of one of the BA XIAN, or Eight IMMORTALS; HE XIANGU is frequently shown holding a lotus flower in her hand. The ancient Chinese used the plant as an ornament, for food, in cosmetics, and in MEDICINE. Lakes and pools were planted with lotus stems for beauty. The stems were sliced and boiled or grated and powdered to make the thickening powder called arrowroot. Chinese grocers would wrap items in dried lotus leaves. Lotus seeds were used in desserts. The kernels were used in soups or roasted to eat like nuts. LOTUS SUTRA The important texts of Buddhism are called SUTRAS. These contain the teachings of the BUDDHA or commentaries on his teachings. Different sects place varying emphasis on the sutras. MAHAYANA, (Greater Vessel or Greater Vehicle) Buddhists put special emphasis on the Lotus Sutra.
id: 050a68a49451117f22c57f012307bf1f - page: 93