New interpretation of Kuafu chasing the sun
Wang Zhankui/Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology
The myth of Kuafu chasing the sun is well known to the world. However, there are many explanations for this myth. It may be said that Kuafu seems to really race with the sun and enter the sun; or it may be said that Kuafu is a toad, representing the moon. Kuafu's chasing sun is actually the movement of the sun and the moon; or the chasing sun is the so-called demon sun, which is the spark produced by space objects such as meteors falling into the atmosphere. None of these statements may capture the true meaning of the myth. There is another theory that Kuafu chasing the sun is a reflection of the ancients observing the changes in the sun's shadow to determine the seasons (Zheng Wen's "Exploring the Origin of Astronomy from Ancient Chinese Myths"), but those who hold this theory have not made a detailed analysis. Without making any assumptions, here is the analysis:
"The Classic of Mountains and Seas·Haiwai Bei Jing" says: "Kuafu chases the sun and enters it. When he is thirsty and wants to drink, he drinks from the river Wei. The river Wei is insufficient. He drank from Daze in the north and died of thirst before he arrived. He abandoned his staff and transformed into Deng Lin. "In addition, there are slightly different opinions, which will be discussed below.
Let’s talk about “moving with the sun” first. Li Shan annotated "Selected Works: Xijing Fu", "Parrot Fu" and Zhang Xie's "Seven Lives" quoted this sutra and wrote "Race with the Sun". Ruan Ji's "Huai Shi" quoted it as "Competing with the Sun". Most ancient people said that Kuafu and the sun are racing against each other. Mr. Yuan Ke also said: "I want to chase the sun and race against the sun." This explanation may ignore another expression of "chasing the sun": chasing the sun. "The Classic of Mountains and Seas: Great Wilderness Northern Classic" writes: "If you want to chase the sun, catch it in Yu Valley." "Liezi Tangwen" writes: "If you want to chase the sun's shadow, chase it in the valley of Yu." This is a key to correctly understanding this myth. Jing, "Shuowen Jiezi" says: sunlight. Scenery is a shadow. The above quotation from Liezi describes the scene as a shadow, which is a good proof. Chasing the sun's shadow is a method used by the ancients to observe the length of the sun's shadow to determine the season and direction. "Kao Gong Ji·Craftsman" says: "Place the gongs to hang them to create a view." Zheng Xuan's note: "The old script "槷" may be called Yi. ...Xuan said "槷" in ancient Chinese, a borrowed word. Jia Gongyan believed that the 槷 is the pillar, which captures the scenery of the pillar. "Zhou Bi Suan Jing" says: "At noon, measure the shadow with a pole." "Zhou Guan·Feng Xiangshi": "Winter and summer are directed to the sun, and spring and autumn are directed to the moon, so as to distinguish the four seasons." Zheng's note: "With this, When the Qi of spring, autumn, winter and summer are all present, the Qi of the four seasons will be in good order. "According to Mr. Song Zhenhao's research, the word "?" in Oracle Bone Inscriptions is the word "Day". The shape of the glyph is a pole held in one hand, standing upright, with the word "日" below, and there are symbols symbolizing the shadow of the sun around the word "日". The original meaning of this word is to measure the shadow immediately. In short, observe the shadow of the sun day by day to determine the season.
Secondly, about "entering Japan". This is another key to understanding the myth. Many predecessors put forward different explanations based on the literal meaning, so you interpreted entering the sun as entering the sun. Perhaps this was too absurd, so it was also interpreted as "when the sun is about to enter" (Guo Pu said). Mr. Yuan Ke followed. In fact, this understanding is inconsistent with the original meaning of myth. Although the myth is inherently absurd, even so, this explanation does not make sense. Since Kuafu has entered the sun, how can he ridicule "not counting his own strength"? How can he "drink from the river and Wei" and "walk northward through Daze"? Other explanations for "entering the sun" may be that The sun rises in the east, and the moon seems to have melted and disappeared into the western sky, which is far from the literal meaning. It may be said that "entering the sun" is the large circular crater formed by Kuafu's death when the star fell to the ground. Although the idea is novel, it is difficult to convince people. Or "entering the sun" means tracking the sun's shadow until sunset, which is very close. I think that "entering the sun" is the "entering the sun" sacrifice in ancient times. This can be well evidenced from classics and oracle bone inscriptions.
"Shangshu·Yao Dian": "It is divided into He Zhong, the west of the house, and it is called Shibuya. Yin Xie accepts the day, Pingzhi becomes west, and the stars in the night are empty, so it is Yin Zhongqiu." "Nari" means "entering the day". "Historical Records: The Chronicles of the Five Emperors" is written as "Entering Japan". Nari is the ritual of "Yin Zhongqiu", and it also has the practical significance of observing the length of the festival shadow during the autumnal equinox. "The Chronicles of the Five Emperors" says "Yizheng Zhongqiu", which means this. There are many records of "going out of the sun" and "entering the sun" (or "going out and going into the sun") in the oracle bone inscriptions of the Shang Dynasty. According to the textual research of Mr. Song Zhenhao, the following things are closely related to this article: (1) The rising and entering of the oracle bone inscriptions have the same meaning as the "Yinbin Churi" in "Yao Dian" and the "Yinxin Nari" in Zhongqiu, which are festival days. At the same time, it is similar to the sacrifice of the sunrise and sunset in later generations. It is an act of measuring the four seasons and directions of the sun's shadow, and has the early astronomical nature of measuring the sun's shadow; (2) "Sunrise and Sunset" in the Shang Dynasty "" and "entering the sun" have relatively fixed dates and locations. Usually held during the relevant months of spring and autumn. There is an inscription saying that the "rising sun" is in the land of Yu, which is the same as the eastern Yu Yi in "Yao Dian".
"Zuo Zhuan·Xianggong Ninth Year": "The ancient fire is righteous... and the inner fire is coming out." The leader of Huozheng observes the sunrise and sunset of Mars to determine the season, so the following article says: "The Tao Tang family's Huozhengyan Bo lived in Shangqiu and worshiped the fire, and the fire marked the time." "The inner fire is the time." "Obviously it cannot be interpreted as coming out of or entering the great Mars. In this example, "entering the sun" naturally cannot be interpreted as entering the sun, but observing the "entering" of the sun.
From the above point of view, "entering the sun" can be interpreted as "entering the sun" (nari), which is a ritual activity of observing the sunset to determine the season. This is not only consistent with the behavior of Zhurijing, but also harmonious with the place name "Yugu".
Third, about "Yu Valley". Both "Dahuang Bei Jing" and "Liezi Tang Wen" mention Kuafu's activities in Yugu. "Yu Valley", according to predecessors, is Yu Yuan, where the sun enters.
"Chu Ci·Li Sao": "Look at the concubine but don't force it." Wang Yi notes: The concubine is where the sun enters. There is Mengshui below and Yuyuan in the middle. It is worth noting that Yugu was the place where the ancients held "Sunday" sacrifices, so it is also considered the place where the sun sets. Yugu has a very close relationship with Shibuya in Yao Dian, which can be proved by the following three things. First, Yugu is a place where "entering the sun" rituals are performed. The myth "Kuafu Zhuri" says that Kuafu Zhuri's shadow casts his shadow in Yugu and enters the sun. "Yao Dian" says: "The division of life is He Zhong, and the house is in the west, which is called Shibuya. Yinxin accepts the sun, and Pingzhi becomes west. In the middle of the night, the stars are empty, and it is Yin Zhongqiu." It is known that Shibuya is the place of "satisfying the sun". Shibuya may be called Maogu, Menggu or Liugu, with the same pronunciation but different characters. "Shang Shu Dazhuan·Yu Zhuan" says: "Sacrifice to Liugu in autumn", and the note says: "In August, I patrol the west for hunting and worship the star of Liugu in Huashan" (see Sun Xingyan's "Comments on Modern and Ancient Essays of Shangshu"). Secondly, it can also be known from this that the Shibuya area is in (or near) Huashan Mountain, and Kuafu Mountain is also in this area. "Zhongshan Sutra": "Ninety miles to the west is called Kuafu's Mountain...There is a forest in the north, called Taolin...The water from the lake flows out of Yan, and the north flows into the river." Guo Pu notes: "It is in the south valley of Neng Township, Hongnong County." "Shui Jing Zhu·River": The lake comes out of Kuafu Mountain at Taolinsai. Hao Yixing believes that Kuafu Mountain, also known as Qinshan Mountain, is connected to Taihua and is located in the southeast of Lingbao County, Henan Province. Also: This myth talks about the rivers and Wei, and the intersection of the rivers and the Wei is where Mount Hua is located. Third, it is ambiguous. "The Annotation of Kongshi's Biography" thinks that Wu Nei is a rebel, so its pronunciation is similar to that of Yu, and the pronunciation of Yu is the same as that of Wu. In the eleventh year of Duke Xiang of Zuo Zhuan, his uncle served as a minister, and in the Book of Rites Tan Gong, he served as his uncle and a member of Yu. Wu and Wu are both in Mingniu, so they can be connected. The close relationship between Yugu and Shigu in terms of appearance, function and music theory is no accident.
Fourth, about "drinking from the river and Wei". Most ancient people interpreted it literally as drinking water from the Weihe River and the Yellow River. But it can also be understood from the perspective of ancient sacrifices. It can be seen from the bone inscriptions of Party A of the Yin Ruins that merchants performed the "Sunrise" and "Sunrise" rituals with sacrifices and wine offerings. For example, "Tunnan" 890: "Guiweizhen, the day when Jiashen wine comes in and out, the age of three oxen". From this, it seems possible to surmise that drinking from the river Wei is a drinking ceremony performed at the river and Wei during the "Entering the Sun" ritual, or the activity of "drinking" was performed at the intersection of the river and the Wei. "Guanzi·Youguan" (this version is called Xuan Gong) says: "Drink from the Qing Queen's Well", "Drink from the Red Queen's Well", and "Drink from the Black Queen's Well" at different seasons. This number is "drink". Although the meaning of this word cannot be determined with certainty, there is no doubt that it is a ceremonial behavior related to determining seasons and guiding agricultural affairs in ancient times. Kuafu's drink should be the same or similar to this. The ancients may have also used the setting sun in the water to observe. The Indians using the clear horizon by the lake to observe the sun and the moon may be enlightening.
Fifth, about the "stick". The predecessors did not make a thorough study of the stick abandoned by Kuafu and regarded it as an ordinary walking stick. However, this staff should have a different meaning. In fact, after reading an article introducing the Indian "calendar stick", I thought that Kuafu's stick was the calendar stick, and that's when I came up with the speculation of this article. Among the North American Indians, the so-called "calender stick" (also can be translated as calendar stick, calendar stick, calendar branch, etc.) was found, which was engraved with symbols representing the new moon, full moon, waning moon and each day. Ethnological records provide three interesting references. The first one says that among the Zuni people, an agricultural people living in New Mexico in the 19th century, there was a "Sunpriest" (Sunpriest, which can also be literally translated as sun priest). He was the tribal leader and was responsible for observing the sun and telling the people the time. Responsibility, holding the calendar stick. It is worth noting that what he observed was the coincidence of the sun's shadow and a straight line. It extends from a mountain to the east and is connected with a Sun monolith and a pillar standing in the garden to form this straight line. A diary from the 19th century contains a description of the Master Priest holding a calendar staff. The second one also talks about a tribal chief holding a calendar staff. The third story is about a surviving shaman in Onatrio Province, Canada. He recalled that his grandfather was called "He who walks with a calender stick." His grandfather used to stand at a specific spot by the lake to watch the sun and moon rise.
I noticed the following three things:
The calendar stick. All three records mention that the tribal chief held a calendar staff. This is really similar to the "Yao Dian" "The birth calendar is in you (referring to Shun - the author) bow", and it is consistent with Kuafu holding a staff. The word "history" in oracle bone inscriptions is a hand holding "中". Some people think that "中" is a stick used to observe the shadow of the sun, which is not unreasonable. There is no doubt that historians originated from Japanese officials. Sima Qian was the Taishi, as evidenced by the fact that he traced his ancestors to Chongli in Si Tiandi. When measuring the sun's shadow, a pole (stick) is indispensable. Just as the calendar stick is to the Indian Japanese officials, the stick should also be regarded as a symbol of Kuafu's identity.
2 The holders of these calendar sticks are also shamans or priests, which is consistent with the previous test that "entering the sun" is a sacrificial activity. 3. The selected location for observing the sun's shadow and the selected geographical reference objects are consistent with the ancient Chinese "entering the sun" activities in Yugu (Shibuya)
So, Huashan, River, and Wei The second water should also be related to the geographical reference.
Sixth, about "turning into Deng Lin" (or "Peach Forest"). I would venture to guess that "Taolin" may be a rumor about adjusting the calendar. "Historical Records·Almanac": "Gai Huangdi tested the celestial calendar...", "Suoyin" says: "Xiben" and "Lülizhi": Rong Cheng synthesized these six techniques and wrote the calendar.
It is said that the calender is a very ancient calendar. The tone is very close to that of peach, and the sound of calendar is very close to that of forest, which may be wrong. It is not uncommon for myths to be distorted during the inheritance process and to include statements that are unrelated to the original meaning.
Every ancient myth, no matter how miraculous it is, always has its secular content and background. The final interpretation of the myth of Kuafu chasing the sun depends on the revelation of its secular content and background. From the above textual research and speculation, it can be seen that this myth should be a reflection of the "entering the sun" sacrificial activities carried out in Yu Valley in ancient times. Kuafu should be a clan leader and a Japanese official. He should have the responsibility of respecting the weather and entrusting civil administration. This textual research is almost close to its original content.