Explore Emperor Zhuanxu's mystical world, featuring black dragons, musical innovations, and encounters with the inhabitants of Bodai.
Emperor Zhuanxu, also known as Gaoyang, was the grandson of Xuanyuan Huangdi and the son of Changyi. One day, Changyi arrived at the riverside and encountered a black dragon carrying a black jade tablet with prophecies. At that time, an old man told Changyi, “Your future son will be in harmony with the Water virtue and become a king.” Ten years later, Zhuanxu was born with hand patterns resembling a dragon and exhibited the mysterious signs of the jade tablet. One night, Changyi looked up at the sky and saw the North Star falling and transforming into an old man. When Zhuanxu ascended the throne, various auspicious signs and omens converged. The vassal lords who had not reported when Zhuanxu established the new calendar came from afar, crossing mountains and seas to pledge their allegiance and pay homage. Zhuanxu respectfully bowed to the gods of the four directions, while the vassal lords held jade tablets, offering their obeisance. They were arranged in order of rank, forming a well-ordered assembly.
People who received education in rituals and music from Zhuanxu were rewarded with bells and chimes made of lightweight metal, which produced a deep and resonant sound. When feathers were used to stroke these bells and chimes, their sound could be heard for miles around. There was also a type of stone that floated on the water’s surface, as light as water plants. These stones were used to make chimes without the need for additional carving or polishing. When the vassal lords from various countries came to pay their respects, the music piece “Hanying” was performed. The melody of this piece was clear and intricate, and its soothing music caused birds to descend from the sky, massive whales to frolic in the sea, and the tumultuous waves to calm. There was a sword known as the “Shadow-trailing Sword” that could soar through the air. In times of war, it would fly directly towards the direction of conflict, ensuring victory. When not in use, it often emitted sounds akin to the roars of dragons and tigers from its scabbard.
To the north of the Mingshui Sea, there was a country called Bodai. The people there wore clothing made of feathers, allowing them to fly even though they had no wings. They cast no shadows under the sun and could live up to a thousand years. The people of Bodai relied on the aquatic plants in the Black River as their food and used the juice from the cassia trees in the Yin Mountains as their drink. They could soar through the air and ride the waves with the wind’s assistance. In the central plains where the climate was hot, the feathers on their clothing gradually fell off. Zhuanxu provided them with leopard-skin garments adorned with patterns to replace their feathered clothing. Bodai presented black jade rings, with a color as pure as black lacquer, and a thousand fine black horses as tributes. Zhuanxu used these black horses to pull chariots with iron wheels, which he used to tour and console the remote and distant regions. The people of Bodai, aided by the wind, sailed back to their homeland along the Black River.
To the north of the Huariver, there was a dense forest of purple cassia trees. The fruit of the cassia trees was like dates, and many immortals came to the cassia forest to partake of its fruit. Immortal Han Zhong, while collecting herbs to the north of the Huariver, composed a four-line poem: “In Huariver’s cassia grove, Fruits as large as dates they behove. Those who eat, it is believed, Shall live forever, undeceived.”
帝顓頊高陽氏，黃帝孫，昌意之子。昌意出河濱，遇黑龍負玄玉圖。時有一老叟謂昌意云：“生子必葉水德而王。”至十年，顓頊生，手有文如龍，亦有玉圖之像。其夜昌意仰視天，北辰下，化為老叟。及顓頊居位，奇祥眾祉，莫不總集，不稟正朔者，越山航海而皆至也。帝乃揖四方之靈，群後執珪以禮，百辟各有班序。受文德者，錫以鐘磬；受武德者，錫以干戈。有浮金之鐘，沉明之磬，以羽毛拂之，則聲振百里。石浮於水上，如萍藻之輕，取以為磬，不加磨琢。及朝萬國之時，及奏含英之樂，其音清密，落雲間之羽，鯨鯢游湧，海水恬波。有曳影之劍，騰空而舒，若四方有兵，此劍則飛起指其方，則剋伐；未用之時，常於匣裡如龍虎之吟。
溟海之北，有勃鞮之國。人皆衣羽毛，無翼而飛，日中無影，壽千歲。食以黑河水藻，飲以陰山桂脂。憑風而翔，乘波而至。中國氣暄，羽毛之衣，稍稍自落。帝乃更以文豹為飾。獻黑玉之環，色如淳漆。貢玄駒千匹。帝以駕鐵輪，騁勞殊鄉絕域。其人依風泛黑河以旋其國也。
闇河之北，有紫桂成林，其實如棗，群仙餌焉。韓終採藥四言詩曰：“闇河之桂，實大如棗。得而食之，後天而老。”