The Legend of the Ten Suns

The Rising of the Ten Suns

In the ancient times, the ten suns lived together in a grand celestial palace far above the earth. These ten brothers were children of the great Emperor of Heaven, Di Jun, and his wife, Xihe, the goddess of the sun. Every day, one of the suns would climb into a chariot made of golden rays, driven by a dragon, and fly across the sky to light the world below. After completing the journey, the sun would descend into the dark sea, where the next brother would take his place, rising to bring a new day to the world.

But after thousands of years of this repetition, the ten brothers grew restless. “Why should we take turns?” one of them asked. “Wouldn't it be more fun if we all rose together? We could light up the sky so brightly that no one could sleep through our glory!”

At first, some of the brothers hesitated, knowing their father's warning about the consequences of their actions. Di Jun had often told them, “You must not rise together. The world is not meant to endure such light all at once. You will destroy it.”

Yet the thought of joining forces was too tempting. The eldest of the suns, who was bolder and more defiant, encouraged the others. "Father doesn't understand," he said. "We are stronger together. The earth will rejoice in our combined warmth!"

And so, against their father's wishes, the ten brothers rose into the sky together one morning.

As they ascended, the world below was immediately engulfed in a blinding light. The combined heat from their tenfold brightness scorched the earth. The rivers began to dry up, the crops wilted under the unbearable heat, and the people and animals suffered greatly. The normally lush forests caught fire, mountains cracked from the heat, and the oceans began to evaporate.

The ten suns laughed at first, finding joy in their combined power. But as they continued to blaze together, they realized that the earth was no longer celebrating their presence. Instead, screams of despair filled the air as the people begged for relief. The once vibrant land was becoming a wasteland.

The Plea to Di Jun

High in the celestial palace, Di Jun and Xihe watched in horror as their sons wreaked havoc on the earth. Xihe, distraught, pleaded with her husband. "You must stop them! The world is dying under their light!" she cried.

Di Jun, though a powerful deity, knew that his sons had the right to make their own decisions, as was the custom of the gods. But now, their rebellion was threatening the balance of the entire universe. He sent messengers to his sons, urging them to return to their celestial home and resume their normal duties. But the suns, drunk on their own power, ignored the messages. They believed themselves invincible.

Desperate, Di Jun turned to one of his most trusted and heroic mortals—Hou Yi, the great archer. Hou Yi was renowned throughout the land for his bravery and skill. His arrows never missed their mark, and he had often been called upon to help maintain the balance between the heavens and the earth.

Summoned to the celestial palace, Hou Yi knelt before Di Jun. "My lord," he said, "I will do anything to save the world from this disaster."

Di Jun handed Hou Yi a magical bow and ten arrows made of dragon bone. "Take these arrows," Di Jun said, his voice heavy with sorrow. "I do not wish to harm my sons, but if they do not heed my warnings, you must shoot them from the sky. Aim true, and save the earth from their wrath."

Hou Yi’s Journey

Armed with the celestial bow and arrows, Hou Yi descended to the earth.

What he found was a world on the brink of collapse. The once-blue sky was now an endless white blaze, and the land was scorched beyond recognition. The people looked up to him with desperate eyes, praying that he would end their suffering.

Hou Yi climbed to the top of Kunlun Mountain, the highest peak in the world, to get closer to the suns. There, he could feel the immense heat radiating from the sky. His heart was heavy, knowing that the task before him would not only save the world but also bring great sorrow to Di Jun and Xihe. But he knew there was no other way.

With steady hands, Hou Yi notched the first arrow into his bow, took aim at the nearest sun, and released. The arrow flew with incredible speed, and with a loud crack, it struck the sun in the heart. The sun let out a piercing scream before falling from the sky, extinguished forever. The people below watched in awe as the sky grew just a little darker, the heat easing slightly.

But there were still nine suns blazing in the sky, and the world remained in peril.

Hou Yi continued his grim task. One by one, he shot down the suns. Each time, the earth grew cooler, the sky dimmer, and the people cheered as life began to return to the land. Rivers that had dried up began to flow again, plants started to grow, and the unbearable heat was replaced by a gentle warmth.

Finally, Hou Yi reached the last sun. As he notched his final arrow, he hesitated. This was the youngest of Di Jun's sons, the only one left to light the world. Hou Yi knew that without a sun, the earth would plunge into darkness and cold. He could not destroy this last sun, or the balance would be lost forever.

Instead, Hou Yi lowered his bow and called out to the last sun. "Return to your father," he said. "Take your rightful place in the sky, and rise each day to bring light to the world. But do not forget what has happened here. Never let your pride lead you to destroy what you are meant to protect."

The last sun, trembling from the loss of his brothers and filled with regret, obeyed Hou Yi’s command. He slowly descended from the sky and returned to the celestial palace, where he would rise alone each day from then on.

Aftermath and Reward

With the suns defeated, the world began to heal. The people praised Hou Yi for his courage and hailed him as a hero. Di Jun, though heartbroken over the loss of his sons, was grateful to Hou Yi for saving the earth. He invited the archer back to the celestial palace and offered him a place among the gods. But Hou Yi, humble and tired, refused. "I am a mortal," he said, "and my place is on the earth with my people."

Instead of riches or immortality, Hou Yi asked for one simple reward—an elixir of immortality for his wife, Chang'e, so they could live together forever. Di Jun agreed and gave him a small vial containing the precious elixir. Hou Yi returned to earth, his mission complete, and presented the elixir to his wife.

But the story does not end here. Some say that Chang'e, either by accident or design, drank the elixir herself and ascended to the moon, where she lives to this day. Hou Yi, heartbroken by her departure, continued to live as a mortal, watching her from the earth, and became a legendary figure for generations to come.

Legacy of the Ten Suns

The story of the Ten Suns is still told in China today, passed down from generation to generation. It serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between nature and humanity, the consequences of pride, and the importance of humility and responsibility.

The final sun, who still rises each day to light the earth, carries with him the memory of his fallen brothers, a testament to the power of both destruction and salvation.

The people of ancient China built temples and shrines in honor of Hou Yi, and his name became synonymous with heroism and selflessness.

In the sky, the single sun shines each day, a constant reminder of the time when ten suns filled the heavens and the bravery of one mortal who saved the world from their wrath.