Jintong () is a deity in Chinese mythology and Chinese traditional religion who, along with his female counterpart

Yunü Yunü () is a goddess in Chinese mythology and Chinese traditional religion who, along with her male counterpart Jintong (Golden Boy), are favored servants of the Jade Emperor and Zhenwudadi. They are originally from the Taoist or Daoist Religion ...

(Jade Girl), are favored servants of the

Jade Emperor The Jade Emperor or Yudi ( or , ') in Chinese culture, traditional religions and myth is one of the representations of the first god ( '). In Daoist theology he is the assistant of Yuanshi Tianzun, who is one of the Three Pure Ones, the thre ...

and Zhenwudadi. They are believed to serve as guides in the underworld and the protectors of the houses and temples.

Legends

Golden Boy and Jade Girl have appeared in several stories since the

Song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

and Yuan dynasties and have became important figures in Chinese mythology. Specific examples are the southern opera version of the legend, ''Jintong and Yunü'', and Yuan dynasty writer Jia Zhongming's

zaju ''Zaju'' was a form of Chinese opera which provided entertainment through a synthesis of recitations of prose and poetry, dance, singing, and mime, with a certain emphasis on comedy (or, happy endings). Although with diverse and earlier roots, ''za ...

by the same name. In the ''

Avatamsaka Sutra The ' ( IAST, sa, 𑀅𑀯𑀢𑀁𑀲𑀓 𑀲𑀽𑀢𑁆𑀭) or ''Buddhāvataṃsaka-nāma-mahāvaipulya-sūtra (The Mahāvaipulya Sūtra named “Buddhāvataṃsaka”)'' is one of the most influential Mahāyāna sutras of East Asian B ...

'', Jintong and Yunü seek enlightenment and are acolytes of the goddess

Guan Yin Guanyin () is a Bodhisattva associated with compassion. She is the East Asian representation of Avalokiteśvara ( sa, अवलोकितेश्वर) and has been adopted by other Eastern religions, including Chinese folk religion. She ...

. In this context, Yunü is called

Longnü Longnü (; Sanskrit: ''nāgakanyā''; Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: ''Long nữ''), translated as ''Dragon Girl'', along with Sudhana are considered acolytes of the bodhisattva Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) in Chinese Buddhism. Her presence in Gu ...

and Jintong is called

Shancai Tongzi Sudhanakumāra (), mainly known as Sudhana and Shancai or Shancai Tongzi in Chinese, and translated as ''Child of Wealth'', is the protagonist in the last and longest chapter of the ''Avatamsaka Sutra''. Sudhana appears in Buddhist, Taoist and folk ...

. Some folktales say that Xue Dingshan and Fan Lihua were originally the Golden Boy and Jade Girl. The

was furious with them and wanted to punish them for breaking the celestial utensils. Fortunately, the Old Man of the South Pole begged for their mercy and was demoted to the mortal world. In the ''Hanyi ji'' play, the protagonists Qi Liang and Meng Jiang are reincarnations of Jintong and Yunü. In most popular versions of '' The Butterfly Lovers'', the protagonists Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai are human reincarnations of Jintong and Yunü who are expelled from Heaven Court by Guanyin or the Jade Emperor for their sin and forced to live as a thwarted couple for three or seven generations before being reunited and restored to their original status.

In popular culture

* Literary works often refer to attractive and well-matched couples as a Jintong and Yunü. * During the Spring Festival, pictures featuring Yunü and Jintong can be found on the doors of many households.

References

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Sources

*Li Jianping 李劍平, ed. (1998). Zhongguo shenhua renwu cidian 中國神話人物辞典 (Xi'an : Shanxi renmin chubanshe), 144. Chinese gods Deities in Taoism