He Bo (Lord He, River Lord or the River God) is the god of the Yellow River in Chinese mythology, originally named Feng Yi. Legend has it that Feng Yi tragically drowned while crossing the river, after which the Lord of Heaven appointed him as He Bo (Lord of the River) to oversee the Yellow River.
Since the ancient Yellow River frequently flooded, people believed He Bo to have a violent and tyrannical temperament that must not be offended. The story of “He Bo Taking a Wife” stemmed from the ancient people’s fear of natural water disasters. In contrast, the historical account of Ximen Bao from the State of Wei during the Warring States period, who dispelled this superstitious practice and led the local populace to dig canals and tame the river, reflects the ancients’ progressive understanding of the laws of nature.
Records regarding He Bo can be found in various classic texts such as Zhuangzi, Songs of Chu (Chu Ci), Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), and Baopuzi.
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