Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature
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Zhao Kuangyin (927–976 CE), posthumously honored as Emperor Taizu of Song, was the founding emperor of China’s Song dynasty, reigning from 960 to 976. Born in Zhuo Commandery (modern Zhuozhou, Hebei), he rose through the military ranks during the Later Zhou dynasty, eventually becoming Grand Commander of the Palace Army, the highest officer in…
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The Premature End of a Great Campaign In the spring of 959 AD, Emperor Chai Rong of the Later Zhou launched a northern campaign to reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures lost to the Khitan Liao dynasty. Prior to the expedition, he ordered General Han Tong to dredge waterways, creating over thirty inlets to facilitate naval…
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The One-Horned Demon King in the novel Journey to the West serves as a metaphor for Sun Wukong’s inner demons.