Chinese Mythology: Bai Di Shao Hao

Preface: have you ever fantasized about ruling over a kingdom full of ursine children? If you were the king of this kingdom, how would you assign the duties of the birds? Shao Hao, the Bai Di (White Emperor), had established such a kingdom, the Kingdom of Hundred Birds. Come and see how he ruled the kingdom of birds!

少Shào昊hào是shì西xī方fāng的de天tiān帝dì ， 人rén们men也yě叫jiào他tā白bái帝dì或huò穷qióng桑sāng氏shì 。
Shao Hao was the Emperor of the West, also known as the White Emperor or Qiong Sang.

他Tā的de出chū生shēng很hěn不bù一yī般bān 。
His birth was very unusual.

母Mǔ亲qīn皇huáng娥é是shì位wèi美měi丽lì聪cōng明míng的de仙xiān女nǚ ， 能néng织zhī出chū天tiān空kōng的de云yún霞xiá 。
His mother, Huang E, was a beautiful and clever fairy who could weave the clouds in the sky.

无Wú论lùn是shì绚xuàn烂làn的de火huǒ烧shāo云yún ， 洁jié白bái的de云yún朵duǒ ， 还hái是shì乌wū云yún ， 她tā都dōu织zhī得de十shí分fēn精jīng美měi 。
Whether it was the dazzling red clouds, white clouds, or dark clouds on rainy days, she wove them all beautifully.

人Rén们men总zǒng夸kuā她tā织zhī的de云yún霞xiá好hǎo看kàn 。
People always praised the clouds she wove.

皇Huáng娥é每měi天tiān辛xīn苦kǔ织zhī云yún霞xiá ， 常cháng工gōng作zuò到dào深shēn夜yè 。
Huang E worked hard every day, often weaving until late into the night.

累Lèi了le ， 她tā就jiù划huá船chuán去qù银yín河hé游yóu玩wán ， 常cháng在zài西xī海hǎi边biān的de穷qióng桑sāng树shù下xià休xiū息xī 。
When she was tired, she would row a boat to the Milky Way and often rest under the Qiong Sang tree on the west sea shore.

穷Qióng桑sāng树shù高gāo大dà ， 桑sāng叶yè红hóng如rú枫fēng叶yè ， 一yī万wàn年nián才cái结jiē一yī次cì果guǒ ， 吃chī了le能néng长cháng生shēng不bù老lǎo 。
The Qiong Sang tree was tall, with leaves as red as maple leaves. It only bore fruit once every 10,000 years, and eating its fruit could make people immortal.

少Shào昊hào叫jiào穷qióng桑sāng氏shì ， 因yīn为wèi母mǔ亲qīn常cháng在zài穷qióng桑sāng树shù下xià休xiū息xī 。
Shao Hao was called Qiong Sang because his mother often rested under the Qiong Sang tree.

黎Lí明míng时shí ， 东dōng方fāng有yǒu颗kē闪shǎn亮liàng的de星xīng星xīng叫jiào启qǐ明míng星xīng ， 他tā弹tán琴qín很hěn好hǎo听tīng 。
At dawn, there was a shining star in the east called the Morning Star, who played the piano beautifully.

一Yī次cì ， 皇huáng娥é在zài银yín河hé遇yù到dào启qǐ明míng星xīng ， 两liǎng人rén相xiāng爱ài了le 。
Once, Huang E met the Morning Star in the Milky Way, and they fell in love.

后Hòu来lái ， 皇huáng娥é生shēng下xià他tā们men的de儿ér子zi少shào昊hào 。
Later, Huang E gave birth to their son, Shao Hao.

少Shào昊hào聪cōng明míng ， 继jì承chéng了le母mǔ亲qīn的de智zhì慧huì和hé父fù亲qīn的de琴qín艺yì 。
Shao Hao was intelligent and inherited his mother’s wisdom and his father’s musical talent.

他Tā从cóng小xiǎo喜xǐ欢huān鸟niǎo ， 鸟niǎo也yě喜xǐ欢huān他tā ， 常cháng飞fēi来lái和hé他tā玩wán 。
He loved birds from a young age, and they loved him too, often flying to play with him.

家Jiā里lǐ总zǒng有yǒu鸟niǎo飞fēi来lái飞fēi去qù ， 陪péi他tā玩wán ， 给gěi他tā带dài东dōng西xī ， 唱chàng歌gē给gěi他tā听tīng 。
There were always birds flying in and out of the house, playing with him, bringing him things, and singing songs to him.

少Shào昊hào长zhǎng大dà后hòu ， 成chéng了le英yīng俊jùn少shào年nián ， 精jīng通tōng音yīn律lǜ 。
As Shao Hao grew up, he became a handsome young man proficient in music.

父Fù亲qīn启qǐ明míng星xīng教jiāo他tā弹tán琴qín ， 母mǔ亲qīn皇huáng娥é教jiāo他tā做zuò人rén道dào理lǐ 。
His father, the Morning Star, taught him to play the piano, and his mother, Huang E, taught him life lessons.

父Fù母mǔ真zhēn诚chéng 、 善shàn良liáng 、 勤qín劳láo ， 深shēn深shēn影yǐng响xiǎng了le少shào昊hào 。
His parents’ sincerity, kindness, and diligence deeply influenced Shao Hao.

少Shào昊hào成chéng人rén后hòu ， 想xiǎng为wèi百bǎi姓xìng做zuò点diǎn事shì ， 决jué定dìng离lí开kāi父fù母mǔ ， 建jiàn立lì自zì己jǐ的de国guó家jiā 。
After becoming an adult, Shao Hao wanted to do something for the people and decided to leave his parents to establish his own country.

父Fù母mǔ理lǐ解jiě并bìng支zhī持chí他tā ， 送sòng别bié时shí叮dīng嘱zhǔ他tā早zǎo日rì建jiàn功gōng立lì业yè 。
His parents understood and supported him, bidding him farewell and urging him to establish his foundation soon.

少Shào昊hào来lái到dào东dōng方fāng海hǎi外wài ， 建jiàn立lì了le一yī个gè叫jiào少shào昊hào之zhī国guó的de国guó家jiā 。
Shao Hao came to the eastern seas and established a country called the Shao Hao Kingdom.

这Zhè个gè国guó家jiā很hěn特tè别bié ， 百bǎi姓xìng都dōu是shì鸟niǎo 。
This country was very special because its people were all birds.

少Shào昊hào让ràng不bù同tóng种zhǒng类lèi的de鸟niǎo担dān任rèn官guān职zhí ， 管guǎn理lǐ国guó家jiā 。
Shao Hao appointed different kinds of birds to hold official positions and manage the country.

他Tā让ràng燕yàn子zi管guǎn春chūn天tiān ， 伯bó劳láo管guǎn夏xià天tiān ， 鹦yīng雀què管guǎn秋qiū天tiān ， 锦jǐn鸡jī管guǎn冬dōng天tiān 。
He let the swallow manage spring, the shrike manage summer, the parrot manage autumn, and the pheasant manage winter.

还Hái有yǒu五wǔ种zhǒng鸟niǎo管guǎn日rì常cháng事shì务wù ， 九jiǔ种zhǒng鸟niǎo管guǎn农nóng业yè ， 五wǔ种zhǒng野yě鸡jī管guǎn五wǔ种zhǒng工gōng艺yì 。
There were also five kinds of birds in charge of daily affairs, nine kinds in charge of agriculture, and five pheasants in charge of five crafts.

朝Cháo堂táng上shàng ， 鸟niǎo们men叽jī叽jī喳zhā喳zhā地de议yì事shì ， 少shào昊hào坐zuò在zài中zhōng间jiān听tīng着zhe 。
In the court, the birds chattered as they discussed matters, and Shao Hao sat in the middle listening.

在Zài少shào昊hào的de治zhì理lǐ下xià ， 百bǎi鸟niǎo之zhī国guó和hé平píng繁fán荣róng ， 鸟niǎo们men生shēng活huó得de很hěn幸xìng福fú 。
Under Shao Hao’s governance, the Bird Kingdom was peaceful and prosperous, and the birds lived happily.

少Shào昊hào还hái请qǐng侄zhí儿ér颛zhuān顼Xū帮bāng忙máng治zhì国guó ， 颛zhuān顼Xū聪cōng明míng能néng干gàn ， 深shēn得dé鸟niǎo们men喜xǐ爱ài 。
Shao Hao also invited his nephew Zhuan Xu to help govern the country. Zhuan Xu was intelligent and capable, deeply loved by the birds.

颛Zhuān顼Xū很hěn忙máng ， 少shào昊hào心xīn疼téng他tā ， 教jiāo他tā弹tán琴qín ， 还hái做zuò了le琴qín瑟sè给gěi他tā 。
Zhuan Xu was very busy, so Shao Hao felt sorry for him and taught him to play the piano, making a zither and a qin for him.

颛Zhuān顼Xū琴qín艺yì高gāo超chāo ， 琴qín声shēng能néng穿chuān透tòu云yún层céng ， 让ràng人rén精jīng神shén百bǎi倍bèi 。
Zhuan Xu’s piano skills were superb, and his music could pierce through the clouds, making people feel refreshed and energetic.

他Tā作zuò的de 《 劳láo作zuò歌gē 》 被bèi鸟niǎo们men广guǎng为wéi传chuán唱chàng 。
The song he composed, “Labor Song,” was widely sung by the birds.

几Jǐ年nián后hòu ， 颛zhuān顼Xū长zhǎng大dà了le ， 要yào回huí自zì己jǐ的de国guó家jiā 。
A few years later, Zhuan Xu grew up and had to return to his own country.

少Shào昊hào舍shě不bù得de他tā ， 想xiǎng传chuán王wáng位wèi给gěi他tā ， 但dàn颛zhuān顼Xū必bì须xū回huí自zì己jǐ国guó家jiā 。
Shao Hao was reluctant to let him go and even wanted to pass the throne to him, but Zhuan Xu had to return to his country.

少Shào昊hào和hé鸟niǎo们men都dōu不bù习xí惯guàn没méi有yǒu颛zhuān顼Xū的de日rì子zi ， 特tè别bié想xiǎng念niàn他tā的de琴qín声shēng 。
Shao Hao and the birds were not used to the days without Zhuan Xu, especially missing his piano music.

少Shào昊hào把bǎ琴qín瑟sè扔rēng进jìn东dōng海hǎi外wài的de大dà壑hè ， 之zhī后hòu每měi当dāng夜yè深shēn人rén静jìng ， 大dà壑hè里lǐ就jiù会huì传chuán来lái琴qín声shēng 。
Shao Hao threw the zither and qin into the great abyss east of the sea. After that, whenever it was quiet at night, music would come from the abyss.

少Shào昊hào想xiǎng念niàn颛zhuān顼Xū ， 不bù仅jǐn是shì叔shū侄zhí之zhī情qíng ， 更gèng因yīn思sī念niàn知zhī音yīn和hé琴qín声shēng 。
Shao Hao missed Zhuan Xu, not only as a nephew but also as a soul mate and musician.

音Yīn乐yuè的de力lì量liàng真zhēn伟wěi大dà ， 能néng感gǎn动dòng人rén们men的de心xīn灵líng 。
The power of music is truly great, touching people’s hearts.

后Hòu来lái ， 少shào昊hào回huí到dào西xī方fāng ， 做zuò了le掌zhǎng管guǎn西xī方fāng的de天tiān帝dì 。
Later, Shao Hao returned to the West and became the Emperor of the West.

通过阅读中国神话、民间故事、历史典故、人物传记学汉语，简单易学，中英对照，适合初学者！
Learning Chinese through reading Chinese mythology, folk stories, historical allusions, and biographies is easy to learn and bilingual, suitable for beginners!