Chinese folklore: God of Plague

Preface: The plague gods in Chinese folklore. They are Spring Plague Zhang Yuanbo, Summer Plague Liu Yuanda, Autumn Plague Zhao Gongming, Winter Plague Zhong Shiji, and General Manager of Plague History and Literature, also known as the “Five Ghosts” or “Five Blessings Emperor” or “Five Spirit Lords”. They are the gods of plague worshipped by the Chinese people. Every year, some temples worship five ghosts to ensure the safety of livestock, referring to these five ghosts. It embodies the beautiful wishes of the Chinese working people to dispel evil, avoid disasters, and pray for blessings.

相Xiāng传chuán ， 在zài很hěn久jiǔ很hěn久jiǔ以yǐ前qián ， 福fú州zhōu地dì区qū有yǒu五wǔ位wèi寒hán儒rú 。
They say, a long, long time ago, there were five poor scholars in the Fuzhou area.

他Tā们men分fēn别bié是shì张zhāng元yuán伯bó 、 钟zhōng士shì秀xiù 、 刘liú元yuán达dá 、 史shǐ文wén业yè和hé赵zhào公gōng明míng 。
They were Zhang Yuanbo, Zhong Shixiu, Liu Yuanda, Shi Wenye, and Zhao Gongming.

一Yī天tiān晚wǎn上shàng ， 他tā们men相xiāng约yuē一yī起qǐ出chū去qù游yóu玩wán 。
One night, they agreed to go out and play together.

在Zài游yóu玩wán的de过guò程chéng中zhōng ， 他tā们men意yì外wài发fā现xiàn瘟wēn鬼guǐ正zhèng在zài井jǐng里lǐ偷tōu偷tōu释shì放fàng疫yì毒dú 。
During their outing, they unexpectedly discovered that a plague ghost was secretly releasing poison in a well.

看Kàn到dào这zhè一yī幕mù ， 五wǔ位wèi寒hán儒rú非fēi常cháng着zháo急jí ， 他tā们men知zhī道dào疫yì毒dú会huì危wēi害hài百bǎi姓xìng 。
Seeing this, the five scholars were very worried. They knew the poison would harm the people.

于Yú是shì ， 他tā们men决jué定dìng牺xī牲shēng自zì己jǐ ， 一yī起qǐ跳tiào进jìn井jǐng里lǐ ， 用yòng生shēng命mìng来lái警jǐng示shì世shì人rén 。
So, they decided to sacrifice themselves and jumped into the well together, using their lives to warn the world.

玉Yù皇huáng大dà帝dì知zhī道dào了le这zhè件jiàn事shì后hòu ， 非fēi常cháng感gǎn动dòng 。
After the Jade Emperor learned of this, he was very moved.

他Tā封fēng这zhè五wǔ位wèi寒hán儒rú为wéi显xiǎn灵líng公gōng 、 应yīng灵líng公gōng 、 宣xuān灵líng公gōng 、 扬yáng灵líng公gōng和hé振zhèn灵líng公gōng 。
He appointed the five scholars as Xianling Gong, Yingling Gong, Xuanling Gong, Yangling Gong, and Zhenling Gong.

人Rén们men合hé称chēng他tā们men为wéi “ 五wǔ灵líng公gōng ”。
People collectively called them “Five Spirit Lords.”

五Wǔ灵líng公gōng专zhuān门mén负fù责zé在zài人rén间jiān驱qū除chú瘟wēn疫yì ， 保bǎo护hù百bǎi姓xìng的de安ān全quán 。
The Five Spirit Lords were specifically responsible for driving away plagues on earth and protecting the safety of the people.

他Tā们men的de勇yǒng敢gǎn和hé牺xī牲shēng精jīng神shén ， 至zhì今jīn仍réng被bèi福fú州zhōu人rén民mín所suǒ传chuán颂sòng 。
Their bravery and sacrificial spirit are still celebrated by the people of Fuzhou to this day.

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!