Chinese Mythology: Gou Mang, God of Spring

Preface:Gou Mang (句芒) is the god of wood, spring, and the east in ancient Chinese folk mythology, in charge of the germination and growth of trees, and faithfully assisting Fu Xi. The sun rises from Fu Sang every morning, and the sacred tree Fu Sang is under the control of Gou Mang, as is the area where the sun rises. Gou Mang was so important in ancient times that it was part of the annual spring festival. Legend has it that its original face was a bird, which had a bird body with a human face and rode on two Longs, but later it had no influence at all. You can see it in the rituals and annual paintings, it becomes the spring riding cattle herd boy, head with two buns, hand holding a willow whip, also known as Mang Tong.

句Gōu芒máng是shì黄huáng帝dì的de孙sūn子zi 。
Gou Mang is the grandson of Huang Di.

他Tā的de父fù亲qīn是shì少shào昊hào 。
His father is Shao Hao.

少Shào昊hào是shì黄huáng帝dì的de长zhǎng子zǐ 。
Shao Hao is the eldest son of Huang Di.

句Gōu芒máng是shì四sì季jì神shén之zhī一yī 。
Gou Mang is one of the four seasonal gods.

他Tā与yǔ夏xià神shén祝zhù融róng 、 秋qiū神shén蓐rù收shōu 、 冬dōng神shén禺yú强qiáng共gòng同tóng掌zhǎng管guǎn四sì季jì的de变biàn迁qiān 。
Together with Zhu Rong the summer god, Ru Shou the autumn god, and Yu Qiang the winter god, he controls the changes of the four seasons.

句Gōu芒máng的de形xíng象xiàng奇qí特tè ， 是shì鸟niǎo身shēn人rén面miàn ， 出chū行xíng驾jià乘chéng两liǎng条tiáo龙lóng 。
Gou Mang has a unique appearance, with a bird’s body and a human face, and he travels by riding on two dragons.

这Zhè寓yù意yì着zhe春chūn天tiān的de生shēng机jī与yǔ活huó力lì 。
This symbolizes the vitality and energy of spring.

后Hòu来lái ， 句gōu芒máng在zài民mín间jiān传chuán说shuō中zhōng变biàn成chéng了le骑qí牛niú的de小xiǎo牧mù童tóng 。
Later, in folk legends, Gou Mang became a little cowboy riding a cow.

他Tā头tóu梳shū双shuāng髻jì ， 手shǒu执zhí柳liǔ鞭biān ， 也yě叫jiào芒máng童tóng 。
He wears a bun on each side of his head and holds a willow whip, also known as Mangtong.

句Gōu芒máng主zhǔ管guǎn草cǎo木mù的de发fā芽yá生shēng长zhǎng 。
Gou Mang is in charge of the sprouting and growth of plants.

他Tā还hái守shǒu护hù东dōng方fāng神shén树shù扶fú桑sāng 。
He also guards the divine tree Fusang in the east.

春Chūn天tiān来lái临lín时shí ， 句gōu芒máng飞fēi临lín人rén间jiān ， 呼hū唤huàn万wàn物wù苏sū醒xǐng 。
When spring comes, Gou Mang flies down to earth and calls for everything to awaken.

在Zài他tā的de呼hū唤huàn下xià ， 种zhǒng子zi发fā芽yá ， 树shù木mù变biàn绿lǜ 。
Under his call, seeds sprout and trees turn green.

句Gōu芒máng确què保bǎo太tài阳yáng从cóng扶fú桑sāng升shēng起qǐ ， 带dài来lái光guāng明míng和hé温wēn暖nuǎn 。
Gou Mang ensures that the sun rises from Fusang, bringing light and warmth.

他Tā能néng唤huàn醒xǐng沉chén睡shuì的de种zhǒng子zi和hé草cǎo木mù ， 使shǐ春chūn天tiān如rú约yuē而ér至zhì 。
He can awaken sleeping seeds and plants, making spring arrive as scheduled.

因Yīn此cǐ ， 句gōu芒máng是shì农nóng业yè生shēng产chǎn的de守shǒu护hù神shén 。
Therefore, Gou Mang is the guardian god of agricultural production.

立Lì春chūn时shí ， 句gōu芒máng驾jià春chūn车chē踏tà平píng冬dōng季jì大dà地dì ， 带dài来lái春chūn的de福fú音yīn 。
On the beginning of spring, Gou Mang drives a spring cart to flatten the winter earth and brings the gospel of spring.

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!