Y is for Yue-Lao

I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.

If you’d rather check out my book review for today, go here.

I’m not sure how I came across this love god, but I was intrigued by the red string he uses to bind couples together. I only have older sources for this folklore entity.

Folklore

Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable by E Cobham Brewer [1870]

Yue-Laou, in Chinese mythology, is the old man of the moon, who unites with a silken cord all predestined couples, after which nothing can prevent their union.

Asiatic Journal and Monthly Register for British and Foreign India, China and Australasia, Volume 27 by Wm. H. Allen & Company, 1838

Yue Laou, or ‘The Moon-Light Old Man’

A Tale from the Chinese.

A short account of this personage, and an allusion to the tale which is here subjoined, will be found in Morrison’s Dictionary, Part I. vol. i. p643. The ‘moon-light old man’ or ‘the old man of the moon-light’, is so named from his appearance at night to a person named Wei-koo. In his nature he is supposed to be immortal, a dweller of the Yue ming, or ‘obscure regions’, the Hades of Chinese mythology. Allusions to him, and to his functions of go-between, or marriage-maker, are common both in prose and poetry; but a short tale translated from the Se hoo shih wei, ‘Ten Inheritances of the Western Lake’, chap. 37, embraces the fullest account with which the writer of the present article is acquainted. As a specimen of national tradition, analogous to those of our elves or fairies, and those supernatural powers which are supposed to descend from their spheres on important occasions to aid mankind, it will be of interest to all occupied either in Chinese literature or archaeological researches. European inquirers will, perhaps, be surprised to find that the ‘Ten Inheritances of the Western Lakes’ comprehends a class, a large one too, of tales parallel to those published as the traditions of Germany or Ireland. A wield field, indeed, is open to those who possess adequate time and materials, to illustrate from the Chinese the fact that, as far as fairy myths are concerned, a similar chain of tales, related differently according to the differences in national spirit and language, is current all over the world, an owes its origin to Eastern sources.

An abstract of the tale will also be found in the Yew heo koo sze tsin yuen, ‘The Sources of Things and Affairs sought out for youthful Students’, chap. Iii. P. 23, dorso, in comment upon the explanation of ‘The Day of Completion of Marriage is called the ‘day the stars will it’: the person (go-between), ‘the moon-light old man’. It discovers important variations from the account in the ‘Inheritances of the Western Lakes’. Another allusion to it also occurs in the twenty-fifth page: ‘Wei-koo, discoursing upon marriage with the moon-light old man, was informed of the red cord binding the feet.’ The commentary merely refers to the ‘first appearance of the red cords’. Scattered notices, without doubt, exist elsewhere upon a subject so popular, and the idea that ‘marriages are made in heaven’ is a common proverbial observation of our own. Traces of similar myths may be found in the stories of the North, although it would be difficult to point out any individual one embracing the leading features of the tale.

The Moon-Light Old Man

There was during the dynasty of Tang, at Too-ling, a person named Wei-koo, who, in his infancy, lost his parents and brothers, and desired to marry early in life, in order to keep up the succession of his family. He was not particular in respect to rank, but match after match proved unsuitable. This grieved Wei-koo excessively; and in the second year of Ching-kwan (A.D. 629), he roamed to Tsing-ho, lodged at a shop on the south of the city of Tsung, very intent on marriage, and as obstinate as a pig about it.

All of a sudden, some one came to him and said. “In this place there is an advantageous alliance – it is the daughter of Fan-fang, formerly controller of the horses at Tsing-ho. This is the person, if you seek a good alliance. If you approve of it, let us go to-morrow to his house, to conclude the marriage. I will meet you to-morrow morning before the gates of the Lung-hing temple, in the west of the city.”

During the night, Wei-koo, pondering on what had been said, and thinking on the conclusion of the marriage, tossed about upon his bed, and could not sleep. he arose at cock-crow, shaved, washed, put on his clothes, and went out at the rate of “two paces in three strides”. He soon arrived at the gates of the Lung-hing temple, quite unconscious that he had arisen too early – for the people were not up till the fifth watch, and there was no appearance of the go-between who had proposed the marriage. At this time the moon was still oblique in the heaven and shining bright, by which he saw a white-haired old man, who leant upon a cloth bag, and sat upon the steps at the gate of the temple, turning over the leaves of a book in the moon-light. Wei-koo thought to himself, “This old fellow must be of an eccentric disposition, to be studying by moon-light; although I see a book, I do not know what it is about.” He approached the old man, and standing by his side, glanced at the book, but the letters were like the seal character, and he could not identify one. Struck with amazement, he addressed the old man, saying, “Although I have studied a few years, yet, venerable Sir, the book you are reading is to me written in a perfectly unintelligible character: what extraordinary kind of character is it?” “This is not a book of this present age,” replied the old man. “Then pray, venerable Sir, who are you?” asked Wei-koo, “I am a gnome,” he replied. “Since you are a gnome,” said the other, “why are you here?” “You,” replied the old man, “came too early – I, not at an improper time; the gnomes superintend events; men can act, but gnomes cannot act of themselves: such is the law of actions. The path of events is divided between men and spirits; each has his share, although mankind is unconscious of it.”

Wei-koo then said, “Pray, venerable Sir, what peculiar actions do you superintend?” “I have,” he replied, “the special care of the marriages of mankind; the characters you behold comprise a list of marriages.” Wei-koo, hearing this, thought he would “touch the sore”, and said, “I, Wei-koo, of Too-ling, have sought to marry these ten years, but match after match has proved unsuitable; shall I accomplish this with the daughter of the superintendent of the horse, Fan?” “You will not,” replied the old fellow; “your wife as yet is only three years old, and she must attain the age of seventeen before she marries you.” “What, so long to wait?” said the other. “It has thus decreed in Hades, and you will not be able to accomplish it sooner.”

“What are these things in your bag?’ asked Wei-koo. “Red cords,” replied the old man. “What are they for?” continued Wei-koo. “They are all for marriages,” said the gnome. “At the moment of the birth of a person, I bind the foot with a red cord, and without respect to noble or plebeian, rich or poor, distant or near, old or young, Chinese or foreigners, fix the marriage, from which there is no escape. I have already tied your foot to the girl I spoke of.” “Where does my wife dwell?” inquired Wei-koo. “She is at the north of the city, in a green-grocer’s shop; the daughter of a shop-woman, named Chin.” “Can I see her?” “You can see her, busy at her occupation of tying up vegetables; if you will follow me, we will go together, and I will point her out to you.”

The person who should have come in the morning had not yet appeared. The old man shut his book, placed it into his bag, and put his bag up. He then walked on, and Wei-koo followed him to the vegetable market, where he saw an old shopkeeper, blind of one eye, who held in her hand a child of three years old, very ugly. “That,” said the old fellow, pointing with his finger, “is your wife.” “I’ll kill her,” exclaimed Wei-koo in a passion. “That girl,” said the other, “will have a son, who will hold an office of considerable emolument, and because of his rank advance her to the title of foo-jin: why should you kill her?” When he had said this, he became invisible.

Although Wei-koo perceived the supernatural agency, yet disliking the ugliness of the girl, he seized a knife, and handed it to a servant boy. “If,” said he, “you will destroy that green-grocer’s girl, I will reward you with a considerable sum of money.” The servant boy, next day, concealing the knife in his sleeve, went and stabbed the green-grocer’s girl who had been pointed out to him, and ran behind a tripod of water in the market. A great cry was raised, “seize the murderer!” but he ran off an unfrequented way, and escaped. When he returned to Wei-koo, the latter said, “Have you killed her?” “I fixed my eye on her,” he replied, “and intending to stab her to the heart, unintentionally struck her across the eye; I do not know whether she is dead or alive.”

The alliance of the controller of the horse, Fan, afterwards languished, as likewise several of his other courtships, exactly as the gnome had predicted before the gates, until fourteen years had elapsed; when, through family interest, Wei-koo got recommended to Wang-tae, censor of Keun-seang-chow, who bestowed on him the post of Superintendent of Doors and Roofs, and finding htat he was a man of talent, gave him his daughter in marriage. This young lady was about sixteen or seventeen years of age, of elegant and majestic appearance, but wore an artificial flower of gold upon her brows. Upon Wei-koo inquiring of her reason of this, she involuntarily dropping a tear replied, “I am not the censor’s own daughter, but his niece; my father, who was chebëen of Tsung-ching, died in office, and while I was yet an infant, in swaddling-clothes, my mother and elder brothers successively died, and my only support was my foster-mother, Chin, who had a shop in the north of Tsung-ching, and compassionating my tender age, brought me up there, selling vegetables and getting ready the morning and evening supply every day. When I had attained the age of three years, a villain stabbed me, not mortally, but inflicted a wound on the centre of my brow, to screen the scar of which I wear this ornamental gold flower. At seven years, my uncle, after mourning the loss of his wife, adopted me for his daughter, and has married me to you.”

“Was your foster-mother, Chin,” said Wei-koo, “blind of one eye?” “Yes,” replied the lady; “perhaps you knew her?” “Was not the man who stabbed you a servant boy?” “How could you divine this?” she asked. he then explained to her how the whole affair had happened. “Owing,” he added, “to the ugliness of your appearance, I loathed you in my heart, and commissioned a servant to go and stab you. Had you been like the beauty of to-day, lovely as the Fang flower, I had not dared to conceive so impious a thought.” Both were astonished at a fate thus predestinating marriage, and sometime afterwards, she bore him a son named Wei-kwan, who was created tae-show of Yen-mun, and promoted to be ta-foo of the tae-yeun-kuen, exactly as the Moon-Light Old Man had foretold. The report of this extraordinary adventure having been divulged to Tsung-ching, the shop was called “a marriage office”, and the go-between as now, “a moon-light old man”. A stanza of poetry alludes to the circumstances:

For fourteen years, the wished alliance waits,

As the old wizard warned him at the gates;

No dagger can his scarlet cords divide,

Though flowers of gold the assassin’s blow may hide.

Further Reading:

• Yue Lao
• Yue Lao
• Chinese Mythology 101: Yue Lao
• What is the string of love in Chinese mythology?
• Yue Lao : God of Love and marriage | Chinese Mythology
• Yue Lao: The Ancient Chinese God of Love and Marriage
• The Conversation: The Divine Matchmaker in Chinese Mythology − Old Man Under the Moon − Who Helps Couples Find Love
• Yue Lao: The Old Man Under the Moon

Folklore in a Nutshell by Ronel

[piece]

Yue-Lao in Modern Culture

Looking for a mate? Head to this Taiwan temple for a meeting with the ‘Love God’ by CNN Travel

Taipei, TaiwanCNN — 

These days, it’s all about swiping right to find a partner. But some Taiwan residents have another method for finding romance besides Tinder – they call on the god of marriage and love.

According to Chinese mythology, the Love God, or Yue Lao, is in possession of a “book of marriages,” and can find and bind you to the one you’re meant to be with, with a red string.

Read the article here.

Till We Meet Again (2021 film)

Killed by lightning, Ah Lun arrives at the underworld with no memories. He is given 2 choices: reincarnate as a snail, or take up a priesthood to accumulate virtuous virtues so that he can reincarnate as a human being.

Ah Lun decides to try to become a Yue Lao, a God of love. Teamed up with Pinky, a girl with an explosive personality, both of them manage to overcome their dislike for one another and pass the final test to become a Yue Lao.

Ah Lun and Pinky go back to the living world to matchmake people and gain virtues. One day, Ah Lun’s memories of his current life returns as he bumps into his faithful dog Ah Lu and the love of his life, Xiaomi. As a Yue Lao, Ah Lun has to help Xiaomi find her match, but he soon finds out that every red thread tied to Xiaomi’s hands just seemingly burns away. This gains the attention of other Yue Laos and they tried to tie thousands of different threads to Xiaomi to no avail.

Learn more here.

Red String Theory by Lauren Kung Jessen

This charming fated-love rom-com about two star-crossed lovers will appeal to readers of Helen Hoang, Jasmine Guillory, and Sarah Adams.

Just a date . . . or a twist of fate?
 When it comes to love and art, Rooney Gao believes in signs. Most of all, she believes in the Chinese legend that everyone is tied to their one true love by the red string of fate. And that belief has inspired her career as an artist, as well as the large art installations she makes with ( obviously ) red string. That is until artist’s block strikes and Rooney begins to question everything. But then fate leads her to the perfect guy . . . Jack Liu is perfect. He’s absurdly smart, successful, handsome, and after one enchanting New York night—under icy February skies and fueled by fried dumplings—all signs point to destiny. Only Jack doesn’t believe. And after their magical date, it looks like they might be lost to each other forever . . . until they’re given one more chance to reconnect. But can Rooney convince a reluctant skeptic to take a leap of fate?

Check it out on Goodreads.

Yue-Lao in My Writing

Origin of the Fae: Yue-Lao

Right now, this is probably my favourite love song (for the forever kind of love Yue-Lao represents):

See this immortal in action in my writing:

Russian Roulette (Irascible Immortals #4)

‘Talismans and weapons here,’ said a cat sitting on a desk in front of a large closet that served as the armoury. Heart-shaped confetti littered the table.
The two love gods walked to the line forming in front of the Talisman check-in desk. Yue-Lao handed the cat his backpack filled with red string and his tablet, which calculated the future of predestined couples. Cupid handed over his bow and quiver chock full of glittering arrows.

Russian Roulette, Irascible Immortals #4, Ronel Janse van Vuuren

Remember that you can request all of my books from your local library!

Where did you hear about Yue-Lao for the first time? Have you read any other books featuring this love god? Check out my Pinterest board about Yue-Lao.

You can now support my time in producing folklore posts (researching, writing and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.