Hou Yi

Warrior Yi surveys the devastated earth, as depicted in the music video of Powderfinger's "Sunsets".

Houyi (后羿), also called simply Yi, was a mythological Chinese archer. He was the chief of the Youqiong Tribe (有窮國) during the Xia Dynasty. His wife, Chang'e, became a lunar deity.

Supposedly, in ancient times, there were ten suns that came out in turns, but, tiring of this routine, decided to come out all at once. It became so hot that rocks were melting, people dying, and plants withering, so the current emperor, Yao, begged the father of the suns, Dijun, to control his children. However, the suns did not listen to Dijun. So Dijun sent Houyi, the archer, to earth with a magic bow and arrows. Yi was only supposed to scare the suns, but upon witnessing the destruction they had caused the earth, he became so enraged that he shot nine of them out of the sky, leaving only the present sun. Dijun got so angry at Houyi that he banished the hero to earth to spend the rest of his days as an ordinary mortal. The last sun faithfully fulfilled his duties to the present day.

Houyi who loved humanity so much, continued to drive the world off evil despite being punished. He went on slaying various beasts and demons that are haunting the land and earn praise from the people and begins living comfortably amongst them. Yet, Houyi cannot bare about that fact he will die someday and decide to ask a Goddess that have live for a long time for such remedy. The Goddess give him two pills of immortality warn Houyi that eating the pills will allow him live forever but do not grant him ascention back to heaven and that these are the last one on earth. To Houyi, the mortal world and heaven is the same so he happily take the remedy and leave home. His wife Chang'e whom is banished along with Houyi is still bare grudge on Houyi and although Houyi have the pills for both of them to grant immortality, Chang'e betray his husband and took the pill for herself when his husband went out. When Houyi returns, he see Chang'e raising to the moon. At this momment, he is furious at his wife's betrayal, took out his bow and arrow and shoot her but she have raise so far up and without the power of the Gods as he is banished down on earth, his arrow is unable to reach her. Chang'e will live for eternity on the moon alone, as a redemption for her betrayal on his husband.

Betrayedby his wife, Houyi's attitude on others changed rapidly. Instead of a compassionate hero, he became a tyrant and begin making everyone's live around him have a terrible time. Eventually, he is betrayed by his followers, and is killed.

The tale was depicted in the music video of Australian rock band Powderfinger's 2003 hit, "Sunsets".

References

• Goddesses Heroes and Shamans by Scholastic inc., 1994.