Shan Hai Jing: The Lament of the Celestial River

In the heart of the ancient world, where mountains rise like the back of a sleeping dragon and rivers flow like the tears of the gods, there lay a celestial river known as the Xian River. This river, unlike any other, was said to be the lifeblood of the heavens, its waters flowing with the essence of the divine. The Xian River was the source of all life, its currents weaving through the fabric of the cosmos, nourishing the lands and creatures that inhabited it.

For centuries, the Xian River had been silent, its waters flowing in a rhythmic dance with the celestial harmony. But now, as the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, the river began to weep. Its waters turned to tears, cascading over the rocks and into the land below, leaving a trail of sorrow in their wake.

The celestial beings were thrown into turmoil by this unnatural occurrence. The Emperor of the Heavens, a wise and ancient figure, decreed that a delegation be sent to the Xian River to investigate the cause of its lament. Among the delegation were the most learned sages, the most powerful warriors, and the most discerning diviners.

As they approached the river, they felt the weight of its sorrow. The air was thick with a sense of loss, and the creatures that lived along its banks seemed to share in the river's grief. The delegation gathered at the river's edge, their eyes reflecting the sorrow of the water.

The sages began to chant, their voices rising above the sound of the weeping river. The warriors drew their weapons, ready to face whatever threat lay before them. But the diviners, with their keen eyes and hearts, saw something else. They saw a silhouette in the distance, a figure shrouded in the mists of the river.

As the delegation moved closer, they could see that the figure was a woman, her hair flowing like the river itself, her eyes filled with pain and sorrow. She was dressed in robes of shimmering silk, her skin as pale as the moon. This was the Lady of the Xian River, a divine being who had once been a mortal woman, and whose love story was etched into the very essence of the river.

The Lady of the Xian River spoke, her voice like the whisper of the wind. "I am the Lady of the Xian River, and my lament is for a love that knows no bounds. Long ago, I was a mortal woman named Ying, in love with a celestial prince named Tian. Our love was forbidden, for the gods decreed that a mortal and a divine could never be together."

The sages listened in awe, their hearts heavy with the knowledge of the celestial laws that had torn them apart. "But Ying, your love is not forgotten," the Emperor of the Heavens said, his voice filled with compassion. "We will lift the ban, and you and Tian may be together once more."

The Lady of the Xian River's eyes sparkled with hope, but then her expression darkened. "It is not that simple, Great Emperor. Tian has been transformed into a dragon, and he now rules over the Eastern seas. The only way for us to be together is for me to become a dragon as well."

The sages exchanged looks of concern, understanding the magnitude of the transformation. "This is a great sacrifice, Lady Ying," one of them said. "You will lose your mortal form, and your life will be forever bound to the river."

The Lady of the Xian River nodded, her resolve unshaken. "I am willing to make this sacrifice for my love. But there is one condition. The river must continue to flow, for it is the essence of our love."

The Emperor of the Heavens agreed, and the Lady of the Xian River's transformation began. The river's tears turned to a golden light, enveloping her form. Her hair became the waves of the river, her eyes the depths of the ocean, and her soul the essence of the celestial water.

As the Lady of the Xian River became a dragon, the river's weeping ceased. The celestial beings rejoiced, knowing that the love between Ying and Tian had been restored, albeit in a different form. The river continued to flow, its waters carrying the essence of their love, and the creatures that lived along its banks were protected by the divine power of the Lady of the Xian River.

The delegation returned to the heavens, their mission completed. The Lady of the Xian River remained by the river, her form shifting and changing, a testament to the eternal cycle of life and death. And so, the Xian River continued to flow, its waters a symbol of the enduring love between Ying and Tian, a love that had transcended the bounds of time and the laws of the heavens.