Long ago when the world was still young, the sky was home to ten suns. They were the radiant children of Heaven, each one shining with golden fire. According to the ancient order of the cosmos, they were meant to rise one at a time so that the earth would receive steady warmth without being harmed. In this perfect rhythm the seasons flowed as they should, rivers moved gracefully across the land, forests flourished, and people lived in harmony with nature.
For ages the suns obeyed this celestial rule. Yet curiosity grew within them. One day they wondered what the world would look like if all ten of them rose together. Eager for excitement, they ascended at the same moment and flooded the sky with tenfold brilliance. Their combined heat was overwhelming. The earth scorched instantly. Rivers shrank into dry channels of dust. Great forests caught fire. Mountains crackled under the burning sky. People and animals collapsed as the world became a furnace of unbearable heat.
Cries for help rose toward the heavens. The Queen Mother of the West, who watched over the natural balance of the world, heard the suffering of mortals. She knew that only one being possessed the strength and courage to restore harmony. She called upon Hou Yi, the divine archer known for his unwavering sense of justice and unmatched skill with the bow.
Hou Yi descended to the earth and saw devastation everywhere. He walked across parched land where crops had turned to ash and rivers no longer flowed. The people begged him for salvation. Deeply moved, Hou Yi vowed to restore the world no matter the cost.
He climbed to the tallest mountain where the air trembled with heat. From the peak he could see all ten suns blazing fiercely. They were laughing and dancing across the sky, unaware of the destruction they caused. Hou Yi stood firm and lifted his sacred bow, a heavenly weapon capable of bending the fate of the world.
He pulled back the bowstring until it shone with divine energy. His first arrow soared like a streak of silver and struck a sun. It burst into sparks and vanished. Hou Yi shot again and again. With every arrow another sun fell, and with each fall the world cooled a little more. Fires dimmed. The air softened. Rivers paused in their retreat.
When nine suns had fallen, only one remained. Terrified, the final sun cried out for mercy. It promised never again to rise without heavenly order and begged to be spared. Hou Yi lowered his bow. He knew that the world needed light to survive. If he destroyed the last sun, the earth would be plunged into cold and everlasting darkness. So he allowed the single sun to remain.
Balance returned. The sun began once again to rise and set in the proper rhythm. The forests regrew. Rivers filled with life. People rejoiced and honored Hou Yi as one of the greatest heroes ever known. Yet Hou Yi carried the memory of the suns he had struck down. Although he had saved the world, he felt sorrow for the celestial beings he had been forced to destroy. His triumph was both noble and heavy, forever marking him as a figure of courage, sacrifice, and wisdom in Chinese mythology.
Through his bravery the world regained harmony. Through his restraint the single sun continued to guide day and night. And through his story people remembered that balance is a sacred gift that must be protected with both strength and compassion.
Discover more East Asian Folktales from the lands of dragons, cherry blossoms, and mountain spirits.
Moral Lesson
The tale teaches that true heroism requires not only great strength but also wisdom and restraint. Maintaining harmony often depends on choosing mercy even in moments of great power.
Knowledge Check
- Why did the ten suns rise together and what effect did this have on the earth?
They rose together out of curiosity or mischief and their combined heat scorched the earth, causing drought, fires, and suffering. - Who called upon Hou Yi to save the world from the burning suns?
The Queen Mother of the West summoned him because she knew he alone could restore balance. - What ability made Hou Yi capable of confronting the suns?
He was a divine archer with a sacred bow of heavenly power, giving him unmatched skill. - Why did Hou Yi spare the final sun instead of shooting all ten?
He spared the last sun to preserve daylight because destroying all ten would plunge the world into eternal darkness. - How did people react after Hou Yi saved the world?
They rejoiced, praised him as a hero, and were grateful for the return of balance. - What lesson about cosmic order does this myth highlight?
It teaches that balance is essential and that power must be guided by wisdom and responsibility.
Source
Adapted from ChinaFolklore.org Classical Mythology Digital Archive, 2010.
Cultural Origin: Early Chinese cosmological mythology.
