Flame Emperor or Yan Di — Brilliant Sovereign and Inventor of Agriculture
Flame Emperor or Yan Di, also named Shennong, Lianshan, or Lieshan, was an influential Neolithic sovereign and a brilliant inventor with exceptional contributions.
Together with the Yellow Emperor (Huang Di), they are both respected as ancestors of the Han People, the majority ethnic group of Chinese.
He was excellent at using fire to cook food and make pottery; hence, he was respected as Flame Emperor (or Yan Di).
Besides, he taught people to plant crops, which turned his tribe into an agricultural society in which fishing and hunting were supplementary means for people’s diets.
In some historical documentation, the Flame Emperor also spent years exploring and tasting different herbs to find useful ones to cure people and extend their lifespans.
Legendary Origin of the Flame Emperor
Flame Emperor was the son of Lord Shaodian, and his mother was Queen Fubao or Youjiao. After he grew up, he left his parents and built a new tribe by himself.
In other historical documents, he inherited the crown to be the leader of his tribe, Shennong.
He was an intelligent leader who kept expanding his tribe.
The brilliant Flame Emperor acquired adequate knowledge of agriculture and medicine.
He taught his people to plant crops and invented efficient tools to develop agriculture. When the production of his tribe kept growing, he established a market for people to exchange goods.
Moreover, he traveled to many places and tried large numbers of herbs by himself, and afterward taught people how to use them to treat diseases.
Painted Pottery Basin with Human and Fish Patterns of Yangshao Culture (Around 5000 BC — 3000 BC), Believed the Same Time and Place that Flame Emperor had Lived — National Museum of China (Photo by Dongmaiying)
The Battle of Banquan and Form of Huaxia Tribal Union
Later, Flame Emperor and Yellow Emperor fought three wars, competing for hegemony in Banquan.
A widely believed reason was that the tribe of the Yellow Emperor became quite powerful, and the ambitious Yellow Emperor wanted to unify all tribes.
Another possible reason was that many other clan leaders became unsatisfied with the reign of the Flame Emperor; hence, they pledged their loyalty to the Yellow Emperor instead.
After intense battles, he and his tribe failed in this hegemony war, and they respected the Yellow Emperor as the most honorable sovereign.
They allied together as the Huaxia Tribal Union, the origin of Chinese civilization. Flame Emperor and Yellow Emperor have been respected as the ancestors of the Chinese Han people till today.
Ship Shaped Painted Pottery Pot of Yangshao Culture (Around 5000 BC — 3000 BC) — National Museum of China (Photo by Dongmaiying)
Intense Battle of Zhuolu and Flame Emperor's Legacy
Their Huaxia Tribal Union kept growing and expanding with the Flame Emperor's brilliant agricultural skills and the Yellow Emperor's outstanding inventions, such as carts, ships, and other tools.
More and more tribes complied with Huaxia, except Lord Chiyou.
Chiyou was the lord of a strong tribe named Jiuli in the east; in some other documents, he had worked for but later rebelled against the Flame Emperor or the Yellow Emperor.
Chiyou was very aggressive, and his tribe could produce many advanced weapons.
Yellow and Flame Emperors had fought against Chiyou several times and achieved final success.
That was the Battle of Zhuolu.
In mythical history, many supernatural beings also participated in this decisive battle: God of Wind and Rain, large numbers of ghosts and monsters were on Chiyou's side, while powerful dragon Ying Long, Fairy of Drought, and some deities of Mount Kunlun supported Yellow and Flame Emperor's troops.
Battle of Zhuolu in Chinese Mythical History
After they finally won the Battle of Zhuolu, the Huaxia Tribal Union mostly dominated the central places in China, where the Yellow Emperor, the most honorable sovereign, started his exceptional reign.
The Flame Emperor then continued his discoveries and research on more types of herbs and passed away after he tried virulent foliage.
Many memorial temples of the Flame Emperor were built throughout history to honor his exceptional contributions; today, grand worship ceremonies are held yearly.
Mausoleum of Flame Emperor (Yan Di) in Hunan Province
Next Story: Culture Hero & Founder of Country in Chinese History — Yellow Emperor
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