Emperor Huang (Huangdi, Yellow Emperor) is a legendary Chinese sovereign and cultural hero. Along with Emperor Yan, he is the ancestor of the Chinese nation. Resultantly, the Chinese people are always said to be the “the descendants of Emperors Yan and Huang”. Emperor Huang was one of the legendary Five Emperors who reigned from 2697 to 2597 BC and he was mentioned in the “Shiji” (“Historical Record”) by historian Sima Qian (145-90 BC).

Emperor Huang’s real name was Gōngsūn Xuānyuán. He lived in a time of warfare. The declining House of Shennong, the first Chinese tribe was unable to stop the feudal lords from fighting. Xuanyuan subdued them and gained their allegiance with the exception of Chiyou. The Emperor Yan, first legendary clan leader in remote China wanted to punish the lords, but they rallied behind Xuanyuan's protection. Xuanyuan trained wild animals, including bears, in

combat and used them to defeat Emperor Yan at the Battle of Banquan. Thus, the House of Shennong fell and Xuanyuan became the Yellow Emperor, the color being associated with earth.

Emperor Huang was then threatened by the tribe under the leadership of Chiyou, who was said to have magical powers and 81 brothers, each having 4 eyes and 8 arms wielding sharp weapons in every hand. Emperor Huang called upon 8 neighboring tribes to join forces with him and sent the combined army to meet Chi You and his brothers. The two great armies fought for days without a clear winner, called Battle of Zhuolu in history.
Just as Emperor Huang’s army began to turn the tide of battle, Chi You breathed out a thick fog and obscured the sunlight. Emperor Huang’s army fell into disarray and could not find its way out of the battlefield. At this critical moment, Emperor Huang invented the South Pointing Chariot, and ordered its construction on the battlefield. With the South Pointing Chariot, Emperor Huang was able to lead his army out of the fog.
Chi You then conjured up a heavy storm. Emperor Huang called upon the gods, who blew away the storm clouds and cleared the battlefield. As a result, Emperor Huang defeated Chi You and his tribe once and for all. With this great victory, Emperor Huang not only safeguarded his own tribe, but the tribes of his allies. The nine tribes joined together as one tribe under the leadership of Emperor Huang.

Emperor Huang moved around nomadically with his army until settling at Xuanyuan Hill. He was said to have had 25 children, 14 of whom were sons. Of these 14 sons, 12 chose last names for themselves. It is said that all the noble families of the first 3 dynasties of China - Xia, Shang, and Zhou - were direct descendants of Emperor Huang. His first wife, Leizu of Xiling, bore him two

sons. The oldest was Xuanxiao who lived in Qingyang by the Yangtze River, and Changyi, the youngest, lived by the Luo River. After Emperor Huang died, he was succeeded by Changyi’s son, Zhuanxu.

Among his many accomplishments, Emperor Huang has been credited with the invention of the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. His interest in natural health and the prevention and treatment of diseases, according to historical sources, allowed him to live until the age of 100, and attain immortality after his physical death. He introduced the earliest form of martial arts into China and said that the art was beneficial both for good health and for self defense. The “Huangdi Neijin” (“Inner Canon of Emperor Huang”) was supposedly composed in collaboration with Emperor Huang’s physician Qibo.
According to Legend, his wife Leizu taught the Chinese how to weave silk from silkworms, and his historian Cangjie created the first Chinese characters. Emperor Huang is also said to have played a part in the creation of the Guqin, together with Fuxi and Shennong, and to have invented the earliest form of the Chinese calendar. It is also important to note that its current sexagenarian cycles are counted based on his reign.
Emperor Huang is also an important figure in Chinese religions, particularly Taoism and Confucianism. He emerged as a chief deity of Taoism during the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD).