According to legend, the father of Shaohao (少昊), the Morning Star (启明星), and his mother, the celestial goddess Huang’e (皇娥), once played together beneath the Fusang Tree (扶桑树), where ten suns hung from its branches. Each sun had a red face, radiating endless heat. Every day, they took turns rising and setting. As soon as the golden rooster perched on the Fusang Tree crowed, the sun that was to work that day would rise from its rest, and riding a golden firebird, would run from east to west. They kept perfect time, never making a mistake because they were diligent in their work. Therefore, the Jade Emperor (天帝) appointed them as the Sun Gods.
However, as time passed, they began to grow weary of their monotonous task. Some of the suns, frustrated with the solitary nature of their work in the sky, urged the golden firebird to run faster, hoping to finish its journey quickly and return to the Fusang Tree to join the others for feasting and merriment. For a period of time, the suns behaved recklessly, sometimes only staying in the mortal realm for three hours before racing back to their resting place.
This strange behavior puzzled the people, but they did not understand the cause. Eventually, the Jade Emperor learned of this and became very angry, deciding to punish the suns. However, one of his ministers advised him, saying, “They have worked for many years, and although they have not earned any merits, they have certainly endured hardships. The reason for their misconduct is that there has been no one to supervise them directly. Your Majesty should appoint a just and impartial deity to oversee their work.”
After thinking for a while, the Jade Emperor decided to appoint Shaohao, the son of the Morning Star and Huang’e, as the supervising deity. Shaohao had successfully governed the Bird Kingdom and was well-versed in managing affairs, having grown up beneath the Fusang Tree. Therefore, the Jade Emperor appointed him as the Chief Supervisor of the Sun Gods.
In addition, the Jade Emperor had heard that Shaohao’s son, Ruchou (蓐收), also known as the Golden God or Red Light (金神、红光), was close to his father and was known for his strict and fair character. Therefore, he also appointed Ruchou to assist Shaohao in supervising the Sun Gods.
Father and son took on the sacred responsibility of overseeing the Sun Gods. But how would they determine whether the Sun Gods were diligently doing their work?
Shaohao lived on Mount Changliu (长留山), and he would observe the light reflected by the sun as it sank into the western sky. If the light was normal, it indicated that the Sun Gods had followed the proper time, running across the sky for the full twelve hours. If the light was irregular, it would show that the Sun Gods had not kept their schedule. Additionally, as an expert in communicating with the golden firebirds driven by the Sun Gods, Shaohao could silently communicate with them, ensuring they were fulfilling their duties without the Sun Gods knowing.
Ruchou, who had a tiger’s claw and a white mane, held a large axe in his hand. A small snake grew from his left ear, and he traveled riding two dragons. He also resided with his father on Mount Changliu. Like his father, Ruchou would examine the light at sunset, particularly the red glow in the sky. If the red glow lingered for a long time, it indicated that the Sun Gods had been diligent in their work.
If they discovered that a Sun God had failed to complete its duties within the prescribed time, Shaohao would send his son Ruchou to punish the Sun God. Ruchou, known for his fairness and impartiality, always performed his tasks excellently, using the heavenly punishment to discipline the Sun Gods. Over time, the Sun Gods learned to take their work seriously and faithfully completed their duties.
Thus, the supervision of Shaohao and Ruchou restored order to the heavens and ensured that the Sun Gods carried out their responsibilities with diligence and discipline.