The Hero's Journey: The Monomyth

As divulged by Joseph Campbell in the Hero’s Journey, a common theme exists within a variety of well-known stories: the monomyth. A monomyth is defined as “An archetypal myth; a theme that underlies a number of superficially different myths” (Oxford Dictionary). This recurring sequence of events has been utilized in the modern novel as well as undying legends of greek heroes such as Odysseus. Spanning through numerous cultures and centuries, the monomyth is not solely based in American or Roman based literature. In Chinese Folklore, “The Lady In The Moon” describes the plight of Hou Yi, his wife Chang’e, and the Jade Rabbit. The three intertwining tales composing the creational monomyth of the “Lady In The Moon” follow the heroic journey of …show more content…
The story is introduced as Hou Yi is called upon by the Jade Emperor to punish the Emperor’s nine sons, who bring unbearable heat and destruction to the Earth. Each of the emperor's sons are represented within the story as literal suns and are the first obstacle’s Hou Yi must face. From the heavens Hou Yi shoots down eight of the sons with his bow and leaves only one in the sky. Hou Yi pardoned a single sun to provide light and warmth to the earth without suffering. This act committed by Hou Yi marks his first heroic act as he saved humanity from burning. However, despite Hou Yi’s newlyfound heroism, as punishment for the suns deaths the Jade Emperor condemned Hou Yi as well as his wife, chang’e, to die of a mortal fate. Destined to live an impermanent life on Earth and banned from returning to the heavens, Chang’e was deeply saddened. Desiring to end her sadness, Hou Yi begins his journey to the sacred lands of the Southern mountains in search of the queen mother, who is rumored to possess the pills of immortality. The exile of Hou Yi and Chang’e from the heavens marks the hero’s departure, as Hou Yi has been removed from the solace of the heavens and brought into the chaos of Earth. The Story of the “Lady In The Moon” reveals the countless challenges faced by Hou Yi as he traverses the Sacred Southern Mountains, such as monsters (Shen Yung Performing …show more content…
For Hou Yi, the supernatural world is Earth because Hou Yi has known of nothing other than the heavens. The legend following Hou Yi claims that Hou Yi informed the Queen Mother of his and his wife's suffering following his defeat of the eight suns. Taking sympathy to Hou Yi’s tale, the Queen Mother asked the Jade Rabbit, the medicine maker of the heavens, to provide her with spare pills of immortality. Though the Jade Rabbit refused, the queen mother was persistent and eventually the Jade Rabbit gave in. The Jade Rabbit provided the queen mother with spare pills of immortality. The Queen Mother gave Hou Yi the pills of immortality and warned him of the conditions of the pills. If half of the pills were consumed they would grant the person with immortality, but if all of the pills were consumed a person would become a god and be unable to live upon Earth. Hou Yi’s retrieval of the pills of immortality mark the fulfillment of the hero’s ultimate goal. Having reached the point of fulfillment in the monomyth, Hou Yi returns back to earth with the pills. Tired from his Journey, Hou Yi, falls asleep upon returning to his wife. Curious and yearning for immortality, Chang’e, takes all of the pills as Hou Yi sleeps. Chang’e suddenly begins to uncontrollably float away from her husband. Although Hou Yi attempts to hold onto her and save her. Hou Yi’s