ng, who already had ninety-nine children, adopted it as
his hundredth, but gave it to a hermit named Yuen Chung-tzu to rear
as his disciple. The hermit showed him the way to rescue his adopted
father from the tyrant who held him prisoner. In seeking for some
powerful weapon the child found on the hillside two apricots, and
ate them both. He then noticed that wings had grown on his shoulders,
and was too much ashamed to return home.

But the hermit, who knew intuitively what had taken place, sent a
servant to seek him. When they met the servant said: "Do you know that
your face is completely altered?" The mysterious fruit had not only
caused Lei Chen-tzu to grow wings, known as Wings of the Wind and
Thunder, but his face had become green, his nose long and pointed,
and two tusks protruded horizontally from each side of his mouth,
while his eyes shone like mirrors.

Lei Chen-tzu now went and rescued Wen Wang, dispersing his enemies
by means of his mystical power and bringing the old man back on his
shoulders. Having placed him in safety he returned to the hermit.

The Mother of Lightning

This divinity is represented as a female figure, gorgeously apparelled
in blue, green, red, and white, holding in either hand a mirror from
which proceed two broad streams or flashes of light. Lightning, say
the Chinese, is caused by the rubbing together of the _yin_ and the
_yang_, just as sparks of fire may be produced by the friction of
two substances.

The Origin of the Spirit of Lightning

Tung Wang Kung, the King of the Immortals, was playing at pitch-pot
[23] with Yue Nue. He lost; whereupon Heaven smiled, and from its
half-open mouth a ray of light came out. This was lightning; it is
regarded as feminine because it is supposed to come from the earth,
which is of the _yin_, or female, principle.

The God of the Wind

Feng Po, the God of the Wind, is represented as an old man with a
white beard, yellow cloak, and blue and red cap. He holds a large
sack, and directs the wind which comes from its mouth in any direction
he pleases.

There are various ideas regarding the nature of this deity. He is
regarded as a stellar divinity under the control of the star Ch'i,
[24] because the wind blows at the time when the moon leaves that
celestial mansion. He is also said to be a dragon called Fei Lien, at
first one of the supporters of the rebel Ch'ih Yu, who was defeated
by Huang Ti. Having been transformed into a spiritual