The long answer is, this claim originates entirely from her English Wikipedia page.
Here, the editor cites FSYY as evidence…except FSYY never said that. When she was brought up in Chapter 1, she is just referred to as "A divine goddess of the ancient age" (上古之神女), who patches up the sky with the Five-Colored Stone after Gonggong knocked over Mt. Buzhou, and whose worship shall bring Zhaoge blessings.
There is literally zero lines in the novel that connects her together with the Heavenly Emperor/JE. So where, oh where, does the editor get this idea from? I have three theories.
1)Nüwa does go to pay her respect to the Three Sage Kings, Fuxi, Yandi and Huangdi in FSYY novel, before she returns to her temple and sees King Zhou's simp poem on the wall. They could've confused either of these with the JE.
2) There's another Nüwa in the Chinese mythos. The romanization is the same, but the last character is different: 女娃 instead of 女娲. This Nüwa is the daughter of Yandi, the Flame Emperor, who drowned in the East Sea and became a bird, Jingwei, hell-bent on filling up the entire ocean with sticks and stones.
Maybe that was the Nüwa they were thinking about.
3) They confused her with the Mystic Lady of the Nine Heavens (九天玄女), like a lot of practitioners did in folk religions. Often said to be QMoW's emissary and described as having the body of a bird, she was the goddess that assisted the Yellow Emperor during his battle with Chiyou and taught him the arts of war and magic.
In more obscure sources like the Qing dynasty compendium 全上古三代秦汉三国六朝文, however, it was recorded that some said she was the Heavenly Emperor's daughter. In a few Daoist works (徐仙真录, 太上老君中经), the Mystic Lady of the Nine Heavens was the Heavenly Emperor's wife instead.
Whatever the case might be: this is your PSA about taking the English Wikipedia with a grain of salt when it comes to Chinese mythology.
Namely, they keep saying "FSYY said that" when FSYY does not, in fact, say that. Like Shen Gongbao being a yaoguai. Or part of Nezha's origin story on Wikipedia being based off the 1979 film without actually citing it as such.
(Specifically, the part where the dragon king of the East Sea demanded human sacrifices from the people of Chentang Pass, which is entirely a film thing and not in the novel at all.)
Excerpt From WS111, Treatise on Criminal Punishment
(Zhaocheng, Daowu, Mingyuan and Taiwu's attitude towards laws and law enforcement. Was paraphrased by Sima Guang in ZZTJ volume 122. Zhaocheng had a clear legal code, Daowu started out lenient but ended in lawlessness, Mingyuan relieved and cared for the people but had strict standards with the officials, and while Taiwu successfully revised the laws, his decree to have the people report illegal activities of the officials backfired spectacularly)
In Zhaocheng [1]'s second year of Jianguo [Establishing the Nation]: For those who died, allow their family to offer gold and horses to redeem; for those who committed the crime of great rebellion, male and female relatives regardless of young and old are all beheaded; male and female who do not use propriety in sexual relations [2] both die; for those people who kill one another, allow forty-nine horses and ox to be sent to help the deceased's family as burial items to pacify them; those who are not interrogated but implicated in arrest are tried; those who rob public items, [for each] one prepares five, private [items] prepares ten. The law was clear and the people were peaceful.
Taizu [3] when young met difficulties [4], his preparation was dangerous and difficult, possessed understanding of the people's feelings and falsehoods. In his rule, his undertakings were benevolent and generous, and harmonised the common people. [When he] calmed Zhongshan [5], was troubled by the stern and confidential laws of previous generations, so ordered [one of] the Three Excellencies, Wang De, to remove the cruelties in their laws to the citizens, agreed in judging decrees to greatly honour simplicity.
At this time, the people Under Heaven had long suffered the chaos of war, and feared the laws in peace. The emperor knew of the people's suffering in this way, thus pacified this with subtlety and silence, punishments would be lenient in sentencing, and the people were loaded with happiness.
是時,天下民久苦兵亂,畏法樂安。帝知其若此,乃鎮之以玄默,罰必從輕,兆庶欣戴焉。
Yet to the ministers did not let go in enforcing the laws. In the final years disaster was frequently seen, Taizu was not content [6], the law was dismissed and damaged, and punishments were very much excessively cruel because of this.
然於大臣持法不捨。季年災異屢見,太祖不豫,綱紀褫頓,刑罰頗為濫酷。
Taizong [7] ascended the throne, repaired abandoned offices, relieved the people's suffering, and ordered the Duke of Nanping, Zhangsun [8] Song and the Marquis of Beixin, An Tong, to correct and manage the disputes of the people, and common governance was again expressed. The emperor was proficient in the various affairs, and those who served as officials gradually because they were well versed in refined writings avoided errors [9].
Shizu [10] ascended the throne, because he attached importance to laws in Shenjia [Divine Stag], decreed the Minister of Education, Cui Hao, to establish the laws. Removed five and four year sentences, added one year sentences. Divided the death penalty into two categories, death by beheading and hanging. Those who engaged in big rebellion with no morality would be chopped in half at the waist, their fellows executed and confiscated, those fourteen [11] and under castrated, women confiscated to the county officials [as servants]. Those who killed their relatives would be torn between chariots.
For those who poisoned, their males and females were all executed, and their house burned. For those who engaged in witchcraft, would be submerged in deep water carrying a black ram and holding a dog in arms. For those serving punishment who would redeem [with money], the deficient would then whip them two hundred times. The weathy in the capital would manufacture charcoal in the mountains, and the poor would serve them in dirty rooms, women drafted to pound grain; they safeguarded rapidly and were not caught by others, watching over parks.
Princes and officials of the nine ranks were able to change their official rank as punishment [by reducing it]. Women who were to be punished yet were pregnant would one hundred days after birth have be executed. For those fourteen and under, would degrade their punishment by half, for those eighty to ninety, unless they killed people would not be tried. Beating in interrogations could not exceed forty-nine strokes. For those who discussed punishment, the leader of the ministry would attest, the public vehicle would interrogate and inform, and the three would all decide.
For the dead, the category of the case would be presented and heard. If according to the death could not be reincarnated, and in threatening the supervising officials could not pacify, the prison would establish and in each case submit, the emperor would in person hear, if it amounted to words of complaint would be refused. For the executions in various provinces, would all first be decided and informed and then carried out. The left of watchtowers would suspend admonishment drums, if the people had an extreme injustice would beat the drum, and the public vehicle would present a memorial.
After this the people and officials sought wealth, the emperor thought of putting this in order. In the third year of Taiyan [Great Extending], decreed the officials and people Under Heaven to obtain and report the illegal actions of ruling governors. Thereupon the common people would be vicious and contrary, monopolised and looked for the losses of ruling ministers, coerced those in rule, and seized the luxurious within the villages. Thus the chief officials all lowered their expectations in treating them, carelessly exempted so as to have no disgrace, and were greedy for violence yet still composed.
1 Tuoba Shiyijian, the final Prince of Dai before Dai's conquest by Former Qin, later honoured as Emperor Zhaocheng. The Weishu describes him as being a benevolent ruler, but he is mostly known for his relation to Tuoba Gui.
2. Could this refers to a woman having an affair outside of marriage, perhaps? I'm not sure what exactly this refers to.
3. Tuoba Gui, Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei. First emperor of the Northern Wei dynasty. Restored the fallen state of Dai, had great military prowess, a great administrator early in his reign, but became increasingly cruel and paranoid in his later years.
4. This refers to Tuoba Gui's early years. Dai fell when he was six years old, and he lived under the rule of Former Qin's Liu Kuren. In the chaos after Fei River, Liu Kuren was assassinated, and eventually his relative Liu Xian wanted to assassinate Tuoba Gui.
5. Refers to Tuoba Gui's campaigns against the Murongs of Later Yan, in which he seized much of Later Yan territory.
6. Refers to his growing cruelty and paranoia later in his reign, which his biography attributes to his taking of Cold Food Powder, a popular drugs amongst the elite of the era. More details are in Tuoba Gui's biography of the Weishu.
7. Tuoba Si, Emperor Mingyuan of Northern Wei. Though militarily weaker than his father or son, used a more relaxed and lenient style of governance to stabilise Northern Wei's position. However, he could be strict in his enforcement of laws with officials.
8. Should be Baba, as the Baba clan changed their clan name to Zhangsun under the reforms of Emperor Xiaowen.
9. The Zizhi Tongjian paraphrases this part as "季年疾病,刑法濫酷;太宗承之,吏文亦深" "[Taizu] in his later years was ill, and punishments were excessively cruel; Taizong succeeded him, and the officials in refined writings were also well-versed." In this case, 承之 should have a similar meaning to 承业.
10. Tuoba Dao, Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei. Known for his reunification of the north, and also had great administrative abilities in addition to his military prowess. Unfortunately, his late reign was marred by cruelty and political intrigue, leading to his assassination.
11. By East Asian age reckoning, by Western age reckoning, it would be aged 13 and under.
there's this old paper by isabelle robinet i reread like half a year ago which around the middle of p. 46 mentions an early medieval daoist text yuanshi wulao chishu yupian zhenwen tianshu jing which contains instructions for talismans which transform your gender. obviously that's pretty cool so here's my go at a translation. (i figured i might as well share it) i will admit i'm only a private student of classical chinese but the language is Relatively easy to follow and i'm reasonably confident in the majority of my translation (nonetheless i beg indulgence for any errors...). not to mention the ctext edition (this is the original with the talismans proper, this is the punctuated version that's the base for my translation) is extremely accessible . so here, i hope you enjoy maybe someone vaguely in my internet circle will get something out of this .
(something of a sequel to that citation on gender transformation as an ill omen in han times)
九天太素陽生符,元始付太上丈人,其文在赤書後劫,見日宮之陽。
The talisman of yang generation of the Great Simplicity in the Nine Heavens was handed down by the Primordial Commencement to the Old Man of the Most High; its text resided in the Red Writings. After an eon, it manifested the yang of the Sun Palace.
According to the old rules of the Palace of Purple Tenuity in the Mysterious Capital, it is written in vermilion on white silk, five inches square. After pure fasting of a hundred days, enter the chamber and meditate on solar essence. Encompass and swallow it. One will share the same longevity with the sun, persisting together with Heaven and Earth — meditate on numinosity and think on perfection, and one's form will be able to fly of itself. If turbid qi is visualized in the mouth, then the talisman will leave and one will die. Another name is the certificate of generating perfection; another name is the dragon-writing of the Eight Majesties. After a woman swallows this talisman, they will generate a male body.
三天太玄陰生符,元始以付太上大道君,其文在赤書後二劫,見月之上館。
The talisman of yin generation of the Great Mystery in the Three Heavens was handed down by the Primordial Commencement to the Most High Great Lord of the Way; its text resided in the Red Writings. After two eons, it manifested the High Office of the Moon.
According to the old rules of the Palace of Purple Tenuity in the Mysterious Capital, it is written in black on yellow silk, five inches square. After pure fasting for a hundred days, enter the chamber and meditate on lunar essence. Encompass and swallow it — one will share the same longevity with the moon. Daoists who desire liberation from the corpse should write it in black on a wooden sword, embrace it, and go to sleep; it will take on your human form and die. When practicing this proper essence, if one has other thoughts of filth or turbidity in the mouth, the talisman will leave, and the body will die. Another name for this talisman is the certificate of transforming forms; another name is the numinous writing of the Nine Yin. After men swallow this talisman, they will transform into women.
此二符,陰陽二氣,日月之精,自不精身苦志,慎輕服御,惟清齋合式,即能無窮。
With these two talismans—the Two Qi of yin and yang and the essences of the sun and moon—even if one does not refine one's own body or discipline the will, cautiously making light of clothing and deportment, and only engages in the ceremony of the pure fast, they will be able to be boundless.
Mythologically: 九天玄女 -> Jiutian Xuannü also known as the Mysterious (or Dark) Lady of the Nine Heavens is the Chinese Taoist of war, sex, and longevity (long life). It's said that she wasn't always a Taoist goddess though as there's a chance she could have predated the Taoist religion. She's known for descending from a great mist to help the Yellow Emperor fight and defeat Chi You. Jiutian Xuannü is also known to ride a phoenix and possibly be able to cause earthquakes.
My version: This lady is a badass. She's known to have fought off an entire army singlehandedly and actually manage to hold them off before dying in battle, only to be granted immortality for her sacrifice. She's also really smart as she claims to have beat everyone in the celestial realm at chess twice. She's also the one to manage to redeem YRD however this act led her to believe that demons aren't entirely evil and that they can change they just need a reason to. So this lady decided to run an experiment, she chooses a demon champion to wield her sword and fight for right down on earth. Surprisingly it works and the demon she chooses becomes a beacon of hope among the demons. Other than that she's also color-blind and has a pet phoenix.
I grew up watching the Lotus Lantern TV shows, both of which have a special place in my heart. However, this particular tale is kinda one that thrives in operas and modern media adaptations, while the written texts of the story remain mostly out of reach for average audiences, being compiled in an 1957 book named 董永沉香合集.
As such, I've decided to make an informal summary of all versions of Chenxiang's stories from this particular book and maybe some more, for anyone wanting to learn about Lotus Lantern beyond the TV show.
This series is a WIP; each post features the summary of a single version of the legend. For Part 1, it will be——
Chenxiang Baojuan("The Precious Scroll of Chenxiang",1847/1907)
-This story took place in the Han dynasty. Son of a rich landlord, the scholar Liu Xiang(刘向) was on his way to the imperial examination (which didn't exist in the Han dynasty, but okay), and decided to stop at the temple of the Lady of Mt. Hua(华岳娘娘) for prayers.
-However, she was attending a party in the Celestial Realm, and her attendants——ghostly judges and pawns——didn't know how to answer when Liu asked if he'd succeed in the imperial examination, so they just threw him a blank wooden slip (used in divinations).
-Feeling cheated, the scholar angrily swept open the curtain covering the goddess's idol, and was instantly charmed by her beauty, so much so that he wrote a poem on the walls asking for her hands in marriage.
-As King Zhou's story in FSYY has told us, this was a very bad idea. The Lady of Mt. Hua was not amused upon her return, and went after the scholar with a sword in hand, but was also instantly charmed by his good looks.
-After a quick confirmation from the Old Man Under the Moon(月下老人) that their relationship was, in fact, Fated to Be, she used her magic to create a beautiful mansion, then, a huge storm, to force Liu to seek shelter there.
-She proposed to him inside the mansion, and Liu Xiang was like “I'd love to, but I gotta go to my exams and take care of my parents back home, so…later?”
-The Lady took it with characteristic grace, by which I mean she kicked him out of the mansion, then sicc demonic tigers and snakes on him and forced him to come back.
-Anyways, they married each other, and the Lady gave him three treasures as tribute to the ruling emperor: a luminous pearl, a pearl belt, and a crystal bowl, before sending him on his way to the imperial examination.
-Unfortunately for Liu, a corrupt minister saw those treasures and wanted to take them for himself, so he falsely accused Liu of stealing and threw him into prison.
-Just when Liu was about to be executed, his divine wife saved him again by whipping up a storm; Liu cleared his name in front of the emperor, and all was well…but not for long.
-The brother of the Lady of Mt. Hua is a guy called True Sage Xuanmiao(玄妙真君), but later, the text also referred to him as Erlang Shen.
-While at the Peach Festival, he teased He Xian'gu(何仙姑), one of the Eight Immortals, about her (nonexistent) husband, and she mocked back: "Well I don't have a husband, but your sister sure does! That's why she isn't at the party."
-Xuanmiao got really mad, rushed home to fight his pregnant sister, and sealed her under Mt. Hua. She gave birth while imprisoned, and sent Chenxiang to his father via a ghostly official/Yaksha.
-After learning about his mother's imprisonment, 12 years old Chenxiang left to pursue studies of the Taoist arts. He met the Gold Star of Venus, who led him to some divine pills and peaches that granted him superpowers. That wasn't quite enough, however, and when he went to fight Erlang, he was soon losing and being chased around.
-Luckily for Chenxiang, the White Crane Boy(白鹤童子), a divine messenger, was passing by and helped him get reinforcements; the "Eight Cave of Immortals, the Great Immortal of Penglai, the Mystic Lady of the Nine Heavens, Fourth Sister of the Hundred-Flowers"(八洞仙人、蓬莱大仙、九天玄女、百花四姐). In return, the True Sage summoned legions of celestial soldiers, Sir Thunder and Lady Lightning(雷公电母), and the Four Heavenly Generals (Ma, Wen, Zhao, Guan, not to be confused with the 4 devarajas).
-The battle became so heated that it alerted Guanyin, who went and informed the Jade Emperor, causing him to send the Gold Star of Venus down there and order both sides to quit fighting. With that taken care of, Chenxiang cleaved open the mountain and saved his mom, but the imprisonment had done a number on her: her form was skeletal, her hair was a mess, her gaze was unfocused, and she was more or less catatonic.
-It would be really depressing if the story ended here, so the Mystic Lady of the Nine Heavens gave her a magical pill that returned her to full health, and the family went on to enjoy their happy ending.