Watercolour
11.7″x8.27″

There are always two sides to every story.

In parallel with my rendering of the ups and ups of Chang’e 嫦娥, Lady on the Moon, I’m delving into the perspective of her lover Houyi 后羿. This trilogy is entitled Rising Sun in the form of emerald, garnet and tanzanite. The first episode is Dilemma – Emerald.

Like Greek divine hero Heracles, Houyi, the immortal archer is renowned for his marksmanship. Hence, the Jade Emperor 玉帝, ruler of Heaven, summoned Houyi to descend to the earth to punish his 10 unruly sons who transformed into suns. To save the earth, Houyi had left with no choice but shooting down 9 of the suns, leaving one alive to give the earth light and warm.

The Jade Emperor was furious upon hearing the news about the death of his 9 sons. He banished the hero and his lover Chang’e from the heaven and stripped them of their immortality.