神女瑶姬，是王母娘娘的第二十三个女儿。她相貌美丽，纯洁善良，王母娘娘特别疼爱她，把她视作自己的掌上明珠。可是，瑶姬偏偏人小多思好动，就像云中的雁，关不住。她嫌屋里闷，常悄悄出门，到那瑶池旁去看荷花，攀上蟠桃树去摘星星，有时候，还偷偷在河里游泳呢。这些事传到了王母娘娘耳朵里，王母娘娘就想劝阻女儿，可又不知道怎么开口。王母娘娘怕说轻了，她嬉皮笑脸，说重了，她又难过伤心。
Goddess Yaoji was the twenty-third daughter of the Queen Mother of the West. Beautiful, pure, and kind-hearted, she was deeply cherished by the Queen Mother as the pearl of her palm. However, Yaoji was young, thoughtful, and restless; like a wild goose in the clouds, she could not be caged. Feeling stifled indoors, she often slipped out to watch the lotuses by the Jasper Pool, climb the Peach Trees of Immortality to pluck stars, or even swim secretly in the celestial rivers. When word of these antics reached the Queen Mother, she wanted to dissuade her daughter but didn’t know how to begin. She feared that a light reprimand would be met with a playful grin, while a harsh one would leave her daughter heartbroken.
一天，王母娘娘心里烦，就出南天门来散心，恰好碰上瑶姬正拨开白云朝下边望。王母娘娘一见，顿时火冒三丈，说：“你怎么看起凡间来了！天上难道不够你玩的？那会污了你的眼，别看！”
One day, feeling troubled, the Queen Mother went out through the Southern Heavenly Gate to clear her head. She happened upon Yaoji, who was parting the white clouds and gazing down at the world below. Seeing this, the Queen Mother flared up in anger and said, “Why are you looking at the mortal realm? Is Heaven not enough for your amusement? That place will only stain your eyes—don’t look!”
瑶姬不信，瞪起大眼，指着下边飞的白鹤说：“这鹤洁白如玉，天上哪儿有？我要像它一样到处飞，到处走，看看凡间到底是神什么样子。”王母娘娘见她动了这个念头，更火了，大声喝道：“不要胡思乱想，快回禁宫去！”
Yaoji remained unconvinced. Staring wide-eyed, she pointed at a white crane flying below and said, “This crane is as white as jade; where in Heaven can such a thing be found? I want to fly and wander everywhere just like it, to see what the mortal world is truly like.” Seeing that Yaoji had developed such a desire, the Queen Mother grew even angrier and shouted, “Stop these wild thoughts and return to your palace at once!”
瑶姬从没见过母亲发这么大的脾气，感到委屈又不服气。她把心一横，拨开白云就往下边跳。王母娘娘急忙伸手把她拉住，勉强压住心头火，冷脸换成热脸，开导道：“凡间苦海无边，你是金枝玉叶，千万下去不得！”
Yaoji had never seen her mother in such a rage; she felt both wronged and defiant. Hardening her heart, she pushed aside the clouds and prepared to jump. The Queen Mother hurriedly reached out to grab her, forcing down her anger and replacing her cold expression with a gentle one, advising: “The mortal world is a boundless sea of suffering. You are of royal blood, a ‘golden branch and jade leaf’—you must never go down there!”
瑶姬越发觉得稀奇，就干脆坐在云头上，朝下细看。果然看见人们大多是住的茅屋，吃的糠菜，穿的破衣烂衫。她叹了口气，说：“是真苦哇！”王母娘娘一听，暗暗高兴，又说：“还是天上好，有吃不完的山珍海味，穿不完的绫罗绸缎。”
This only piqued Yaoji’s curiosity further. She sat right down on the edge of a cloud to look more closely. Sure enough, she saw that most people lived in thatched huts, ate husks and wild herbs, and wore tattered rags. She let out a sigh and said, “It truly is bitter!” Hearing this, the Queen Mother was secretly pleased and added, “Indeed, Heaven is better. There are endless delicacies from the mountains and seas, and inexhaustible silks and satins to wear.”
不料王母娘娘越说，瑶姬心里却越觉得不是滋味；王母娘娘越比，瑶姬越觉得难过。她一狠心，拿定了主意：到凡间去！王母娘娘拗不过她，心想：男大当婚，女大当嫁，也许她是想去找女婿哩，不妨将计就计。她就嘱咐女儿到东海龙宫去走一趟。
Unexpectedly, the more the Queen Mother spoke, the more uncomfortable Yaoji felt; the more her mother compared the two worlds, the more distressed Yaoji became. Finally, she steeled her resolve and made up her mind: she was going to the mortal realm! Seeing she could not sway her, the Queen Mother thought to herself: “When boys grow up they marry, and when girls grow up they wed. Perhaps she is looking for a husband.” Deciding to beat her at her own game, the Queen Mother instructed her daughter to pay a visit to the East Sea Dragon Palace.
东海龙王早就打过瑶姬的主意，也向王母娘娘求过婚，只是当时瑶姬还小，没有说定。眼下见她来做客，东海龙王格外殷勤，陪着瑶姬进龙宫。走到哪里，哪里的海水就向两边分开，成了水晶巷子。水晶巷子通透明亮，看得见里面有鱼虾游来游去，水草轻轻地摆动，还有各种珊瑚、贝壳。
The Dragon King of the East Sea had long been interested in Yaoji and had previously asked the Queen Mother for her hand in marriage, but at the time, Yaoji was too young for a commitment. Now, seeing her as a guest, the Dragon King was exceptionally attentive. He escorted Yaoji into the palace; wherever they walked, the seawater parted to both sides, forming “crystal alleys.” These alleys were transparent and bright, revealing fish and shrimp swimming about, seaweed swaying gently, and various corals and shells.
瑶姬的眼睛都看花了。进了后宫，她觉得格外亮，原来到处都挂着夜明珠，一串串，一溜溜，小的像星星，大的像月亮。东海龙王请瑶姬坐进黄金交椅，让人把琼浆玉液放在玛瑙桌上。他亲自斟酒，恭恭敬敬地说：“为仙女接风，请！请！”瑶姬见座上再没有别人，心里砰砰直跳。东海龙王慢慢靠近她，献殷勤道：“美女少年，门当户对，天生的一对。王母娘娘让你来，不正是此意吗？”
Yaoji was dazzled by the sights. Inside the inner palace, it was exceptionally bright because luminous pearls were hung everywhere in strings and rows—the small ones like stars, the large ones like moons. The Dragon King invited Yaoji to sit in a golden chair and had nectar and ambrosia served on an agate table. He poured the wine himself and said respectfully, “A welcome toast for the Goddess. Please, drink!” Seeing no one else present, Yaoji’s heart began to race. The Dragon King leaned in closer and flirted, “A beautiful lady and a young lord—we are a perfect match of equal status. Did the Queen Mother not send you here for this very reason?”
瑶姬一听，脸唰地红了，晓得是中了圈套。她一脚踢开龙宫，连天上也不回，直奔人间。她来到巫山下，碰上很多人拄着讨饭棍，提着破竹篮，挽着老的，背着小的，哭哭啼啼，往外逃难。她正想上前打听，忽见上空乌云滚滚，狂风呼啸，有十二条孽龙在兴风作浪。
Upon hearing this, Yaoji’s face flushed red as she realized she had been lured into a trap. She kicked aside the Dragon Palace’s hospitality and, without even returning to Heaven, headed straight for the human world. At the foot of Mount Wu, she encountered many people leaning on begging sticks, carrying broken bamboo baskets, supporting the elderly, and carrying the young, all weeping as they fled a disaster. Just as she was about to ask what was happening, the sky was suddenly covered by rolling black clouds and howling winds; twelve evil dragons were stirring up a massive storm.
它们一瞪眼，就是一道闪电，使人眼睛发花；它们一吼叫，就是一声炸雷，使房倒屋塌，村庄成了废墟；它们一翻身，就是一阵大暴雨，使山洪暴发，洪水淹没了田地，掀翻了航船。瑶姬看着，心想：这不都是东海龙王的手下吗？它们怎么能这样猖狂，随便害人！
When they glared, lightning flashed, dazzling the eyes; when they roared, thunder crashed, collapsing houses and turning villages into ruins. When they rolled over, torrential rain fell, causing mountain torrents to erupt and floods to submerge fields and capsize ships. Watching this, Yaoji thought: “Aren’t these all subordinates of the East Sea Dragon King? How can they be so arrogant and harm people so recklessly!”
瑶姬赶紧驾云，靠近那些孽龙，好言好语劝说它们回东海去。孽龙听到空中有说话的声音，抬头看，只见白云驮着一个十七八岁的姑娘。它们说：“黄毛丫头，你懂啥，别多嘴！我们高兴怎么玩，就怎么玩，碍你什么事？”一边说，一边闹腾得更凶了。
Yaoji quickly mounted a cloud and approached the evil dragons, trying to persuade them with kind words to return to the East Sea. Hearing a voice from the sky, the evil dragons looked up and saw a girl of about seventeen or eighteen riding a white cloud. They scoffed, “You brat, what do you know? Keep your mouth shut! We’ll play however we please—what’s it to you?” As they spoke, they became even more violent.
瑶姬再也忍不住了，她从头上轻轻拔下一支碧玉簪，朝着十二条孽龙一挥。一道闪光之后，立刻风停雨住，云散日出。十二条孽龙全死了，坠落到地上。可是孽龙死后还害人，它们的尸体变成了十三座高山，也就是巫山，挡住了东去的江水。这里便成了一片汪洋，百姓们还是不能安居乐业。
Yaoji could bear it no longer. She gently pulled a green jade hairpin from her hair and waved it toward the twelve evil dragons. After a flash of light, the wind died down, the rain stopped, the clouds dispersed, and the sun came out. All twelve evil dragons died and fell to the ground. However, even in death, they continued to cause harm; their carcasses turned into thirteen high mountains—the Wu Mountains—which blocked the eastward flow of the river. The area turned into a vast ocean, and the people still could not live in peace.
瑶姬看到百姓受苦，不忍离开他们，也就留了下来。后来，大禹到这里来劈山开峡。瑶姬知道后，便交给他一本《黄绫宝卷》，教他用石锤、石钎凿石，造车、船运土。在大禹在她的帮助下，带领众人，凿石运土，辛苦了几年，到底把三峡开通了，使江水流进了大海。据传现在巫山城外的授书台，就是当年瑶姬授书的地方。
Seeing the people suffering, Yaoji could not bear to leave them and decided to stay. Later, when Yu the Great came to this region to cut through the mountains and open the gorges, Yaoji gave him a “Yellow Silk Treasure Scroll.” She taught him how to use stone hammers and chisels to cut rocks and how to build carts and boats to transport earth. With her help, Yu led the people through years of hard labor, finally opening the Three Gorges and allowing the river to flow into the sea. It is said that the “Book Bestowing Platform” outside Wu Shan city is the very place where Yaoji gave Yu the sacred scroll.
再说王母娘娘知道瑶姬毁了东海龙王这门亲事，又杀死了十二条孽龙，又气又恨；听说她留在荒山野谷，又很心疼。于是，她把天上的三个女儿叫到跟前，对她们说：“我想念小闺女，你们快到人间走一遭，把她找回来！”
Meanwhile, the Queen Mother was both angry and resentful when she learned that Yaoji had ruined the marriage alliance with the Dragon King and killed the twelve dragons. Yet, hearing that her daughter was living in desolate mountains and wild valleys, she felt a deep pang of pity. Thus, she called three of her other daughters and said, “I miss my youngest daughter. Go down to the mortal realm and bring her back!”
姐姐们便乘云驾雾来到巫山，找着了瑶姬。姐妹们久别重逢，又是喜，又是悲，个个都哭成了泪人。姐姐们对她说：“母亲想你想得心都快碎了，你还是和我们一起回去吧。”瑶姬说：“女儿望母亲，眼睛也望穿了。但我不能回去，我要照顾受苦的百姓。”
The sisters traveled on clouds and mist to Mount Wu and found Yaoji. It was a bittersweet reunion after such a long separation, and they all wept tears of joy and sorrow. The sisters said to her, “Mother’s heart is nearly broken from missing you. You should come back with us.” Yaoji replied, “I too have gazed toward Mother until my eyes are weary. But I cannot go back; I must look after these suffering people.”
姐姐们埋怨道：“人往高处走，你怎么不爱天宫、龙宫，偏要待在这荒山野谷里呢？”瑶姬一边说，一边指着远处：“姐姐们看，百姓在受苦，我不忍心走开不管哪！”只见那山坡上，有虎豹追人，越追越近，眼看快要追上了。瑶姬赶紧弯腰抓了一把泥沙撒过去，泥沙变成了几十支箭，把虎豹射死了。看到这儿，有几个姐姐点了点头，便不再劝瑶姬回去了。
Her sisters grumbled, “People strive to move upward. Why do you shun the Heavenly Palace and the Dragon Palace to stay in this barren wilderness?” Yaoji pointed into the distance and said, “Look, sisters, the people are suffering; I cannot bear to walk away!” On a nearby slope, a leopard was chasing a man, closing in fast. Yaoji quickly bent down, grabbed a handful of sand, and threw it. The sand turned into dozens of arrows, killing the beast. Seeing this, several sisters nodded in understanding and stopped urging her to return.
一会儿，山脚下有人爬上来，抬脚像登天，病得快死了。瑶姬马上从头上拔下几根头发，撒在他的面前，立刻变成了能起死回生的灵芝草，救了他的命。看到这儿，又有几个姐姐点了点头，不再劝瑶姬回去了。一会儿，江里又过来了上水船，纤夫的腰都快弯到地上了。瑶姬慌忙朝西吹了口气，立时刮起了顺帆风，大船飞驰起来。看到这儿，姐姐们都点了点头，不再劝瑶姬回去了。
A moment later, someone was seen crawling up from the foot of the mountain, every step an agonizing struggle as they were near death from illness. Yaoji immediately plucked a few hairs from her head and scattered them before the person; they instantly turned into Ganoderma (Lingzhi) herbs that could bring the dead back to life, saving the man’s life. Seeing this, more sisters nodded and ceased their persuasion. Later, a boat appeared on the river heading upstream, the trackers bent so low their waists nearly touched the ground. Yaoji hurriedly blew a breath toward the west, instantly creating a favorable tailwind that sent the boat flying forward. Seeing this, all the sisters nodded and gave up on bringing her back.
看着姐姐们都体谅自己，瑶姬很高兴，正要劝她们回去，忽见田里的禾苗一片枯黄，又不留得又皱紧了眉头。瑶姬想：天旱得太厉害，以后人们的日子怎么过呀？瑶姬想着想着，难过得哭了。她流下的眼泪，顿时变成了雨，哗啦啦下个不停，很快就把塘下满了，把堰下平了。禾苗得了雨水，田里又是一片青绿。
Happy that her sisters finally understood her, Yaoji was about to urge them to return to Heaven when she noticed the crops in the fields were withered and yellow. Her brow furrowed again. She thought, “The drought is too severe; how will the people survive?” As she worried, she began to cry out of sorrow. Her falling tears instantly turned into a steady downpour, “hualala,” quickly filling the ponds and leveling the reservoirs. Having received the rainwater, the fields turned lush and green once more.
姐姐们看得眉开眼笑，纷纷议论起来。有的觉得应该帮助百姓，愿意留下来陪着瑶姬；也有的离不开母亲，不赞成留下。瑶姬数了数，正好是对半。她说：“母亲年纪大了，要照料；百姓们太苦了，需要帮助。姐姐们就一半回天上，一半留在人间吧。”
The sisters watched with beaming smiles and began to discuss the matter. Some felt they should stay to help the people alongside Yaoji, while others could not bear to leave their mother. Yaoji counted them and found they were divided exactly in half. She said, “Mother is old and needs care, but the people are suffering and need help. Let half of you return to Heaven and the other half stay here on earth.”
于是，大家高高兴兴地分手了。留下来的姐姐是翠屏、朝云、松峦、净坛、上升、飞凤、圣泉、起云、登龙和瑶姬自己。后来，她们变成了巫山十二峰。紧临长江、耸入蓝天的是望霞峰，又叫神女峰。透过缭绕的烟云，可以看到峰顶上有一尊俊秀美丽的影子若隐若现，像石头又像人，像在天上又像在人间，那就是神女瑶姬。
And so, they parted ways happily. The sisters who stayed were Cuiping (Emerald Screen), Zhaoyun (Morning Cloud), Songluan (Pine Peaks), Jingtan (Altar of Purity), Shangsheng (Ascending), Feifeng (Flying Phoenix), Shengquan (Sacred Spring), Qiyun (Rising Cloud), Denglong (Climbing Dragon), and Yaoji herself. Later, they transformed into the Twelve Peaks of Mount Wu. Towering into the blue sky right beside the Yangtze River is Wangxia Peak, also known as Goddess Peak. Through the swirling mist, one can see a graceful and beautiful silhouette appearing and disappearing at the summit—resembling both stone and human, appearing to be both in Heaven and on Earth. That is the Goddess Yaoji.
