Tales from Cathay
Land of Jade and sun. Land of harmony and balance. Land of the dragon.
Cathay holds many tales and stories. From lowest of peasants to mighty rulers of the country. They all have a story to tell.
Allow me to show you their stories...
The village of Zunjing lies on a western side of Imperial Country. It's not the most populated village or wealthiest but it is a village like any other. Except for one thing. The JIN RIN monastery. Sitting on the side of the mountain overlooking the village. A monastery is a place where monks train and live their whole lives. Those who dedicate their lives to become a Tiantáng zhànshì. Monks never visit the village. Except for times of war.
Villagers offer a small portion of their harvest and cattle to the monks as thanks for all their services to them and to Cathay. It is a long way up to the monastery. Steep steps at the edge of the mountain are a challenge for everyone. But not for Yang Ling. A young man who every month since his childhood delivers the resources to the monastery.
He always dreamed of becoming one of them but he could not just leave his mother behind. His mother Xian Yang runs a farm just like her mother and her mother before. Taking care of cattle and most importantly rice fields. It is said that rice in Cathay is almost comparable to jade or gold. But through her life rice never had such value to others as it has to common villages like Zunjing is. Day after day she and her son tend to small fields and cattle. Their herds of goats and cows were not a small one. There were other villagers who had their own farms and cattle herds. Doing what they do best. Surviving.
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Living on the western side of Cathay had its benefits and downs.
Near river provided water for farms and fertile lands ensured for rich harvest every year. Near forests secured lumber for trade and as a resource for building. And near trade route meant traders from distant parts of Cathay. Traders of jade and golden statues from far lands. Spice merchants selling exotic spices from Araby and east coast of Cathay. Sometimes Xian Yang wished the iron mine near Zunjing was closed.
The sacred mountain which hosts the monastery was rich in iron and other metals. But the excavations and dig sites angered the mountains spirit and closed the mine with its rocks and rich metals. Many good men were lost that day. Including her husband Lai Ming. Shame he was not around to see his boy grow up. But the greedy reopened the mine. They say the iron and other shiny metals will bring wealth and prosperity to the village. So far it brought only sorrow and loss.
And the everyday view at the dark Mountains of Mourn was not pleasant either. Everyone knew what kind of creatures lives in those mountains. Merciless and bloodthirsty beasts with a desire to pillage and plunder and kill. If not for Tiantáng zhànshì our village and maybe the whole western border would be just a pile of ash and ruin.
Stories tell of a great battle between creatures of Mourn mountains and Tiantáng zhànshì. A day that scared the Monk order and saved Cathay western border. A scar that now sits on Dragon Throne in Weijing. THE MONKEY KING.
