Jinsha Relics

The Min River basin is a mysterious place in the Orient, and the location of the ancient State of Shu that thrived 3000 years ago. On this very land, many tribes and clans led a life of leisure and romance.
Du Yu, king of the ancient Shu, embarked on a legendary journey in his youth. By allying with the Liang tribe in a place called Shu-shi and marrying a tribe woman Zhu Li, he defeated King Yu Fu and founded a new dynasty. King Du Yu promoted agriculture, and expanded his territory, displaying great talent and charisma. As his prestige rose, he proclaimed himself emperor with the title Emperor Wang.
In the State of Chu, situated in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, a young man named Bie Ling was envied and persecuted by the nobles because of his talent and wisdom. Unable to settle there, Bie Ling faked his own death by being drowned, and secretly traveled upstream with his wife and family to seek refuge in the State of Shu.
When Bie Ling managed to reach the new land after much hardship, Shu was suffering from a severe flood. King Du Yu racked his brains to try in vain to control the disaster, so he issued an edict to seek for flood-control talents. Bie Ling recommended himself to King Du Yu and proposed a comprehensive plan. The king was so overjoyed that he appointed Bie Ling chancellor of the state and entrusted the young man with the task of controlling the flood. Leaving his beautiful wife and family in the capital city, Bie Ling led the flood control team to the most severely flood-stricken areas. In the months that followed, Bie Ling devoted himself to removing the cliff reef in river channels and draining flood water, achieving initial success.
In recognition of Bie Ling’s efforts, King Du Yu decided to send generous gifts to the chancellor and thus summoned Bie Ling’ wife, Hai Lun, into the royal palace, intending to bestow rewards on her. Upon seeing her stunning beauty, King Du Yu fell in love and kept her for a banquet. Lonely and vulnerable, Hai Lun drank the king’s fine wine and flung herself into his arms, and from then on the two were swept into an absurd love affair.
Bie Ling was furious when he discovered his wife’s betrayal. Being a man of great wisdom and strategy, however, he remained calm and pretended that nothing had happened. In secret, he began to make meticulous plans and preparations.
The flood was ultimately controlled, and Bie Ling gained high prestige among the people of Shu. When he returned to the capital in triumph, the long-hidden conflict broke out and Bie Ling launched a forced remonstration. King Du Yu was overthrown after a power struggle, and Bie Ling became the new ruler of Shu. Bie Ling later married Du Yu’s daughter, the princess Bai Ling, and was crowned as Emperor Cong, founder of the Kai Ming dynasty.
Thanks to princess Bai Ling’s rescue, King Du Yu rode an elephant and fled alone into the Mount Shu. Hai Lun, equally with the princess’s assistance, managed to escape out of prison but failed to reunite with King Du Yu. In the end, under the divine wizard’s enlightenment, the soul of King Du Yu, who was stripped of both crown and lover, turned into a cuckoo bird, flying above the mountains, calling and waiting for his lover’s return.
Archaeological studies have revealed that Chengdu Jinsha Site is the former location of both King Du Yu’s dynasty and the Kai Ming dynasty. Today, the Wang and Cong Temple, situated on the outskirts of Pixian County, Chengdu City, stands in solemn tribute to Emperor Wang (Du Yu) and Emperor Cong (Bie Ling), the two great figures of ancient Shu.