01

Long ago, in the Central Plains, there was a clan called the Xiling. On the third day of the lunar calendar, the daughter of the clan leader of the Xiling was born. As soon as the child was born, a violent storm ensued for three days and three nights, flooding the tribe and sweeping away many of its people. Therefore, the arrival of this baby was called a "disaster star" by the sorcerer. For the sake of the tribe's harmony and favorable weather, the clan leader heartlessly abandoned his newborn daughter in a mountain gully.

02

As soon as the storm subsided, Leizu's mother hurried to the mountains in search of her. When she found Leizu, she was astonished to see that the harsh environment hadn't harmed her at all. Instead, under the protection of heaven and earth, Mengfu had not only survived but was peacefully sleeping.

"My daughter is not a disaster star; she is a precious gift from the heavens," her mother exclaimed softly as she carefully picked up Leizu and brought her back home, where she cared for her attentively. Thus, Leizu survived her first ordeal in life, and the Xiling clan emerged from the catastrophe, experiencing a rebirth.

03

Several years later, Leizu grew into a graceful and intelligent young girl, beloved by all for her kindness. Every day, she went hunting in the mountains with her father and gathered wild fruits with her mother to eat.

One day, while she was out alone gathering wild fruits, Leizu noticed many small white fruits on the trees. "I've never seen fruits like these before. Let me pick some and taste them at home," she thought. Leizu picked the white fruits and took them back home with her.

04

Surprisingly, these white fruits were dry and tasteless, difficult to chew. So Leizu decided to boil them in a pot before eating.

With a gentle stir of the stick, the small white fruits unexpectedly yielded fine threads. Leizu quickly used a thin stick to pull them out, only to find a long, pure white thread emerging. The thread kept stretching as she pulled, eventually wrapping around the stick.

05

Leizu hurriedly took out another thin stick and wound the thread into a ball. As she touched it, the thread felt light, soft, and incredibly smooth.

Filled with curiosity about these small white fruits, Leizu returned to the forest where she had originally gathered them. Standing beneath the tree, she observed carefully, determined to uncover the truth.

06

Leizu brought these small white insects back home and fed them mulberry leaves. These insects are what we now call silkworms.

"The rustling sound of the silkworms feeding happily," Leizu thought suddenly, "If I use this silk to make clothes, wouldn't they be comfortable and lightweight?"

So she raised silkworms while gathering more silk, and she attempted to weave fabric for clothes using these threads.

09

The Yellow Emperor came to the tribe where Leizu resided and was delighted to see the beautiful Leizu earnestly tending to silk cultivation and sericulture. 

He carefully questioned Leizu about the process of planting mulberry trees, raising silkworms, and making clothes. He also told Leizu that in his own country, people still wore animal skins in winter and used tree leaves for shelter in summer. He expressed his wish that his people could also learn to plant mulberry trees and raise silkworms, envisioning a better life for them.

10

Not long after, the Yellow Emperor expressed his desire for Leizu to become his wife, earnestly asking her to accompany him back to his kingdom to benefit his people. Leizu, moved by the young hero before her, impressed by his bravery in battle and his sense of responsibility towards the people, agreed to the Yellow Emperor's request.