Statue and Stele of Leizu

Statue and Stele of Leizu

The Statue and Stele of Leizu is a cultural tourism attraction.

Yuan'an was the central area where the ancient Xiling clan thrived. Leizu was a maiden of the Xiling tribe. According to ancient lore, when the Yellow Emperor was casting his cauldron, he sourced copper from Mount Jing. It was early summer, and dressed in animal hides, the Yellow Emperor began to feel stifled. His attendants suggested he follow the example of the Flame Emperor and wear tree leaves instead, but the Yellow Emperor refused. While climbing a mountain in search of cooler air, he spotted Leizu and other women of the Xiling tribe all clad in silk fabrics, raising silkworms and spinning silk. When they offered him a garment to try, he found it cool and comfortable. The Yellow Emperor was both astonished and delighted, and charmed by her beauty, he sought her as his principal consort and had her teach the people sericulture. The people, grateful for her virtue, honored her as the “First Silkworm Goddess.” Though time has passed and ancient texts have faded, the tales passed down by elders are hard to verify. Yet every year on the fifteenth day of the third lunar month—the birthday of Leizu—her fellow villagers gather in their thousands. Dragon lanterns and folk performances light up the scene, with wine and fragrant flowers offered in reverence to this revered figure. This folk tradition has endured through the ages, uninterrupted for hundreds and even thousands of years, making it a unique spectacle nationwide. Today, the Goujiaya Town government has erected a statue of Leizu to commemorate the great contributions this Mother of China made to world civilization. A true symbol of our prosperous times, this monument is hereby recorded in writing.