Huayue Sanniang

[2] The earliest records about Sanniang come from the Guang yi ji (广异记) in the Tang dynasty, which says that she left after marrying a mortal and giving birth to a child.

[3] The Jiajing version of the opera Fengyue Jinnang stands as the earliest extant publication narrating the story of Liu Xi, the husband of Sanniang.

The existing Puxian Opera Liu Xi is a handwritten copy created by an old artist from Fujian during the period of the Republic of China.

[4][6] The tale of the Lotus Lantern reached its final form during the Qing dynasty, influenced by the widespread popularity of the novel Journey to the West.

One day, Tieguai Li, one of the Eight Immortals, stumbles upon the revelation of Huayue Sanniang's affair with a mortal and reports it to the Jade Emperor.

As a result, Huashan Erlang is ordered to capture Sanniang and suppressed under the Lotus Peak of Mount Hua, where she is guarded by her eldest sister.

Towards the end of the story, Chenxiang is deceived by Erlang and imprisoned in a deep well with Sanniang, facing the threat of being burned alive.

In 1959, during the performance of the Bangzi opera The Lotus Lantern in Anqing, Hebei, Huayue Sanniang was officially acknowledged as a member of the Yang family.

[12] In the 2005 Chinese television drama Lotus Lantern, produced by CCTV-8, the story revolves around a love affair between Huayue Sanniang and a mortal scholar named Liu Yanchang.

With the aid of a magical lotus lantern, Huayue Sanniang manages to overcome her brother's resistance and marries Liu Yanchang.

He rejects their marriage and punishes Huayue Sanniang by imprisoning her beneath Mount Hua for her supposed crimes.

Throughout his journey, he faces numerous trials and tribulations, honing his martial arts skills under the guidance of Daxian Pili.

Ultimately, Chenxiang confronts his uncle and, wielding his magical axe, splits open Mount Hua, successfully rescuing his mother and reuniting their family.

It is possible that in later folk tales, the concept of the Golden Boy's reincarnation as Liu Yanchang was introduced to create a connection between the characters and align their identities.