The Chinese myth of the forbidden lovers - Shannon Zhao
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- Опубліковано 27 кві 2022
- Get to know the myth of the weaver and the cowherd, a pair of star-crossed lovers banished to opposite sides of the Milky Way.
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In the court of the Jade Emperor, a young princess had a special skill: she could pluck clouds from the sky and spin them into the softest robes. But her craft was the same day after day, and she longed for new inspiration. So the Queen Mother granted her permission to visit Earth. The weaver soon fell in love with the land- and a cowherd. Shannon Zhao details the myth of the star-crossed lovers.
Lesson by Shannon Zhao, directed by brume.
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Animator's website: brume.tv
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What is the background music played in this video?
Please give us the name of the soundtrack
The sisters: accompany the weaver to protect her from earthly dangers
Also them: fly away when the cow herder approaches 🤨
LOL that's what they all did in pretty much every culture's version of the story
They literally had one job 💀
In some versions of this story in our country's culture, the sisters actually left the Earth, leaving their sister behind and did nothing when they saw her being half-kidnaped by an average human. Nice protection:))
In detailed version there was a certain time limit for them. And they came to earth not just once. They did it frequently and the cow herder hid her cloth which had her magical power. Then when it was time they couldn’t wait for their sister because she couldn’t fly. And cow herder hiding her cloak, starts his new story on earth with her.
pretty accurate for irl sisters tbh
That bull was the ultimate wingman. Even in death, his legacy (hide) was there to help his best friend
I know right??
I said the same thing. Lol
I had two comments I wanted to make.
This was one of them
Is it weird that I cried when he died? I guess the story is so beautiful and the animation is flawless I felt invested under 5 minutes
o-o why should it be weird.
It is special, you have so much emotions to spare that you can summon up so much for something you known so shortly.
The animation and everything was indeed beautiful so crying is only natural
I think it’s one of the most beautiful animations Ted-Ed has ever done for a video. It’s absolutely stunning.
Amen!
This video was as fine as the weaver's work.......
Not even the most expert eye can find a mistake........
I know right!!! Everything is just so captivating!
this was so striking, and overtakingly beautiful I actually cried. oh my god ted. its 7 in the morning!
Came here to leave the same comment. Soundtrack is also amazing
This was like watching an animation short-movie worthy of a festival prize. Music, animation, color scheme, editing, all very well done. And in combination it moved me to tears. Well done everyone involved!
well said. The part where they met on the magpies moved me as well. This was just beautiful, a true animated gem.
It was like a flowing river, all the sounds were of nature, and it showed moment by moment with great animation.
The art/ animation style is simply fantastic. Shout out full of appreciation to the mind(s) behind its design. Captivating and keeps your attention. Smooth and clean cut yet remarkably fluid. 10/10
Music too
Benoit, Valentin, Basile, Sébastien, Florent.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@@S.Hoodie
Was about to comment this. Art and music absolutely complement this video.
Agreed.
Yup the thumbnail looks like a professional movie
This is the most gorgeous animation TED-Ed has ever made. As a Chinese girl and artist, I was in awe of just how sublime this viewing experience was. I loved every second of it. I would love to see a movie or a game with this art style.
Maybe give sky:the children of light a try?
@@rexamidalion I have played it before! It's great. I just need to get a better phone to play it and actually enjoy it. Too laggy on my old potato phone 😂
One thing crosses my mind is Gris, a pc game.
@@rexamidalion I don't know, personally it doesn't feel much like this art style but it is honestly just as beautiful
@@eeeeeyeap yeah, some realms like the sky one reminded me a lot of this vid
Oh oh! The constellation of these lovers actually exist in real life!! If I'm correct:
Vega , the star represented by the Weaving Princess, is a prominent star in the constellation Lyra (the harp). Altair, the star represented by the Herdsman, is a prominent star in the constellation Aquila (the eagle). In the summer these two stars are separated by the Milky Way.
And in Asian countries, the Milky Way is called the Silver River and I think it’s a really beautiful name
And they reunite on 7th day of 7th month every year for one long night full of passion
@@izthistle6196 That is a much better name imo.
@@VanigotaSahil you mean july 7th?!
Bro that's my birthday
it means the 7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar, but if it makes you feel special haha
as a southeast asian, the animation is so beautiful and surreal it captured the magical essence of the folklore so well
Love desires sacrifice so it can bloom into tragedy ... *only then it becomes a memory* ....
for life 👀
this story is called '牛郎织女' (translated : the cowherd and weaver girl) and its also the legend behind the Chinese Valentine's day 七夕节 which falls on the seventh day of the seventh month in lunar calendar!
Thank you for this information. Really helps foreigners like me to understand the value of this story :)
Yep. It’s because I’m Chinese American.
so so sweet and romantic.
Women skills day to chinese valentine day
The one in The Karate Kid.
The true star-crossed lovers. I have heard about this story before but seeing it and the fantastic animation is beautiful.
I remember reading that people would pray for it not to rain on the day these lovers meet because if it were to rain the magpies couldn't form a bridge for them to cross the milky way and then they'll have to wait another year to be reunited. That's just so sad😭
This has always been my favourite folklore and this animation made it even more amazing!!
I remember there’s always light rain during these days but people says it’s their tears of joy as they reunited
The story of the weaver and the cowherd originated in ancient China and has existed for over a thousand years among many East and Southeast Asian nations. There have been different versions: in one, the emperor of heaven marries the weaver to the cowherd, but separates them when they neglect their work; in another, the cowherd tries to chase the weaver when she escapes from him, and her family creates the Milky way to save her.
Yes you're right! This story also narrated in Java, Indonesia. The tittle is Jaka Tarub (probably The Cowherd) and Seven Angels. Jaka Tarub took one of the magic shawls that used by the seven angels to reach the earth. That one angel who didn't find her shawl, married him and have children. Until she finally realize that her magic shawl, all this time was stolen by Jaka Tarub. She found it hidden in a jug.
In Vietnam, there are several versions of this story, and in one, the cowherd hid the fairy's magical cloak in a rice sack and told her not to open it. The fairy found the cloak anyway and flew back to Heaven. In another version, the cowherd gave his two sons two rooster feathers and made them a large ring to fly to Heaven. The Jade Emperor gave them two apples to present to their parents. The younger one was too hungry that he took a small bite of the apple and it accidentally fell out of his hand. Unfortunately, the apples are the gate for their family to reunite, as one was lost, they couldn't stay together anymore. There are some other versions related to the birds, and another about the challenges that the cowherd had to face to reunite. These stories are literally my childhood.
@@annaphi7445中国也是有好几个版本的牛郎织女的人传说，只是这个版本更广为流传
**1 day from heaven = 1 year from earth**
Imagine the unbearable pain of not being there for her family
Means every day she will be able to meet her husband while as mortal we will wait for a year
The animation style is breathtaking, as is the accompanying musical score. Both elevate the storytelling to a stellar degree, making this video a celestial gem in and of itself.
I completley agree! Do you know if the musical score is accessible anywhere?
@@seriouslatte9167 I'm not sure. I think Ted-ed typically hires composers to make bespoke music for their videos.
@@seriouslatte9167 The score can be found on SoundCloud! It has the same name as the video and is under the artist "Mars Octobre Music"
I heard a similar story from a tribe in my country. In this version the man hid the fair-haired maiden's cloak. He took her home and they eventually married and had children. Years later while going through her husband's stuff, she found her old cloak. Upset, she wore it and took her children with her back to heaven. The sky maiden like in the Chinese version was one of the Pleiades. IIRC the book I read mentioned the children became the stars in Orion's Belt but I can find info searching online now.
Huh, i think I've heard of this story before, though i can't recall the characters
Oh, my parents told me this version of the story in my childhood. No wonder the myth sounds a bit familiar. It's amazing how a tale evolves through distance and time.
I've had the same thought, in Indonesia there's a tale like this
@@serene1486 Jaka Tarub
Theres a very similar Scottish tale like that too about a Selkie
Dang 1:55 her sisters broke their promise and just ditched her lol
Lol I know right?
The animation just blew me away. No words do it justice. The story is incredible too
The animation here is amazing. Would be so cool to have one about the Chinese Rabbit god (Tu'er Shen) in this style
Agreed! ❤🐇❤
Then I highly recommend watching “Over the Moon” 🌙 🐰
his tale is rather sad and tragic though...
The artists have really outdone themselves this episode, absolutely stunning. Fantastic work brume
this was different from how I heard of this tale. much more drama and depth, not just two people falling in love at first sight.
Ok
In TED Ed's defense, they have to boil most concepts/stories into a 5 minute video. If you like myths/legends talked about in greater detail, you might try channels like OverlySarcasticProductions. They have a great ongoing series on Journey to the West.
This is a very old folktale and has probably shifted a lot. Could you please expand on your version? As an American born Chinese with immigrant family, I've heard it from members of my parents' and grandparents' generation who told it similarly.
@@seriouslatte9167 a lot of the same plot just minus some of the extra details like the weaver girl being of "royal" blood or coming to earth, the cow being the cowherd's wingman, the two getting married, the special robe, and the queen mother being merciful. In one version of the tale (from "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep) the Jade Emperor commands one of his wives to separate the lovers rather than the Queen Mother doing so on her own accord and the magpies took pity on the lovers and created a bridge rather than the Queen Mother giving permission for the lovers to meet once a year.
Also by Laurence Yep: "Dragons of Silk" references the tale and is part of the plot in one of its generational stories
My Chinese teacher told us a similar version except he hides her clothes so she has to stay on earth but because she loves him she doesn’t care. And she’s forced to go back by the celestial mother of heaven because her sisters snitch on her. He makes it to heaven but is struck down by the celestial mother with her fan. the magpies save him and form a bridge eventually and she lets them see each other once a year.
A similar story in the Philippines where a "Diwata" or fairy/Goddess was injured so a peasant tended to her injuries but they fell in love and got married. But she had to return to her home in the heavens.
The King of the Diwata Saw her sorrow and made here a personal bridge the Rainbow. So that whenever it sprinkled and was sunny at the same time they would get to meet
I always did wonder who the original star crossed lovers were; thanks for doing a video about them, because my curiosity has been satisfied 🥰
I was thinking this same thing, but when i google star crossed lovers all that comes up is Shakespeare :/
There's a similar story from Indonesia called "Jaka Tarub and the 7 angels". It was about how he was mesmerized by their beauty and stole one of their shawl. As time for them to go back was coming the other 6 has no choice but to leave the one whose shawl was taken called Nawang Mulan. Jaka Tarub helps her by giving her another shawl and she agreed to marry him. After a few years passed, they have a baby girl called Nawangsih. One day when Nawang Mulan was taking some rice to cook she noticed her missing shawl hidden under the pile of rice. Enraged Nawang Mulan starts to want to go back to heaven, and she said to Jaka Tarub that they are no longer husband and wife. So Jaka Tarub will need to take care of their child alone. And even though they are no longer together, Nawangsih is still her child. So she said that if Nawangsih wants to meet her, she will have to burn one stalk of rice and Nawang Mulan will come to her daughter. But under the condition of Jaka Tarub leaving Nawangsih alone when they meet, and for Nawangsih to be the only one near the burning stalk of rice. With that she goes back to heaven.
This is the short ver. but is still pretty long :)). The original story is very good.
The original version of the weaver and cowherd also has a lot of deception. I think this version was rewritten to choose the less problematic elements.
Hearing your version is really interesting. It's more about parent-child relationships than romantic love. Can you explain the burning rice? Is that common in myth as a means of summoning someone?
The goddess divorced him and set up a custody agreement before she left. Is the moral of the story not to start relationships with lies?
@@Delinae tbh this is the version I found online, not sure whats with the burning rice. But the version that I was told as a kid was either every night or every full moon (I forgot exactly) to leave the kid behind in a shack near their house n for Jaka Tarub to get away from there and Nawang Mulan will come down to breastfeed Nawangsih. But imo as this is kind of a legend that's passed through words of mouths first, they have numerous version with a different details
@@solarmoth4628 prolly lol 😂😂
I first heard this story in Wild Swans. Amazing how creative humans can be in trying to explain the world
I just finished Wild Swans, but I don't recall reading about this story! Must go back and see where she mentions it!
Perhaps this story was partially based on a real one
I could never have prepared myself for the visual spectacle this video was...breathtaking art and animation, and I couldn't have asked for more as a representation for stories from my culture
Please this is so beautiful! The art style is so ethereal and effortless, with the music score I got shivers at every scene.
The story is amazing too.
This has to be my favorite TED ed ever. I’m absolutely in love with the story telling and visual designs
This story brought me close to tears. The animation is superb, and the sweeping music just moves the story along so well.
I just realized, this is the same story they mentioned in The Karate Kid during the festival scene.
The animation is smooth and fine.
The music and the narrator voice are peaceful.
easily the best ted-ed video. the VA's voice is so soothing, the music is gorgeous, the animation is beautiful, and the story is amazing.
This animation is nothing short of enchanting. Everything about it was pure magic including the music. I had heard the story before, and yet it seemed even more beautiful this way. Kudos to these people for their unmatched creativity.
As a Chinese person, I love this telling! I've heard this story over and over again as a child and it's universally known by so many East and Southeast Asians. Thank you for telling such an important story from my culture and presenting it in a meaningful and beautiful way. The artwork is incredible! It matches the soothing narrator's voice perfectly. I also appreciate the background music :)
In the older versions (with Confucian overtones), the two were separated because they spent too much time hanging out instead of working(spinning and cowherding), so the emperor causes them to be kept far apart from each other. The magpies formed a bridge to allow them to meet once and year, and the couple treading on them is the reason for their pied colouring.
Such stunning visual and sound designs!!! The animation is breathtaking and cinema worthy 😭😍 thank you for bringing such a poetic story to life.
Am I the only one who is watching it repeatedly & falling in love with every bit of it?? Purely magical 😍😍🥰🥰😇😇
In Japan, this festival is called Tanabata. We write our deepest wishes and hang them on bamboo trees. The weaver is Orihime and the cow-herd is Hikoboshi.
I literally cried from how intricately crafted the animation, the story telling, and the character and background design of every frame.
This is the most beautiful and stunning animation that TED-ED made♡
One of the most beautiful animations on Ted-Ed.
I wish I could listen to the music without the voice over.. the music is amazing and so relaxing 😇
I heard this story many times as a child. What a beautiful depiction through animation given here. Well done. 😍😍😊😊😊
why i'm crying while watching this wonderfull tale? The music...the art...the narrator...all perfect.
This is one of the most artistic things I’ve ever seen in my life. How! How can something be so beautiful! Bravo to the animator!
this is better than many fantasy series Kdrama or Chinese offers. Like seriously bro, this quality of music, production, narration, animation. Shout out to everyone who did this. I simply can't accept that we're getting it for free, and no one has made some awesome adaptation of this story. Very awesome
In my country's version, the cowherd carries his children on his back and climbs to heaven by a rope weaved by the weaver so the family can be reunited, with the magpies holding tight on the other end so the cowherd and his children won't fall. The cowherd also carries a drum with him, and will hit it three times when he had settled foot on the heaven gate, so the birds can release the rope.
When the cowherd is almost there, his children got hungry, so he takes out some rice balls to feed them. As the children eat some grains of rice fell onto the drum, the magpies heard the sound and thought the cowherd is now in heaven, so they let go of the rope, accidentally letting the cowherd and his children fell to their death.
Seeing the determination of the cowherd to reunite his wife and the deep grief of the weaver towards the death of her earthly family, the Jade Emperor though first angered, is soon moved by their love, and so he took in the cowherd and his children and let them live as heaven's cowherds on one side of the sky, while the weaver lives on the other side, with a "Milky Way river" as the only uncrossable border between them.
Once every late summer, the magpies, responsible for the death of the cowherd and his children, are punished to carry rocks on their heads, forming a bridge across the "Milky Way river" so the family can meet each other.
It's sound pretty muck like Vietnamese variation. Actually, almost every South Asian countries have their own version of this legendary Chinese myth.
@@cachy7471 I’m sorry but do you mean Southeast instead of South?
This is still the best Ted-Ed video. Fantastic music, breath-taking animation, and incredible narration and story-telling! The music especially combined with this animation style made it like I was watching a movie.
Thank you very much
@@alexisdehimi803 hi whats the music called its very beautiful
This was just gripping! The art style, the animation, the sound design, the voiceover, even the editing and composition... all contribute to making this an incredible experience. This is the most well made TED-Ed animation by far.
It moved me... It truly moved me
It's always fascinating to not just hear myths but also experience them- teded is awesome 💕
One of my favourite things about TED-Ed is that they offer unparalleled lessons and animation at the same time. The effort invested into their videos is admirable and the results always leave us wanting more. Thank you so much.
The Director is the 8th princess goddess
What a masterpiece 💗
I also heard the legend of a girl who, after hearing the story of Weaver Girl and Cow Herd, tried to make a pathway of sorts via cookies for the couple to meet each other. Won over by her perseverance and love, the heavens granted the girl a loving husband as a reward for her dedication and kind heart. Since then, during the time of the year when Cow Herd and Weaver Girl would reunite, it was a custom for young girls to make these specific cookies and pray to Weaver Girl to grant them better handiwork skills and to help them find a good husband to marry.
Could you do some more stories about South American indigenous people or indigenous people of the America's in general?
Maybe Suriname?
I'm Chinese myself. It would be cool if you guys could make a video about Chinese Taboos as I believed we have tons of it
same
Can you share some as examples
This is insane - I was watching the Big Bang Theory just now and they had an episode with this story in it. After finishing the episode, I came onto UA-cam, and found this posted today, and on top of my feed.
I feel a bit guilty that I couldn't focus properly o nthe story because the animation was so striking and beautiful. It had essence of Asian culture as well. Definitely one of the best works ever.
credits to everyone involved in the production of the video, it was absolutely beautiful.
I believe even without the narration, we’d have a solid idea of what this story was about. Who ever was in charge of the animation did an absolutely fantasy job!
I cannot even fathom the amount of detail and beauty in this animation. With its sombre story, the animation visualises the emotions and actions of the characters. Also the music is super relaxing.
The version from my childhood was that the weaving maid was like a selkie, that the cowherd detained her against her will on earth by hiding her clothes and once she found her clothes, she left for the heavens.
I'm growing up with this star-crossed lovers story, with many versions; from my own country and from the Chinese too. It always sounds beautiful yet sad at some part, no matter how times the story is cited. Thank you for the beautiful narration and animation of my most loved childhood story.
I'm from China, I heard this story since I was young. I never felt touched until I watched this video. The animation is incredibly amazing, the graphic, the color, the shade, as well as the music. Something shook deep inside me like a pebble dropping into a pond. Thank you Ted-Ed, Shannon and Brume, for bringing out such beautiful work.
This is the most stunning video Ted ed has ever produced....ther animation , the voice of the narrator, the sound effects...and the most splendid the background music.....
No words to describe this animation. Ted Eds best animation till date. Every frame is stunningly gorgeous, and all this achieved with few colours.
In case anyone is wondering, The cowherd and the weaver are represented by two bright stars, whose Western names are Altair and Vega.
I know everyone is saying this but I can't get over how absolutely stunning this animation is in addition to the story. By far my favorite mythology TedEd video.
This story telling, animation, and music are next level even for TED-Ed.
I’m just enchanted by this beauty
Mum says it's _my_ turn to pick the movie for tonight; and I said we would Watch *TED-Ed* tonight!!!!
I could watch an entire movie with this animation, it's so pretty!
I NEED THIS TO BE A MOVIE!
In South India, we made a blockbuster movie on this in 1995 titled "Jagadeka Veerudu, Atiloka Sundari". It was a telugu language movie and ruled the theatres for almost 3 years.
Oh my! Added to my watchlist
Everybody gangsta till the Bull starts talking
Everyone here is saying it, but I've got to echo: I've been watching your videos for years and this is THE most beautiful animation you've EVER had. I am in complete awe.
As a fan of all mythology and Chinese traditional music, I'd love the soundtrack for this video Ted-Ed
3:30-3:43 was one of the most beautiful animations I've seen!
The animation is stupendous! Kudos to the entire team, especially the animators!
Hats off to the team who animated and designed this ep. Truly beautiful
As Chinese, I grew up with this tale, I have to say this video told it in the most beautiful way I have ever seen!!!
This combination of art style, music, and story is perfection
I'm literally getting chills as I ended watching the video. The narration, the animation, the story, everything was so absolutely amazing I was completely engrossed in the video. I don't think I would've noticed it even if the roof had fallen down on me. Absolutely awesome video!!
as a chinese person, am proud that one of our tales from childhood got adapted here :))
Animation here was just beautiful. It was actually better looking that a lot of animated films they release in the cinemas.
i was told it will rain on the day every year they met! suppose it symbolizes tears from seeing each other after waiting for a long year.
I think this is one of the best videos I’ve seen from Ted-Ed. Beautiful art and animation with a wonderful yet heart-rendering story ❤️
i absolutely love this! this is one of the best story telling i've seen. ❤
the animation, the music, the story, this whole video is absolutely fascinating
Animator needs a raise.
We did a report on the Qixi Festival for our Mandarin class and let me tell you, I adored Zhinü and Niulang's story. This is such a beautiful video
If a year on earth is equals to 1 day in heaven that's and they meet only once a year. So only Cowherd waits a year and Princess gets to meet him everyday.
One of the best Ted Ed animation video, it was very professional.
This animation might be the most beautiful of all the TEDed series
I remember this, One of my most beloved comic Goodnight Punpun references this old Japanese tale.
I gotta say so far this is the most beautiful art i have seen in a Ted Ed video
What in the PERFECTION is this?!!! Goosebumps!
I’m in awe and kept rewatching this animation and narration. This is just magnificent!
Wow the animation n story both were fantastic
I’m so intrigued by this!!
Me too!!!
I keep revisiting this TED-Ed story a lot, and each time, it amazes me. The music, story-telling, and the animation is the best of its kind!