Saoqing Niang

Saoqing Niang (Chinese: 扫晴娘; lit. 'Cloud-Sweeping Lady or Clear-Sky Maiden') is a weather deity in Chinese folk religion associated with fair weather. She is traditionally represented as a paper effigy of a woman wearing colorful clothing and holding a broom. The custom is documented in northern China and has been described as a form of folk weather magic. Some accounts have linked the custom to the origin of Japan's teru teru bōzu tradition.[1][2]

Legends

An early reference to the custom appears in a Yuan dynasty poem by Li Junmin, which describes a paper image of a woman hung from the eaves to pray for an end to rain. The practice was later recorded in northern China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, including in Beijing and the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong.[3]

The custom is also described in Qing dynasty scholar Fucha Duncong's Seasonal Records of Yanjing (燕京歲時記, Yanjing Suishiji), which states:

"六月乃大雨時行之際。凡遇連陰不止者，則閨中兒女剪紙為人，懸於門左，謂之掃晴娘。"


(Translation): "The sixth lunar month is the season of heavy rains. When prolonged rainy weather does not stop, young women cut paper figures in human form and hang them to the left of the doorway, calling them 'Saoqing Niang'."

A legend associated with Saoqing Niang is set in ancient Beijing. According to the story, heavy rain caused severe flooding in the city. A voice from heaven announced that the rain was caused by the anger of the Dragon King of the East Sea and that it would stop only if a beautiful young woman was offered as a sacrifice. A young woman named Qingniang, known for her beauty and skill in paper-cutting, offered herself as the sacrifice. She went out into the storm and disappeared, with different versions of the story saying that she was either carried away by the flood or taken by the dragon. The rain stopped after Qingniang's sacrifice, and the city was saved. According to the legend, the Jade Emperor then deified her as Saoqing Niang and gave her the role of clearing the rain clouds. People later made paper figures of her and hung them up to pray for clear weather.[4]

In some regions, a figure associated with Saoqing Niang is called Saotian Niangniang (掃天娘娘, "Sky-Sweeping Goddess"). The title Niangniang, commonly used for female deities, and her depiction in yellow robes are also associated with this figure.[5]

Customs

The tradition of hanging Saoqing Niang dolls is a folk custom rooted in agrarian Chinese society, where weather conditions were important to people's livelihoods. The dolls were typically hung from rooftops, eaves, or poles during prolonged periods of rain or before important outdoor events such as weddings, festivals, and harvests, with the hope of bringing clear weather.[6] Children and villagers may chant rhymes to accompany the ritual, such as[7]

"扫晴娘, 扫晴娘, 三天扫晴啦, 给你穿花衣裳。三天扫不晴, 扎你的光脊梁。"


(Translation): "Saoqing Niang, Saoqing Niang, if in three days you sweep the skies clear, we'll dress you in flowered clothes; if in three days you fail, we'll pierce your bare back."

The Japanese Teru teru bōzu (てるてる坊主; 'shiny-shiny monk') is widely believed to be a tradition that originated from the Saoqing Niang custom. The practice was likely introduced to Japan from China during the Heian period (794–1185).[4]

References

  1. ↑ 中华民族的保护神与繁衍之神抓髻娃娃 (in Chinese). 中国社会科学出版社. 1989. ISBN 978-7-5004-0519-1.
  2. ↑ 日本的魔改造《掃晴娘是古代中國習俗》有人曾經看過原版嗎. 宅宅新聞.
  3. ↑ 农业考古 (in Chinese). 农业出版社. 2009. p. 286.
  4. 1 2 日本晴天娃娃求好天氣 原來身世恐怖會斬人頭？. 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 5 October 2017.
  5. ↑ 生命生殖崇拜与远古图腾: 民间传世剪纸纹样 (in Chinese). 甘肃人民美朮出版社. 2002. ISBN 978-7-80588-418-9.
  6. ↑ 晴れたらその後どうするの？呪術的かつ神秘的な「てるてる坊主」あれこれ(季節・暮らしの話題 2018年05月26日). tenki.jp (in Japanese). 2 July 2025.
  7. ↑ 民间风俗志 (in Chinese). 上海人民出版社. 1998. ISBN 978-7-208-02343-7.
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