The Goddess of Mercy

In the last years of the Chow Dynasty, King Miao Chuang of Tien Chu a Western Barbarian state, invades Pi Lu Kuo. His army leaves the country devastated.

The Queen has three princesses, Miao Yin, Miao Yuan and Miao Shan. Princess Miao Shan, a compassionate creature, disapproves of the behaviors of her two brothers-in-law who oppress the people.

Standing by her mother’s side to greet the return of the King and his victorious army, Princess Miao Shan almost breaks down over the cruel flogging of prisoners.

Princess Miao Shan fails to persuade King Miao Chuang to show the prisoners mercy. She then appeals to General Wei Hu, but again without success.

Seeing the prisoners in the pouring rain, Princess Miao Shan orders the guards to let them take shelter in the temple.

Inside the temple, the princess feeds and nurses the captives. Prince Ming Cheng who is one of the captured, advices her not to worry too much about them, as the people of her own country are not much better off than the prisoners.

The next day, Miao Shan, while visiting a slum, runs into Yung Lien a young girl who has no money to bury her father. She makes her a palace maid.

Infuriated by the words of the captured Prince, the King orders Wei Hu to have Ming Cheng beheaded. Though an admired of Princess Miao Shan, Wei Hu dares not disobey. As the blood of the beheaded Prince spurts upwards, the sky darkens. This chills the heart of Wei Hu.

The sympathetic Princess is sentenced to hard labor. As a precaution, the King orders all but wounded prisoners beheaded. This is something even Wei Hu cannot stand. He joins the Princess and the two escort the prisoners across the border. Wei Hu who willingly stays behind, is arrested.

Crossing a narrow mountain path, the Princess and the prisoners find themselves trapped between a river and the pursuing army. As she kneels to pray, a storm turns her sash into a bridge spanning the river. This terrifies the King.

The King sends Wei Hu across the river with his army and orders the General to burn down the Buddhist temple built by the Princess. Another miracle sends the flames rolling away from the temple.

At the request of her sick mother, the Princess returns to the palace. The King wants to arrest her but she is rescued by Wei Hu. The king falls ill. The Imperial Doctor says only a medicine made of the two eyes and hands of the Princess can save his life. The Princess obliges and the King is saved.

The Princess is then transformed into the goddess of “a thousand hands” and is taken to Heaven by Buddha.

Source: Celestial