Volume 13, Issue 61 (2026)
CFL 2026, 13(61): 245-288 |
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pashootanizadeh A. The Presence of Nahid Goddess in Iranian Stories Like the Chinese Story of Ye Xian
(Based on Historical and Geographical Approach. CFL 2026; 13 (61) :245-288
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-53915-en.html
URL: http://cfl.modares.ac.ir/article-11-53915-en.html
Associate Professor at the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, and Marie Skłodowska Curie Postdoctoral Scholarship at the CTR Center of the Copenhagen University. , azp@hum.ku.dk
Abstract: (35 Views)
"Ye Xian" is the name of the protagonist of one of the most prominent Chinese stories based on hostility of the stepmother and her daughter with "Ye Xian". Receiving a blue dress with golden shoes to participate in the festival by a metaphysical force that leads to Ye Xian’s marriage to the king is the most important similarity to the story of "Cinderella". In addition to the previous commonalities, the protagonist’s ability to relate to clothes and the presence of metaphysical power in creature bones (fish or cow) is the similarity of "Ye Xian" with different versions of Iranian stories. The story " Zoroastrians’ BiBi Se-šanbeh" is a logical continuation of various examples of the same story with similar or dissimilar names such as "Māhpišāni" in different regions of Iran. The feminine dimension and the names of the protagonists of the stories, the importance of textiles and clothing, the presence of various symbols of water and the Nahid goddess, solving problems by magical power are common aspects in all stories. Matching historical periods and events with the geography of Iran’s holy shrines and tombs has led to the formation of similar stories in Sistan, Shahre Ray and Khorasan. In addition to the blue color, cows and fish can be considered as other symbols of water and Nahid goddess. "Pārs-bānū" is one of the series of stories of "Zoroastrian’s Pirān" and it is like the story of the tomb of "BiBi Šahr-bānū" in Shahre Ray, which led to the connection of Islamic and pre-Islamic stories and symbols. This is because it declares "Pārs-bānū" and the widow of Imam Hossein, "Šahr-bānū" as sisters. The names of the protagonists are "Šahr-bānū/Fateme/BiBi", which originally refers to a character. The motifs of the silk fabrics uncovered from the tomb of BiBi Šahr-bānū, Sassanid era bull busts in the Nahid Bishapur temple with a mosaic porch provide pictorial and symbolic information related to these stories.
Introduction
Nahid goddess and her symbols are present in all stories of Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh, "Zoroastrians’ BiBi Se-šanbeh ", "Māhpišāni" and Chinese story "Ye Xian". The magical force that gives the female protagonist the luxurious blue dress and golden shoes to provide the conditions for her marriage with the king/prince through water is the same Nahid goddess who supports girls in getting married. The Sassanid era mosaics near the temple of Nahid goddess and the exposed silk cloths from the tomb of "BiBi Šahr-bānū" have similar symbols of a man with the ears and horns of a cow. The importance of the cow and its relationship with water in the Nahid temple can be seen in the form of cow-shaped Capitals, and the image of the lady in blue with a golden shoe in the mosaic porch is the embodiment of the protagonist of these stories and the story of Cinderella.
Research Background
Most of the research that have been done on Iranian stories and Chinese story, "Ye Xian" which is like "Cinderella" have been in the field of comparative literature or the literature of nations, and the traces of Nahid goddess in the oral literature and folklore culture of Iran and Zoroastrians have not been identified.
Goals, questions, and assumptions
The Goals of this research is to find the symbols of the Nahid goddess in the various layers of the stories that guide and support the female protagonist. In this regard, the following research question was raised:
How did the Nahid goddess become important in the folklore culture and oral literature of Iran and the world?
The cultural diplomacy formed between China and Iran, which came about through the Silk Road and the Zoroastrian migration after the destruction of the Sassanid dynasty, led to the sharing of the symbols of Nahid goddess in the story of "Ye Xian" and Iranian stories.
Research method
By using the historical and geographical method and combining it with cultural linguistic and symbology, this research has achieved an interdisciplinary way to analyze symbols in stories. The overlapping of historical events and their connection with geographical areas and in addition, the presence of Sassanid period mosaic porches or blessed tombs that have oral literature along with silk fabrics have led to the identification of the symbol of Nahid goddess in Iranian and Chinese stories.
Main Discussion
The generality of all stories is like "Cinderella"; but they have diversity in components. The helping magical force in "Ye Xian" is a red fish, which is replaced by a red cow in the story of "Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh" and a yellow cow in the story "Māhpišāni". Cows and fish are the symbols of Nahid goddess, the pond full of fish in "Pir-e Estir" and the tombs of Sasanian princesses and sisters "BiBi Šahr-bānū" and "Pārs-bānū" have made these shrines a place for the Nahid goddess. The different names of the protagonists refer to a certain character who is supported by Nahid goddess.
Conclusion
The evolution of "Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh" stories can be traced based on the last Sassanid cities and the place of migration of Zoroastrians. Because Sistan is the place where the son of Yazdgerd III founded the second Sassanid government with the help of the Chinese, and Khorasan is the burial ground of Yazdgerd III from where the Zoroastrians migrated to China. Therefore, Sistan and Khorasan are the last Zoroastrian cities that relate to China. For this reason, the story of " Zoroastrians’ BiBi Se-šanbeh" is a logical continuation of "Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh" and is considered its second part. "Māhpišāni" is another version of the same story, which introduces native cotton as a symbol of ugliness and contrasts it with silk as a symbol of beauty.
Introduction
Nahid goddess and her symbols are present in all stories of Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh, "Zoroastrians’ BiBi Se-šanbeh ", "Māhpišāni" and Chinese story "Ye Xian". The magical force that gives the female protagonist the luxurious blue dress and golden shoes to provide the conditions for her marriage with the king/prince through water is the same Nahid goddess who supports girls in getting married. The Sassanid era mosaics near the temple of Nahid goddess and the exposed silk cloths from the tomb of "BiBi Šahr-bānū" have similar symbols of a man with the ears and horns of a cow. The importance of the cow and its relationship with water in the Nahid temple can be seen in the form of cow-shaped Capitals, and the image of the lady in blue with a golden shoe in the mosaic porch is the embodiment of the protagonist of these stories and the story of Cinderella.
Research Background
Most of the research that have been done on Iranian stories and Chinese story, "Ye Xian" which is like "Cinderella" have been in the field of comparative literature or the literature of nations, and the traces of Nahid goddess in the oral literature and folklore culture of Iran and Zoroastrians have not been identified.
Goals, questions, and assumptions
The Goals of this research is to find the symbols of the Nahid goddess in the various layers of the stories that guide and support the female protagonist. In this regard, the following research question was raised:
How did the Nahid goddess become important in the folklore culture and oral literature of Iran and the world?
The cultural diplomacy formed between China and Iran, which came about through the Silk Road and the Zoroastrian migration after the destruction of the Sassanid dynasty, led to the sharing of the symbols of Nahid goddess in the story of "Ye Xian" and Iranian stories.
Research method
By using the historical and geographical method and combining it with cultural linguistic and symbology, this research has achieved an interdisciplinary way to analyze symbols in stories. The overlapping of historical events and their connection with geographical areas and in addition, the presence of Sassanid period mosaic porches or blessed tombs that have oral literature along with silk fabrics have led to the identification of the symbol of Nahid goddess in Iranian and Chinese stories.
Main Discussion
The generality of all stories is like "Cinderella"; but they have diversity in components. The helping magical force in "Ye Xian" is a red fish, which is replaced by a red cow in the story of "Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh" and a yellow cow in the story "Māhpišāni". Cows and fish are the symbols of Nahid goddess, the pond full of fish in "Pir-e Estir" and the tombs of Sasanian princesses and sisters "BiBi Šahr-bānū" and "Pārs-bānū" have made these shrines a place for the Nahid goddess. The different names of the protagonists refer to a certain character who is supported by Nahid goddess.
Conclusion
The evolution of "Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh" stories can be traced based on the last Sassanid cities and the place of migration of Zoroastrians. Because Sistan is the place where the son of Yazdgerd III founded the second Sassanid government with the help of the Chinese, and Khorasan is the burial ground of Yazdgerd III from where the Zoroastrians migrated to China. Therefore, Sistan and Khorasan are the last Zoroastrian cities that relate to China. For this reason, the story of " Zoroastrians’ BiBi Se-šanbeh" is a logical continuation of "Khorasan/Sistan’s BiBi Se-šanbeh" and is considered its second part. "Māhpišāni" is another version of the same story, which introduces native cotton as a symbol of ugliness and contrasts it with silk as a symbol of beauty.
Keywords: Water and Nahid goddess, Iranian and Zoroastrian "BiBi Se-šanbeh" stories, Chinese story "Ye Xian", Iranian story "Māhpišāni", blue dress and golden shoes
Article Type: پژوهشی اصیل |
Subject:
Popular literature
Received: 2021/07/7 | Accepted: 2024/09/21 | Published: 2026/03/1
Received: 2021/07/7 | Accepted: 2024/09/21 | Published: 2026/03/1
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