Hou Yi
| Hou Yi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Houyi, as depicted in Xiao Yuncong's Illustrated 'Inquiry of the Heavens' (蕭雲從天問圖), published 1645 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 后羿 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Hou Yi (Chinese: 后羿) is a mythological Chinese archer. He was also known as Shen Yi and simply as Yi (羿). He is also typically given the title of "Lord Archer". He is sometimes portrayed as a god of archery or a xian descended from heaven to aid mankind. Other times, he is portrayed as either simply half-divine or fully mortal. His wife, Chang'e, is one of the lunar deities.