The protector of weak students, Mr Redcoat may nod his head

God of Literature in Chinese Mythology, Wenchang Wang has two assistants—Kuei Xing, the god of examinations, and Zhu Yi, whose name signifies Red Coat is the protector of weak students.
Wenchang Wang is the god of literature in Chinese mythology whose chief task is to maintain a log of scholars so that he can mete out punishments and rewards as per their acts.
Wenchang Wang is the god of literature in Chinese mythology whose chief task is to maintain a log of scholars so that he can mete out punishments and rewards as per their acts.

When a student is appearing for a difficult exam or when they are not adequately prepared for it, it is customary for them to invoke divine help in passing the exam. Most students in such a situation, silently but fervently, pray for the exam questions to be only from the areas that they know well. They also pray that no questions may be asked from the portions that they are not confident about. After taking the exam, they may pray for the examiner to give good marks even when their answers are weak or have hardly any connection to the question that had been asked.

Did you know that there is a god to whom you can direct such requests? Wenchang Wang is the god of literature in Chinese mythology. His chief task is to maintain a log of scholars so that he can mete out punishments and rewards as per their acts. He also maintains a register containing the titles and honours a writer has received. Wen has two assistants—Kuei Xing, the god of examinations, and Zhu Yi, whose name signifies Red Coat. A very interesting thing about Zhu Yi is that he is considered the protector of weak students. He acts as the god of good luck for students who appear for an exam with less than adequate preparation. This belief about him is due to an old story.

It goes like this—there was once an exam in which students had to write essays. When the examiner was checking students’ essays, he came across one that looked poorly written at first look. The examiner gave it a quick superficial reading and put it to one side; determined not to pass the candidate who had written such an inferior quality essay. He was shocked out of his wits when some divine power picked up the essay from the reject pile and again placed it in front of his eyes; as if asking him to examine it with greater attention.

Needless to say, the examiner was shocked by this supernatural happening. While the terrified examiner was taking another look at the essay, a divine-looking old man wearing a red coat, who was Zhu Yi, appeared before his eyes. The man in a red coat nodded his head to signal that the examiner should pass the essay. The examiner was so influenced by Mr Redcoat that he passed the candidate.

This tale has had such a great effect in China that, till today, if a student is not confident of facing an exam, his family and friends encourage him by the popular saying: ‘Who knows but that Mr Redcoat may nod his head!’

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