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Story 144: The Legend of Kudzu Pit

The Legend of “Kudzu Pit”

Author: Anonymous

According to legend, Huang Chao’s rebellion turned half of China upside down. This murderous demon king was frightened by an ordinary Hakka woman. Like other families, this woman lost her relatives due to the war. She was on the run, carrying her nephew on her back and holding her younger son’s hand. When she met Huang Chao on a narrow road, Huang Chao scolded her for being unreasonable: “Two children, the older and the stronger are carried on their backs, while the younger and weaker are dragged behind.”

The woman did not know that the other person was Huang Chao, so she said: “She is The person I am carrying is my late brother’s orphan, and I am afraid that Huang Chao will kill him and cut off the blood of my mother’s family; and I hold my son in my hand, so that if he is killed, he can be reborn.” After hearing this, Huang Chao’s heart softened and he asked the woman to return. When you go home, hang kudzu vines on the front door to avoid weapons.

The woman immediately rushed home, where the entrance to the mountain pit was covered with kudzu vines. Sure enough, Huang Chao’s soldiers and horses followed Huang Chao’s orders and would not kill anyone who did not enter any place where Kudzu vines were hung.

As a result, all the men, women, and children in the entire mountain pit were saved. From then on, later generations called this place “Kudzu Keng”, and later Hakkas claimed that they were from the original Kudzu Keng. They also formed the custom of hanging kudzu vines at the door to ward off evil spirits during festivals.