Empress Luo Shen

The Goddess of the Luo River, also known as “Luo Shen” or “Luo Shen Fu” in Chinese, is a well-known figure in Chinese literature and folklore. She is the central character in the famous poem “The Goddess of the Luo River” (《洛神赋》) written by Cao Zhi, a poet from the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China.

In the poem, the Goddess of the Luo River is depicted as a beautiful and enchanting woman who dances along the riverbanks. Cao Zhi, the younger brother of Luo Shen’s husband, was said to have fallen in love with the goddess and wrote the poem as an expression of his admiration and longing for her.

It was not ordinary love. As a poet, Cao Zhi processed the quality and spirituality Luo Shen was looking for. He was kind and artistic, unlike his brother Cao Pi (Luo Shen’s husband) who only cared about his political power and was quite cruel.

When Luo Shen died, Cao Zhi wrote a poem to remember her. He went to the river and imagined her still there with him. There were a lot of mystical characters associated with the poem and how the story was shared. Therefore Li painted many creatures as seen in the complete portrait below. Please explore!

The story of the Goddess of the Luo River has been adapted and reimagined in various forms of Chinese art and literature throughout history, and she has become a symbol of beauty, grace, and unattainable love in Chinese culture.