Taiwanese Sun-Shooting Myth: Mu-ji (MOU-JI AND THE SUN) Picture Book (Signed Edition + Mask Gift)

Purchase Chiaos's picture book "Mu-ji" and be among the first 20 to receive an exclusive "Mask Holder" + a personal autograph from author Chiaos. Chiaos's first picture book of myths and monsters, offering a fresh interpretation of the indigenous legend of Mu-ji, the archer who shot down the sun. What kind of world will emerge after the gifted Mu-ji brings down the sun? An adventurous tale of chasing the sun's brilliance unfolds!! "When power is in your hands, what kind of world do you want to create?" - Chiaos, "Mu-ji" **Endorsements** (Sorted by stroke count) He Jing-Yao, Fantasy Author, Author of "A Map of Taiwanese Yokai" Wu Yu-Hsuan, Poet, Experimental Educator Aronlong Sakinu, Founder of Hunter School, Author Jimmy Liao, Picture Book Author You Pei-Yun, Associate Professor, Graduate Institute of Children's Literature, National Taitung University Chou Chun-Sheng, Visual Artist, Picture Book Illustrator Chiu Yu-Ning, Director Xiao Xiang Shen, Author **Synopsis** Once upon a time, the sky god Hamo shook a great tree, and its falling leaves transformed into people – some misshapen, others incomplete. Hamo cast them out, urging them to live their own lives. One leaf, however, remained stubbornly attached to the tree, refusing to fall. After Hamo departed, the gods of wind and thunder stealthily approached this tenacious leaf, attempting to dislodge it with their divine powers, but it remained steadfast. One day, a caterpillar crawled onto the winding tree and waited beneath this leaf to metamorphulate. One morning, the caterpillar gnawed at the leaf, forming a chrysalis. It began to change color, swelling. Soon after, the leaf on the branch withered. As the butterfly chrysalis fell, it split open. Not with damp wings or a beautiful butterfly emerging, but a child broke free. Perhaps hungry, the child grabbed dirt from the ground and stuffed it into their mouth. Suddenly, their face contorted, and they wailed loudly. Day after day, the child faced spirits alone. Until one day, a hunter patrolling the forest heard the child's cries and followed the sound to the great tree, where they found the child. The hunter picked up the child, looked at their tear-streaked face, and began to sing: The storm arrives – darkness follows Demons come to steal your heart How much of yourself do you have left? We embrace each other, forging courage to tear apart the demons Pass through the darkness, await the calm after the storm... The song echoed through the forest for some time, and the child fell asleep in the hunter's arms. The hunters named the child, whose cries were so loud, "Mu-ji." Mu-ji was a child blessed with divine power. With a point of his finger, he could summon lightning to snap branches; with an open mouth, he could exhale gusts of wind that harmed birds and beasts. To protect the child and his clan from harm, his hunter adoptive father and the villagers worked together to craft a bow and arrow, which they presented to Mu-ji. Mu-ji took up the bow, displaying unparalleled talent. The arrows he shot were swift and powerful. Mu-ji's extraordinary strength soon spread throughout the world, and all the warriors who came to challenge him were no match. The wind and thunder gods, hearing of this, came to test him, only to be defeated by Mu-ji. The sun, watching from the sky, laughed heartily, boasting, "How foolish! I am the strongest in the world!" The arrogant sun pushed the sky higher, propping it up, and the wind and clouds instantly scattered. The sky became like a painted canvas, its wrinkles falling away. Suddenly, a powerful arrow flew through the air, striking the sun precisely between its brows. The sun was shot down, and the villagers cried out in alarm. Mu-ji continued to chase the sun, shouting, "Don't run! Face me in a decisive battle!" The sun, in pain, teared up, unable to speak. Tears mixed with its wound, shedding light that drifted into the heavens, transforming into countless stars. The hunter adoptive father, worried for Mu-ji, and the villagers followed closely behind. Mu-ji refused to give up his battle with the sun. He pursued it from the forest to the hills, crossing mountain ranges, relentlessly following. During this time, the sun's energy continuously waned, growing weaker. Sunlight could no longer illuminate the land, the world began to cool, and snow started to fall. At this moment, darkness spawned a monstrous beast, which eyed the world menacingly, ready to devour it... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Author and Illustrator Chiaos (CHIAOS TSENG) Currently an illustrator and graphic designer. Since 2012, he has been dedicated to exploring local Taiwanese stories, establishing the brand "Chiaos Chiaos" to promote these narratives through publications, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and product development. His artistic creations incorporate elements of legend, myth, the grotesque, fantastical, yokai, and deities. Representative works include: "A Geographical Record of Taiwanese Yokai" (2014), "Taiwan Yokai Volume I - Giant Monsters" (2015), the board game "Taiwan Yokai Showdown" (2016), and the independently published "Taiwan Yokai Volume II - Island of Strange Births" (2017), based on Taiwanese creation myths (selected for the American 3x3 Illustration Annual No.15/professional published). In 2018, he independently published the work on Taiwanese deities, "A Compendium of Gods in Formosa," followed by "Formosa's Pantheon" (2020) in collaboration with Lianjing Publishing. WENDY YEH Full-time designer and planner for the "Chiaos Chiaos" brand products, also serving as an illustrator's assistant, aiding in story conceptualization and idea generation. Passionate about textile crafts, she founded her personal handmade brand "Bu Ge Zhi Suo," combining fabric and leatherwork to create pieces that possess the warmth of textiles and the substantial texture of leather, giving fabrics a new dimension. Her life is a continuous series of side projects, drawing creativity and art as nourishment. Specifications: Hardcover / 72 pages / 21 x 28 x 1.01 cm / General Audience / Full Color Printing / First Edition Publisher: image3 (Gaea Culture - Adult Picture Book Series) Publication Place: Taiwan ----------------------------------------------------------------------