ENG
The swan soars high, its plumage lush and grand,
The sparrow flits low, with feathers light and bland.
The noble cherish wings, not swayed by gain or loss,
The wise foresee afar, their strength endures across.
Feathered birds are masters of riding the wind. Among them, the gyrfalcons living on the snowy peaks are particularly skilled in crafting magical items that control frigid gales. They use their down feathers to create fans, which are highly prized by the Wind-Making Mother Deity and Cloud-Making Boy Deity.
According to their clan rules, every gyrfalcon must learn the art of crafting these vessels. Those who refuse are stripped of their titles and exiled from the clan. To encourage innovation, the clan holds an annual competition where the quality of vessels produced determines one's status within the clan. One gyrfalcon, whose ancestors were all commoners, dreamt of creating a treasure fan to elevate his status to nobility.
He spared no feathers to enhance the power of his vessel. After much hardship, he finally crafted a fan and won the competition, becoming the clan leader. However, he had plucked all his feathers and could no longer fly, eventually resorting to wearing clothes to cover his baldness.
On the day of his succession, the Celestial Crane Immortal, head of the feathered tribe in the upper realm, came to bestow a Celestial Registry Tablet upon him. Proud of his fan, the new leader boasted to the Crane Immortal. The Crane Immortal then lent him the Plantain Fan, saying, "This is a failed creation of Lord Lao. Since you also make fans, I gift it to you." After the Crane Immortal left, the clan leader tried the fan and was immediately disheartened by its immense power. He no longer wanted his clan members to use their feathers to make fans.
He led his followers away from the snowy peaks to search for plantain leaves. Eventually, they found some near the New West and, imitating the Crane Immortal's method, created many replicas, and regained his ability to fly.
This story takes place among feathered flying tribes. The gyrfalcons live on snowy peaks and are known for making magical fans from their down feathers. Those fans control cold winds and are prized by powerful deities called the Wind-Making Mother and the Cloud-Making Boy.
The gyrfalcon clan has strict rules: every member must learn to craft these wind-fans, and anyone who refuses is stripped of title and exiled. The clan also holds an annual competition where the quality of a fan decides a bird’s status. One gyrfalcon, descended from commoners, wanted to become noble and dreamed of winning the contest by making a treasure fan.
He plucked and used as many of his own feathers as it took to make a powerful fan. After great effort he succeeded, won the contest, and became clan leader. But because he had removed all his feathers he could not fly anymore, and he began wearing clothes to hide his baldness.
On his succession day the Celestial Crane Immortal, leader of the feathered tribe in the upper realm, came to present a Celestial Registry Tablet. The new leader boasted about his fan, and the Crane Immortal gave him a Plantain Fan, saying it was a failed creation of Lord Lao and gifting it to him. When he tried the Plantain Fan he was overwhelmed by its power and decided he no longer wanted clan members to sacrifice their feathers to make fans.
He then led his followers down from the peaks to search for plantain leaves. They found leaves near the New West, copied the Crane Immortal’s method, made many plantain fans, and he regained his ability to fly. The story ends with the clan producing powerful fans from plantain leaves instead of by plucking their feathers, a change that restored the leader’s flight and stopped that personal sacrifice.