Legend has it that the lands of two friendly families were separated during the construction of the Great Wall. One of the families was named Chiang and the other Meng.
Both families planted a pumpkin climbing plant on either side of the wall. When the plant grew, they'd climb to the top and gather there. From this union a huge pumpkin was born and both families disputed the precious fruit. In the discussion they agreed to split the pumpkin in half and each family would have one of the parties.
When the pumpkin left, they saw that there was a beautiful girl inside, so they decided to call her Meng Chiang and raise her together.
This happened when Shih Huang Ti of the Chhin dynasty decided to build a great wall on the northern border to avoid enemy attacks. But when they completed a section of the wall, it collapsed.
A sage advised the emperor to immolate a human being for every mile of construction of a ten-thousand-mile wall. The emperor followed his advice but the inhabitants were terrified as the demand for victims grew at the same speed as the construction of the wall progressed.
Another sage, seeing that the people were frightened, suggested to the emperor to get a man named Wan for sacrifice, since the word Wan meant ten thousand.
The emperor enthusiastically sent his soldiers in search of Wan, but Wan, when he learned that he was going to become the next victim, escaped and hid in the garden of the beautiful Meng Chiang's family.
That night, young Meng Chiang wanted to bathe naked in the pool under the moonlight. While I was enjoying his bath, he said, “If any man saw me now, while I am naked, I would be happy to belong to him forever.” Wan, who was hiding above a tree, could not resist the charm of young Meng Chiang and replied, “I have seen you.”
That's how Meng Chiang and Wan got married. But as the wedding party passed, the Emperor's soldiers showed up and arrested Wan, leaving the bride bathed in tears and the marriage unconsummated.
Wang after being apprehended was stoned between the blocks of the big wall.
Meng Chiang, in honor of her husband, decided to make a long trip to the wall in search of her husband's remains. He had traveled many miles and did not know where to start looking, then he leaned against the wall and began to cry. The wall took pity on her and collapsed, leaving before her eyes the bones of her husband Wan.
When the emperor learned of Meng Chiang's intense search, he wanted to meet her. And when he saw her, she was so fond of her beauty that she offered her to be her empress.
Meng Chiang knew that he could not refuse such an offer and accepted, but under three conditions, a forty-nine day funeral in honor of her husband. The emperor and his officials were to be present at the funerals and the construction of a forty-nine foot high altar on the banks of the river for her to make offerings to her dead husband.
If those conditions were met, then she would marry the emperor.
Chhin Shih Huang Ti consented to the order without delay.
When all the requirements were met, then Meng Chiang climbed to the top of the altar, and in the presence of the emperor, he denigrated him before his court with a harsh speech for his wickedness and cruelty towards his people and then threw himself in the void from the top of the altar into the ravines of the river, dying instantly.
The emperor, in his fury, ordered the soldiers to collect Meng Chiang's body, cut it into pieces and destroy his bones until pulverized.
In doing so, the small pieces of Meng Chiang became platinum-colored fish in which the soul of the beautiful Meng Chiang continues to live.