CHENG-O
Real Name:
Heng-O
Occupation:
Goddess of the moon
Legal Status:
Citizen of Ta-Lo
Identity: The general populace of Earth is unaware of the existence of Cheng-o except as a mythological deity.
Other Aliases:
Chengo (alternate spelling)
Place of Birth:
Marital Status: Separated
Known Relatives:
Shun (father, deceased), Chang-Xi (mother), Qui (uncle), He-Bo (brother), Fu-Fei
(sister-in-law), Yi (half-brother/
ex-husband), nine half-brothers (names unrevealed, deceased), Xihe
(step-mother), Yao (maternal grandfather), Yu-Huang
(ancestor),
Group Affiliations: The Gods of China
Base of Operations:
First Appearance: Cheng-O has yet to be seen in the Marvel or DC Universes
History: Cheng-O is a member of the Xian, an extra-dimensional race of beings who were once worshipped as gods by the Ancient Chinese races of earth. Although not as worshipped as much as she once was, worship of the Chinese Gods, or Taoism, is still a revered religion in China into recent years, with practices and rituals that have changed little over thousands of years.
Cheng-O is the daughter of the deified Chinese Emperor, Shun (Di Jun) who ruled China around the 22nd Century BC, and Chang-Xi, the moon-goddess, daughter of Emperor Yao, believed to be one of the Chinese gods. Yao had adopted Shun and gave him one of his daughters to take as a wife, but Shun in great wisdom could not risk the chance of offending either sister and married them both. Xi-He, the sun-goddess, conceived him ten sons who all grew up to be mighty gods of the sun, while Chang-Xi gave birth to a daughter, Chang-Xi, and a son, He-Bo, the river-god. Among all of Shun's sons, Yi was the most admired of the Chinese gods, defending China from threats by demons and monsters. When China became flooded by successive rains from heaven, Yi came to slay He-Bo to keep him from flooding, by Cheng-O offered to be his wife if he would spare her brother. Yi relented and took Cheng-O as his bride.
Shun then called upon his sons by Xi-he to descend from heaven and unite their power to dry the earth after the flood, but the combined power of all the sun-gods was more than he had expected and a serious drought occurred, drying and scorching crops and burning everything in flames. Yi in his haste then slew all his brothers with arrows to stop them from setting the world aflame. Although he saved China, he was penalized for the murders by having his godhood removed and being made mortal. As his wife, Cheng-O also had to suffer his disgrace and became mortal as well, departing Ta-Lo, the realm of the Chinese gods, and being made to live on earth.
Although Yi was content to live on Earth, Cheng-O felt she was not suited to live among earth and traveled west to meet Xi Wang Mu, the Queen of the Chinese Gods, who owned the P'an T'ao, the golden apples of immortality, which granted the Chinese gods their youth and eternal life. Cheng-O petitioned the gods for the chance to regain her immortality and was granted an elixir made from the golden apples, enough for both Cheng-O and Yi to become gods once more.
For reasons that have never been made clear, Cheng-O drank
both portions of the elixir herself. Whether Yi had chose not to give up his
life on earth or whether Cheng-O had become selfish is unrevealed, but when
Yu-Huang, Ruler of the Chinese Gods, learned what had happened, he cast a spell
that forced Yi and Cheng-O to share their godhood, requiring only one of them
could be a god at one time. He split the day between them so that Yi dominated
the day and Cheng-O dominated the day. Though still married to each other,
Cheng-O and Yi chose to live apart, despite still being in love with each other.
Although Yi is content to live on earth, Cheng-O now resides in Ta-Lo.
Height: 5' 7"
Weight: 325 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Strength Level: Cheng-O possesses superhuman strength enabling her to
lift (press) 25 tons under optimal conditions.
Known Superhuman Powers: Cheng-O possesses the conventional physical attributes
of the Xian or Chinese gods. Like all Chinese Gods, she is extremely long-lived,
but she is not immortal like the Olympian gods. She has aged at an extremely
slow rate since
reaching adulthood and cannot die by any conventional means. She is immune to all
Earthly diseases and is resistant to conventional injury. If she were somehow
wounded, her godly life force would enable her to recover with superhuman speed. It
would take an injury of such magnitude that it dispersed a major portion of her
bodily molecules to cause her a physical death. Even then, it might be possible for
a god of significant power, such as Yu-Huang, Yu-Qiang or for a number of
Chinese gods of equal power working together to revive her. Cheng-O also possesses
superhuman strength and her Xian metabolism provides her with far greater than
human endurance in all physical activities. (Xian flesh and bone is about three
times as dense as similar human tissue, contributing to the superhuman
strength and weight of the Chinese Gods.)
Cheng-O also possess the ability to tap into and manipulate certain powers akin to lunar phenomenon, such as elevating herself upon beams of moonlight and illuminating herself in a soft aura of silver light resembling moonlight. She can also create illusions, casting her image across the night sky, and project beams of energy that can bind and carry other people and objects. Her full range of power is unrevealed; she can only summon her power at night and they tend to wane closer to dawn.
Abilities: Cheng-O is adept in a form of unarmed combat
resembling mortal Ninjitsu with elements of karate and judo.
Pets: Cheng-O keeps a couple of rabbits as pets.
Limitations: Cheng-O is only able to wield her godly
powers at night in the absence of sunlight. Furthermore, when she is in any
other realm other than Ta-Lo during daylight, she appears as a very old woman,
but during night time, she gains her full power, youth, vitality and resistance
to harm. Furthermore, any physical injuries she incurs while in her vulnerable
form can be completely removed from her once she regains her godly attributes.
However, when she is in Ta-Lo, she always appears in her true godly form, but
she is not able to command her godly powers.
Comments: This bio basically encapsulates Cheng-O's known mythological
history; she has not yet been seen in the Marvel or DC Universes. She could be
behind the scenes of Thor's
visit to Ta-Lo in Thor I #301.
Clarifications: Cheng-O is not to be
confused with:
Last updated: 05/30/07