故宮書畫錄(卷八),第四冊,頁123&*故宮書畫圖錄,第十三冊,頁249-250&* 西王母是古代神話中的女神,亦稱王母娘娘。據傳容貌絕世,有大群仙姬隨侍,並曾把三千年結果一次的蟠桃賜給漢武帝。後世的小說、戲劇多據此衍為蟠桃盛宴的故事。相傳農曆三月三日為王母聖誕,是日群仙皆來為之慶壽,王母在其所居瑤池,設蟠桃宴會,酬謝群仙。 《西遊記》第五回「亂蟠桃大聖偷丹,反天宮諸神捉怪」,就是據此傳說加以發展而成的熱鬧情節。 &* The Queen Mother of the West is a female spirit in ancient mythology also known as Queen Mother Goddess. Said to be a paragon of beauty, she had many female immortals in attendance. She gave the “flat peach” of immortality borne every 3,000 years to Emperor Wu-ti of the Han. Later novels and dramas often mention the story of the Flat Peach Banquet. The 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month is said to be the Queen Mother’s birthday, when immortals would all come and give blessings. The Queen Mother would hold the Flat Peach Banquet at her Gem (Yao) Pond residence in gratitude. In chapter 5 of Journey to the West is the raucous story of “Monkey King causes havoc, steals the ‘flat peach’, returns to the heavens, and spirits catch him.”