ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ye Xian

Let me tell you a story about a girl named Ye Xian. She lived in ancient China and was very kind and hardworking. Her father had passed away when she was young, and her stepmother and stepsister treated her very badly.

Despite this, Ye Xian would often go fishing and share what she caught with her stepfamily. One day, while she was fishing, she caught a beautiful fish that spoke to her and asked her to spare its life. Ye Xian did as the fish asked and let it go.

A few days later, there was a big celebration in the kingdom, and Ye Xian was not allowed to attend. But as she sat alone, the fish she had spared appeared to her, revealing itself to be a magical creature. It gave Ye Xian a beautiful dress and shoes made of gold, so she could go to the celebration in style.

At the celebration, Ye Xian catches the eye of the prince, who is captivated by her beauty. They dance all night, but when the clock strikes midnight, Ye Xian remembers that the magical dress and shoes will only last until then. She runs away, losing one of her golden shoes in the process.

The prince searches for Ye Xian but cannot find her, so he puts out a call for all the women in the kingdom to try on the golden shoe. When the shoe finally reaches Ye Xian's village, her stepsister tries to wear it but fails. Ye Xian tries it on and it fits perfectly, revealing her true identity to the prince. They live happily ever after.

So, Ye Xian is a Chinese fairy tale about a kind and hardworking girl who is rewarded for her compassion by a magical fish. She gets to go to a big celebration, meets the prince, but has to leave before midnight, dropping one of her golden shoes in the process. The prince eventually finds her by having all the women in the kingdom try on the shoe, and Ye Xian gets to live happily ever after.