Chinese Mythology: Pangu Creates The World

The legend of Pangu creating the world is one of the most famous stories in ancient Chinese mythology. It carries the ancients’ endless imagination and exploration of the origin of the universe and the birth of mankind.

1. The origin and background of the legend
   The legend of Pangu creating the world was first seen in “Sanwu Li Ji” written by Xu Zheng of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. In this ancient book, Xu Zheng constructed a magnificent picture of the beginning of chaos and the birth of heaven and earth with rich imagination and profound philosophy. This legend not only reflects the ancient people’s simple understanding of the formation of the universe, but also expresses their awe and worship of natural forces.
2. The main content of the legend
3. Chaos began, Pangu was born
   In ancient times, the universe had not yet formed, and the world was not divided. The whole world was in chaos, like a huge egg, pitch black, unable to distinguish up and down, left and right, and there were no sun, moon, and stars. However, in this chaos, a great life was born-Pangu. He slept in this chaotic “egg” for countless tens of thousands of years, until one day, he suddenly woke up and found that it was pitch black and hot all around, so he decided to use his own power to change everything.
4. Pangu opened the sky and split the chaos with an axe
   After waking up, Pangu found himself in a small space and could not stretch his hands and feet. He angrily grabbed a large axe that he was born with and chopped around with all his strength. There was a loud bang, deafening, and the chaotic “egg” suddenly broke. The light and clear things in it slowly rose and became the sky; the heavy and turbid things slowly sank and became the earth. Pangu’s axe not only split the chaos, but also created a new era for all things in the world.
5. Stand up to the sky and stabilize the world
   When the world was first opened, it was not stable, and Pangu was worried that they would close together again. So, he resolutely stood between the world like a pillar with his head on the sky and his feet on the ground. He grew one zhang taller every day, and the sky also rose one zhang taller, and the earth also grew one zhang thicker. In this way, Pangu used his body to support the heaven and earth, allowing them to gradually stabilize. After countless tens of thousands of years of hard work, the heaven and earth finally stabilized and no longer closed. And Pangu, in this process, became a giant who stood tall and upright.
6. Pangu became everything and created the world
   After the heaven and earth were stable, Pangu also exhausted all his strength and finally fell to the ground. However, his death was not the end, but the beginning of another form. Pangu’s body underwent tremendous changes after his death: his left eye became a bright red sun, and his right eye became a silver moon; his hair and beard became shining stars; his head and hands and feet became the four poles and mountains of the earth; his blood became rivers and lakes; his tendons became roads; his muscles became fertile land; his skin and sweat hair became flowers, plants and trees; his teeth and bones became precious minerals such as gold and silver treasures. Pangu’s body thus became everything and created this colorful world.
7. The significance and value of legends
8. Exploration of the origin of the universe
   The legend of Pangu creating the world is a simple and bold exploration of the origin of the universe by the ancients. In ancient times when science and technology were not yet developed, people could not use scientific means to explain the birth and evolution of the universe, so they could only express their imagination and speculation in the form of myths and legends. This legend not only reflects the ancients’ awe and worship of natural forces, but also shows their spirit of courage to explore and dare to imagine.
9. Praise for human creativity
   In the legend, Pangu is not only a hero who created the world, but also a god who created all things. He used his wisdom and strength to create the world and all things, providing the necessary conditions for human survival and reproduction. This legend not only praises Pangu’s creativity and selfless dedication, but also inspires people to be brave in creation, dare to innovate, and contribute their own strength to the progress and development of society.
10. Promotion of cultural inheritance
    As an important part of ancient Chinese mythology, the legend of Pangu creating the world not only enriches the connotation and extension of Chinese culture, but also promotes the inheritance and development of culture. This legend has been praised and interpreted by literati and poets of all generations, forming a rich and colorful literary and artistic works. At the same time, it has also become one of the important symbols of the cultural identity of the Chinese nation, enhancing the cohesion and centripetal force of the nation.

IV. Conclusion
The legend of Pangu creating the world is one of the treasures in ancient Chinese mythology. It has attracted the attention and love of countless people with its unique charm and profound connotation. This legend not only allows us to appreciate the imagination and exploration of the ancients on the origin of the universe and the birth of mankind, but also allows us to feel the greatness and infinite possibilities of human creativity.