China: Portrait of the Chinese mythical deity Pangu, from the Ming Dynasty encyclopedia Sancai Tuhui ('Illustrations of the Three Realms') Wang Qi, 1609

Pangu is a deity and mythical being in Chinese mythology. He is often depicted as a primitive and hairy giant with a horned head and covered in furs. In some versions, he is the first living being in the universe, and created everything from the formless chaos that predated existence. Within this chaos, a cosmic egg coalesced for about 18,000 years, with the opposed principles of Yin and Yang perfectly balanced within.

Pangu emerged from the egg, and began creating the world by cutting Yin and Yang with his giant axe, with the clear Yang becoming the sky while the earth was formed from the murky Yin. He stood between them and pushed up the sky to keep them separated for 18,000 years, until he eventually died. His breath became the wind and clouds; his voice became the thunder; his left eye the sun while his right eye became the moon; his head turned into the mountains and extremes of the world; his blood turned into rivers; his muscles became fertile land; his facial hair turned into the stars and Milky Way; his fur became the forests; his bones and marrow became the minerals and diamonds of the world; and the flea in his fur became the wild animals of the world.

Pangu is still worshipped at some shrines in contemporary China, usually alongside Taoist symbols. His most important shrine is perhaps the Pangu King Temple in Guangdong Province.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Credit:

Pictures From History