There are many Chinese creation myths. One of the most popular is the story of Pangu. Pangu is also spelled as Pan Gu. As the Chinese culture and the people tried to decode the mystery of creation, many theories and myths came up. This mythological character is believed to be the first-ever living creator to exist. He is also said to be a giant in stature. The story dates back to 200AD-500AD. Pangu is solely a character in the Taoist belief but appears in Buddhist mythology. The story has been passed on from generation to generation.
Who is Pangu?
Pangu is believed to be the creator of the world. The tale claims that the world was formless and void. The only existence was a cosmic egg that contained a sleeping giant inside. The egg existed for over 18000 years. In the universe existed two opposing forces namely Yin and yang. The two forces represented a thing and its opposite for example, dark and light. When the two forces balanced, a giant, horned and hairy creature awoke from the egg. Some legends narrate that the breakage of the egg was a result of Pangu’s stretching while inside. The remains of the broken egg formed the sky and the earth.
Pangu became the ultimate supreme creature that is referred to as Tai Chi or Taiji. He is believed to have owned a giant axe. This axe was used in the creation of the world. Pangu died after 18000 years and the world’s physical features emerged from his body. He was already a giant when he awoke from the cosmic egg. It is believed that he grew 10 feet every day. His growth went on for the 18000 years of his existence. Pangu is illustrated in ancient Chinese art as a small creature who worked in the company of four supernatural creatures: the unicorn, phoenix, dragon, and tortoise.
What is Pangu the god of?
Pangu is a Chinese deity who is attributed to the origin of the earth. Pangu is believed to be the god of the universe. Pangu is believed to be a two-horned, hairy god who single-handedly created the earth’s form with his tools and axe. He lived alone in the universe for 18000 years while chiseling the earth to its current form.
The knowledge of Yin and Yang is attributed to Pangu’s ability to perfectly chisel the earth. Another version of the Pangu’s legend claims that the earth came to be after the death of Pangu. His remains are said to have evolved into various features of the earth such as rocks, rivers, mountains, clouds, wind, and so much more. Pangu is illustrated holding a symbol of the Yin Yang. This symbol has two different shades. One shade is bright while the other shade is black. This depicts the perfect opposites of all things.
What Does Pangu Do?
According to the legend, Pangu is the sole creator of the earth. When he awoke from the cosmic egg, the remains of his egg became the earth and the sky. The two opposing forces of yin and yang came into existence. He first separated the yin from the yang using his giant axe. He then stood between them to keep them separate.
The taller he grew, the further the sky stretched. He then stretched the earth further using his tools and chiseled it to its present form. He stacked the mountains and placed the galaxy in its place. Pangu separated the four seas. His body became part of the earth after he died.
Pangu and the Creation of the world
The legend of creation has been narrated and modified. Some narratives claim that he created the physical features, while others claim that his body became the physical features after his death. The tale of Pangu has been retained for thousands of years. When Pangu awoke from his egg, the egg remains formed the sky and the earth. The separation of yin and yang followed. Pangu did this using his axe. He then stood between the forces to separate them.
Pangu took up his chiseling tools and further stretched the earth. He perfected the shape with the help of his four supernatural creatures. As the legend goes, Pangu became exhausted from his work of creation for 18000 years. He collapsed and died. It is believed that his bones became the rocks, his breath formed the wind, mist, and clouds, his eyes became the sun and the moon, his blood formed the rivers, and his head became the mountains.
Some tales claim that Pangu created the galaxy, the sun, and the moon and placed them in place, while others claim that his facial hair made up the galaxy. His fur formed the bushed and forests and the fleas on his body became wild animals. Other narrations say that human beings formed from some of the parasites in Pangu’s body.
Pangu Axe Mythology
Pangu’s axe is a significant item in the Chinese creation legend. The axe is believed to have been used to separate the world. When Pangu awoke from his egg, he found chaos and darkness. He used his axe to split into the darkness. This led to the separation of the sky and the world. The exact origin of the axe is not known. It is believed that Pangu and his axe lay in the cosmic egg. His giant axe is believed to be stored somewhere in the universe awaiting its master to come into being to gain its power.
Conclusion
The legend of Pang Gu remains to be sensational to date. Other creation mythologies include the tale of Nu Kua, the female creator who created the earth and human beings from molding mud. She is said to have dipped a rope in the mud and lifted it after her exhaustion from molding with yellow earth. The dripped mud from the rope became human beings. Her story is closely linked to the Genesis story in the Bible. Pangu continues to be the most upheld creation myth.
