Pangu (deity)
Pangu is a prominent deity in Chinese mythology known as the god of creation. According to Taoist legends, he is credited with separating heaven from earth, thus earning the title of the "father of humanity." The creation myth depicts Pangu as a giant who emerged from a cosmic egg, which contained the dual forces of Yin and Yang. Upon awakening, he used tools such as an axe to shape the world, pushing the sky upward and forming the earth underneath for eighteen thousand years. Upon his death, various elements of the universe were believed to have been created from his body—mountains from his limbs, rivers from his blood, and stars from his hair.
Pangu's story varies, with some depictions showing him as a dwarf, while others illustrate him as a giant with animalistic features. In addition to his role in creation, Pangu is associated with the changing of seasons and natural phenomena, reflecting his moods. His origins trace back to ancient times, with references appearing as early as the Three Kingdoms period. Pangu is venerated in various cultures within China, including the Miao and Yao ethnic groups, and worship continues at shrines like the Pangu King Temple in Guangdong. Overall, Pangu embodies a rich tapestry of mythological significance, representing both the creation and the ongoing cycles of nature.
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Pangu (deity)
Symbol(s): Turtle; Phoenix; Qilin; Dragon
Culture: Chinese
Pangu is the Chinese deity of creation. Taoist legends state that he separated heaven from the earth, and he was therefore considered to be the father of humanity. There are many versions of the creation myth that speak of Pangu as the supreme being who split the sky and the earth. In some accounts, he was depicted as a dwarf, but most stories showed Pangu as a giant with two horns, two tusks, and a hairy body. In some tales, he was even portrayed as a creature with the head of a dog and the body of a man. He was also shown to be holding a chisel, a hammer, or a giant axe—or in various tales of Chinese mythology, sometimes even an egg.
Chinese mythology indicates that in the beginning, there was only chaos, which fused together to form the cosmic egg. Yin and Yang, opposite forces in Chinese philosophy, were present within the egg, and when they became balanced, Pangu emerged from the shell. He then separated heaven from the earth by pushing the sky upwards. Then standing between them, he continued separating the two. Eventually, after engaging in this effort for eighteen thousand years, Pangu died. The world and humans were formed from the dying body of the first-born, semi-divine human Pangu. Some versions of the story state that Pangu was helped by four animals—namely, the turtle, phoenix, qilin (a mythical, hoofed, chimerical creature), and dragon in this task.
In Mythology
The most popular myth in which Pangu played a prominent role was the tale of the cosmological human body. This legend speaks of the origin of the universe that was made possible by Pangu. Some versions stated that he accomplished this task with the help of a turtle, phoenix, qilin, and dragon. The story states that at the beginning of time, there was nothing but chaos. But then, as time passed, this chaos consolidated to form the cosmic egg. Pangu was a giant sleeping within this egg, but he woke up when the opposite forces within the egg, known as Yin and Yang, became balanced. It was then that he emerged from the shell to create the universe.
He began creating the world by first separating Yin and Yang. With a swing of his axe, he created the earth (representing Yin) and the sky (representing Yang). Every passing day, the earth grew ten feet thicker while the sky grew ten feet higher. Pangu also grew taller by ten feet every day. In order to keep the sky and the earth separated, he stood between the two and kept pushing the sky upward. This process continued for eighteen thousand years. Pangu used his tools to shape the sky and the earth until they reached their present appearance. Exhausted by all the work, Pangu fell asleep and died.
The different features of the world were formed after Pangu’s death from various parts of his body. Wind and clouds were formed from his breath, his voice became thunder, the sun and moon were created from his eyes, and his limbs transformed into the mountains. His bodily fluids turned into rains and rivers, and his flesh became the soil. Stars were formed from his head hair, while his body hair became vegetation. Teeth, bones, and marrow became minerals. The fleas on his fur, which were carried by the wind, turned into animals. Eventually, while walking along a river, the goddess Nüwa shaped humans from the yellow sand found on the riverbank.
Some versions of the myth describe the four beasts that helped Pangu to create the universe. Qilins were mythical, chimerical creatures that were considered to be bearers of wisdom, and dragons were symbols of power. The turtle stood for strength and immortality, while the phoenix was seen as a symbol of rebirth. Some stories even attributed the changes in season and other phenomena to Pangu’s moods. It was believed, for example, that when he was glad, the day was bright, whereas his anger brought forth dark clouds. Similarly, when he opened his mouth, summer came, but then it became winter when he closed it.
Pangu was one among the orthodox pantheon of ten deities or mythical figures in Chinese mythology. The functions of the male deities were related to agriculture, war, cosmogony, and cultural benefits, whereas the female deities were considered to be saviors and nurturers. Pangu was the deity connected with cosmogony.
Origins and Cults
It is believed both that the first reference to Pangu was made during the period of the Three Kingdoms (220–280 CE) and that it was an indigenous myth. The story of the cosmological human body first appeared in Xu Zheng’s work Sanwu Liji. Some believe that the Pangu myth originated during the time of the western Zhou dynasty, whereas others have linked it to the ancestral myths of the Miao and Yao people of southern China. Traditional songs and tales show Pangu not only as the god who created the world but also as a hero who dispelled darkness and brought light to the universe. In addition to the Miao and Yao people, the ethnic Buyei community also considers Pangu to be its ancestor. Buyei mythology states that Pangu married the daughter of the Dragon King and that their union gave birth to the Buyei people.
Even though he has generally been described as a giant in a majority of the myths, Chinese art depicts him as a dwarf. He has been portrayed as a little person dressed in fur or leaves who is holding either a hammer or chisel—or at times, the cosmic egg of creation. Some artwork shows him working with his tools and creating the universe. In such art, he is often accompanied by four animals: turtle, qilin, dragon, and phoenix. Pangu is chiefly a Taoist deity, but he also appears among the Chinese Buddhist pantheon of gods. Pangu worship is prevalent at several shrines in present day China. Guangdong province in the northwest Huadu District is home to a temple dedicated to Pangu. The shrine, known as the Pangu King Temple, was constructed at the foot of the Pangu King Mountain in the year 1809.
Bibliography
Birrell, Anne. Chinese Mythology: An Introduction. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP. 1993. Print.
Cotterell, Arthur. Encyclopedia of World Mythology. London: Parragon, 2000. Print.
Fisher, Leonard. The Gods and Goddesses of Ancient China. 1st ed. New York: Holiday House Inc, 2003. Print.
Giles, Herbert. Religions of Ancient China. Whitefish: Kessinger Publishing, 2010. Print.
Lewis, Mark Edward. The Flood Myths of Early China. Albany: State U of New York P, 2006. Print.