MythsText

The Legend of Nüwa Mending the Sky

Once upon a time, the world was newly created, and humans lived happily under the protection of Nüwa. As the creator of humanity, Nüwa shaped people from clay, giving them life.

However, disaster struck one day. A fierce battle between the water god Gonggong and the fire god Zhurong caused the sky to collapse and the earth to crack. The sky had a massive hole, and fires and floods wreaked havoc. Wild animals and monsters attacked humans, plunging the world into chaos.

Seeing her creations in such distress, Nüwa decided to take action. First, she asked the rain god to extinguish the fires. Then, she built boats to rescue people from the floods.

But the sky still had a gaping hole. Nüwa knew she had to mend it. She searched high mountains and found four-colored stones. After a long search, she found the last stone in a clear spring.

Nüwa melted the stones with divine fire for five days and nights. The molten stones turned into a thick liquid. She poured it into the sky, sealing the hole. The sky was mended, but she feared it might collapse again. So, she cut off the legs of a giant turtle and used them to prop up the sky. This caused the sky to tilt slightly to the northwest, making the sun, moon, and stars move westward.

Nüwa also killed a black dragon causing floods and used reed ashes to stop the water. With her efforts, the sky was repaired, the earth was calm, and people could live happily again.

Nüwa's story shows her bravery and wisdom. She sacrificed much to save humanity. It reflects ancient people's fear of natural disasters and their longing for heroes.