MythsText

Nüwa Creates Mankind

In the primordial beginning, time and space remained unformed. The entire world was enveloped in a thick, impenetrable chaos where matter and energy intertwined like seething molten lava. There were no demarcations between heaven and earth, no distinctions between light and darkness. Only eternal silence and surging undercurrents persisted, resembling a colossal embryo pregnant with infinite possibilities.

On the summit of the towering Kunlun Mountains, veiled in a shroud of mist, Nüwa sat alone on a multicolored stone. Gazing at the nebulous expanse, a profound melancholy welled up within her. Without the undulations of mountains, the flow of rivers, or the presence of birds and beasts, the desolate stillness furrowed her brow deeper.

Nüwa embarked on a journey through the chaos, gliding on auspicious clouds. After an indeterminate span, the chaos began to transform, and the clear and turbid elements gradually separated. Passing through a region that was slowly clarifying, she encountered a vast, mirror - like expanse that reflected her form: a graceful figure, eyes brimming with vitality. A faint smile involuntarily played on her lips, but as she surveyed her surroundings, the smile faded. Despite the world taking shape, the boundless emptiness remained. “Even as the world takes form, its solitude is oppressive,” Nüwa sighed softly, and the idea of creating life sparked in her mind.

She descended to a place where land was beginning to emerge. The moist earth exuded a unique fragrance. Squatting down, Nüwa dipped her slender fingers into the soil and scooped up a handful of damp yellow clay. With meticulous care, she began to mold the clay in her hands, fashioning it in her own image. First, she shaped a round head, then delicately carved curved eyebrows, small eyes, a dainty nose, and a petal - pink mouth. Next, she formed a slender neck, rounded shoulders, and gradually added the limbs. As the figure of a small human took shape, Nüwa placed it gently on the ground with anticipation.

Miraculously, the lifeless clay figure’s eyes fluttered open the moment it touched the earth, glistening with a spark of life. It turned its head curiously, taking in the new world, then let out a clear “waa” and began to frolic around Nüwa, its short legs moving briskly. Overwhelmed with joy, Nüwa’s face lit up with a radiant smile, a sense of accomplishment swelling in her heart.

However, one human was far too lonely. Without rest, Nüwa continued her labor, her hands deftly shaping one clay figure after another. But the process was slow. Then, her gaze fell upon a supple vine. She plucked it, dipped it into the muddy slurry, and with a powerful swing, sent countless droplets flying. As these droplets landed, they transformed into lively humans—men and women, old and young. They laughed, ran, and played, instantly infusing the once - silent earth with vibrant life.

As the population of humans grew, Nüwa contemplated their long - term survival. She bestowed different characteristics upon men and women, taught them farming and weaving, and guided them in making a life on this land. She also established the institution of marriage, uniting men and women so that they could procreate and ensure the continuity of humanity from generation to generation.

Watching the teeming life on earth, Nüwa felt a profound sense of gratification. She knew that the humans she had created would compose their own glorious chapters in this world, and she would forever be remembered as the great goddess who brought them into existence.