The Legend of Pan Gu Creating the World
Pan Gu is a pivotal figure in Chinese mythology, revered as the ancestral creator of the world and humanity. According to legend, before the formation of heaven, earth, and all things, the universe existed in a state of chaos, likened to a round egg. In this chaotic world, a giant named Pan Gu incubated in the darkness and chaos for 18,000 years. One day, he suddenly awakened and found himself surrounded by pitch-blackness. Using his massive axe, he split open the chaotic world, causing the darkness to disperse. Light and clear things gradually rose and became the sky, while heavy and turbid things sank and formed the earth. After separating heaven and earth, Pan Gu feared that they would come back together, so he stood between them, holding up the sky with his head and standing on the earth with his feet, changing with them as they transformed. Every day, the sky rose one zhang (about 3.3 meters), the earth thickened one zhang, and Pan Gu's body grew taller. Eventually, after many years, the sky and earth took shape, and Pan Gu grew exhaust- ed and fell to the ground. Pan Gu's massive body lay on the ground, creating a vibrant world. His breath became cold air and heat, blowing out as the winds of the four seasons and drifting clouds. The sound he made became the thunder, and his eyes became the sun and moon. His hair and beard transformed into the stars in the sky, while his skin became the vast earth. His limbs and trunk became the four poles of the earth and great mountains. His hair became flowers, plants, and trees, and his bones became gold and silver while his teeth turned into precious stones. His sweat became the rain and dew that nourished all things, and his blood became flowing rivers and seas. As a result, the world has sunshine and rain, rivers and lakes; everything grows; and humanity thrives.
Just as many countries and cultures, whether in the East or the West, have their own myths of how the world came into existence, this Chinese mythology details the ancient people's imaginative and romantic notion of how the universe was formed, while also embodying the Chinese people's yearning for enlightenment and their celebration of a selfless spirit.
盘古开天
盘古是中国神话里开天辟地创造人类世界的始祖，传说天地及万物都由其身躯和器官转化而成。相传很久以前， 天、地没有形成，宇宙混沌一片，就像一个浑圆的鸡蛋。 有个叫盘古的巨人，在这片黑暗和混沌中孕育了一万八千年。有一天，盘古突然醒来，见周围一片漆黑，就抡起大斧 头劈开了混沌的世界。黑暗渐渐散开，轻而清的东西，缓缓 上升，变成了天；重而浊的东西，慢慢下降，变成了地。天 地分开后，盘古怕它们还会合在一起，便头顶着天，脚蹬着 地，站在天地当中，随着它们的变化而变化。天每天升高一 丈，地每天增厚一丈，盘古的身体也跟着长高。又过了许多 年，天和地逐渐成形，盘古也精疲力竭，累得倒下了。他庞 大的身躯倒在大地上，创造出一个充满生机的世界：他的呼 吸变为寒暑，吹出的气息变成了四季的风和飘动的云；他发 出的声音化作了隆隆的雷声；他的双眼变成了太阳和月亮， 头发、胡须变成满天星辰；他的肌肤变成了辽阔的大地； 他的四肢和躯干化作大地的四极和五方的名山，汗毛化为 花草树木，骨骼化为金银，牙齿变成玉石；他的汗水化为滋润万物的雨露，血液化作奔流不息的江海……从此人世间便有了阳光雨露，大地上有了江河湖海，万物滋长，人类繁衍生息。
无论东方还是西方，很多国家和民族都有自己的创世纪传说。中国神话盘古开辟天地，反映出中国古人对于宇宙形成的浪漫想象，体现出中华民族向往光明、无私奉献的精神。
