Chinese mythology facts for kids

Zoomorphic guardian spirits of Day and Night, Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) Chinese paintings on ceramic tile

Chinese Mythology is a set of stories, beliefs, and gods originating from Ancient China.

Myths in China vary from culture to culture, the most common myths come from the Han culture. The current Chinese government recognizes fifty-six ethnic groups. Each group has their own language and mythology.

Creation

Chaos

Chaos is a term used in several Chinese creation myths. This term is used to describe what existed before the earth and heavens. Every myth has a different description of Chaos and what came after.

The Creation Myths

One creation myth places the universe begging as an egg. Pangu was born in the middle of this egg, known as the Cosmic Egg. Within the egg, Pangu grew 10 feet everyday for 18,000 years. His body began to turn into different parts of the visible universe. His right eye becoming the moon, and his left the sun. People were finally created when the wind touched the bugs on his skin. This myth is the last and largest account of the creation from a lost text titled Historical Records of the Three Sovereign Divinities and the Five Gods.

Nü Gua is a goddess in another creation myth where the commoners, or peasants, were created by her dragging a cord through the mud. The rich and powerful people were created from yellow clay molded like an artist with statues.

Another creation myth takes place in the land of Hun-Tun, Chinese for "Center" or "Chaos"; the meeting place of Hu, the emperor of the Northern Sea, and Shu, the emperor of the Southern Sea. Hun-Tun lacked the ability to eat, see, hear, or breathe. To repay the kindness of Hun-Tun, Hu and Shu gave him the necessary bodily holes for eating, seeing, hearing, and breathing. The world began after seven days, one for each hole, following the death of Hun-Tun.

Religions

The three religions of China had great influence over the government and people of Ancient China.

Buddhism

Buddhism originated in India as a belief of rebirth or reincarnation. Being would be reborn in different forms based on the lessons they learned while alive. In order to escape the endless cycle, one must reach Nirvana or enlightenment. Reaching Nirvana is the ultimate goal of a Buddhist.

Buddhism is believed to be responsible for bringing the concept of hell to Taoism. Hell is a place where individuals must complete tasks to repay for the sins committed during their lifetime.

Confucianism

In the philosophy or religion of Confucianism, everyone must live a moral and humane life. It is essential for every person in a society to know their place in the world; be it Father, Ruler, Wife, etc.

The way of life differs almost completely from Taoism. In Confucianism, the way of life can be known and should be done scientifically. Where as Taoism's way of life can never be known in its entirety. However, ideas of tradition and the honoring of tradition did not differ completely, therefore both religions easily coexisted.

Taoism

Also known as Daoism, Taoism is a school of thought or religion. Taoism is credited with advancements in medicine and alchemy as the Taoist priests were responsible for healing people.

The Dao, or the "way", is an idea which existed before and after creation. The Dao cannot be seen or heard. A persons ultimate goal is to return to the Dao. It is known as the beginning and the end to Taoists.

Gods

Creators

In some versions of Chinese Mythology, Pangu is the first living being and the creator of all things on earth.
Nü Gua the goddess who created man in one creation myth.

Animism is the personification of natural forces as gods.

List of Gods

Agriculture
- Shen Nong
- Lai Cho
- Liu Meng Jian-Zhun
- Mang Shen
- Ba Zha
- Bai Zhong
- Shui Fang
- Shui Yong
- Si Se
Heng o Goddess of the moon.
Cheng Huang God of walls and ditches.
Chih Nii Goddess of spinners, weavers, and clouds.
Chin Shu Pao Guardian God.
Chu Jung God of fire and executions.
Erh Lang Shape shape shifter against evil spirits.
Feng Po Po Goddess of winds.
Fu Hsi God of happiness.
Hou Chi God of Harvest.
Hsi Wang Mu The high Goddess.
Hsuan Tien Shang Ti God of Water.
Hu Tu Goddess of Earth.
I Ti God of wine.
Kuan Ti God of war.
Kuan Yin The Great Mother.
Kuei Hsing God of tests, exams, literature, and students.
Lau Tien Yeh The Jade Emperor.
Lei King God of Thunder.
Lo Shen Goddess of rivers.
Lu Hsing God of income and employment.
Lu Pan God of carpenters and masons.
Ma Ku Goddess of springtime.
Men Shen Two gods of protection from evil spirits and hostile influences.
Meng Po Niang Niang Goddess of past-lives.
Pa Goddess of droughts.
Pi Hsia Yuan Chin Goddess of childbirth and labor.
Sao Tsing Niang Goddess of the clouds.

Taoism

The Three Pure Ones are the holy trinity of Taoism

Buddhism

Laughing Buddha
Dizang
The Four Heavenly Kings
Gautama Buddha
Guanyin

Confucianism

No Deities exist within confucianism, as it is a philosophical, not theistic, religion.

The Eight Immortals

The Eight Immortals are not gods but ordinary men and women. They are rewarded immortality by the gods of Taoism for living according to the principals of Taoism.

Men
- Li Tieguai
- Zhongli Quan
- Cao Guojiu
- Han Xiang
- Lu Dong-Bin
- Zhan Guojiu
Women
- Lan Caihe
- He Xiangu

Creatures

Dragon

The dragon is included in most Chinese myths as a symbol of strength, goodness, and the spirit of change. In ancient China, the original Dragon flew by magic instead of wings and had the body of a snake with the head of a horse. In the center of its forehead was a pearl.

The Buddhists are credited with making the dragon an evil creature. They were said to be filled with evil spirits.

The original story of the Chinese dragon has changed over time. The original dragon was a water god. The later myths told, had two types of dragons. The first were the old, friendly dragons. The second type were the evil winged dragons as originally told by the Buddhists.

List of Dragons

The Green Dragon is the power of the east.
The Yellow Dragon is the power of the sky.
Blue Dragons shape shift into blue-skinned little boys.
The four dragon kings
- Ao Guang the dragon king of the eastern sea.
- Ao Chin the dragon king of the southern sea.
- Ao Jun the dragon king of the western sea.
- Ao Shun the dragon king of the northern sea.
Ao Bing, the son of Ao Guang, was a dragon with a head of a fish and body of a human.

Birds

List of Birds

The Red Bird is the power of the south.
The Phoenix is the emperor of all birds. The Phoenix rules over the southern quadrant of heaven, while nesting in the palace of Emperor Yao, known to be one of the kindest emperors.
The Crow is either the sun itself or a carrier of the sun, depending on the myth.
Geese are a symbol of marriage in Ancient China.

Images for kids

Nine Dragons, handscroll section, by Chen Rong, AD 1244, Song dynasty, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Bronze mirror with cosmological decoration from the Belitung shipwreck, including Bagua.
Tainan Madou Dai Tian Temple Eighteen Levels of Hell
Lamp Representing the Realm of the Queen Mother of the West (1st–2nd century CE)
Chi You
Nüwa and Fuxi represented as half-snake, half-human creatures.
Wen Chang, Chinese God of literature, carved in ivory, c. 1550–1644, Ming dynasty.
Boxwood statue of Avalokiteshvara (Guan-Yin)
Song wood Guanyin
Laughing Buddha statue
Altar to Guandi in a restaurant of Beijing
The Star God of Longevity, China, Ming dynasty, 16th century, glazed stoneware
Dish with Magu, deity of longevity, China, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, Qing dynasty, approx. 1700–1800 AD, porcelain with overglaze polychrome
Tang dynasty bronze mirror with design on back depicting moon goddess, partially-chopped tree, three-legged toad, and rabbit with mortar and pestle
Good-fortune three-legged toad with a reservoir for vermilion ink paste used for stamping seals
Porcelain bowl with dragon chasing a Flaming Pearl
Bronze mirror with birds from the Belitung shipwreck
Taotie ivory mask, Shang dynasty, twelfth or eleventh century BCE
Zhou dynasty ritual Gui (vessel) vessel (the "Kang Hou gui"), with inscription barely visible on inside bottom, British Museum
Xuanzang, Monkey King, and companions riding mythological turtle across a river as depicted on a Long Corridor mural, Beijing, China