Nüwa: The Mother of Humanity in Chinese Mythology
Introduction
In the realm of Chinese mythology, Nüwa (女媧) stands out as the foremost figure endowed with the ability to create and reproduce, often revered as the progenitor of humanity. Given the matriarchal tendencies of ancient Chinese society, her divine feminine essence established her as a significant deity. Her narratives frequently intertwine with China’s creation legend, notably in the tale of repairing the heavens following a colossal flood. Today, Nüwa retains her revered status, especially amongst women seeking divine intervention with marital and fertility-related matters. Artistic depictions typically illustrate her as a mystical being featuring a human visage and a serpentine shape, although she is occasionally represented simply in traditional hanfu attire.
Etymology
The name Nüwa encompasses the Chinese character for woman, nǚ (女), paired with a character exclusive to her, wā (媧). In various romanization formats, her name may also appear as Nü Gua or Nü Kua. Additionally, Nüwa is often venerated as wā huáng (媧皇), which directly translates to “Empress Huang.”
Family Legacy
Nüwa’s lineage traces back to her mother, the goddess Huaxu (华胥), who, during her cosmic journey, bore an unexpected pregnancy after stepping into a footprint left by Leigong (雷公), the thunder god. Nüwa is united in marriage to her sibling, Fuxi (伏羲). In several renditions of the creation story, Fuxi collaborates with Nüwa in the formation of humanity through their union and is credited with inventing various key aspects of early human civilization, such as hunting, cooking, and the Chinese writing system.
Family Tree
- Mother: Huaxu
- Brother: Fuxi (Consort)
Mythological Narratives
Two prominent retellings of China’s creation myth primarily feature Nüwa. The most widely recounted version details her unique approach to crafting humanity from the clay found by the riverside.
Crafting the People of Clay
Following the emergence of Pangu (盤古) from his mythical egg, the universe took shape, separating the earth from the heavens. The land became a verdant paradise brimming with mountains, rivers, and diverse wildlife. Amid this beauty, Nüwa felt intense solitude. To mitigate her loneliness, she ventured to the river and began sculpting figures from clay.
Initially, she molded simple shapes, such as chickens and sheep, but soon grew weary of these creations. Observing her own reflection in the water inspired her to design figures resembling herself. With newfound fervor, she sculpted figures complete with faces and limbs. Much to her delight, the figures sprang to life, communicating and dancing in her presence, leading her to name them humans (人). Overwhelmed with excitement, Nüwa continued creating until her hands were sore. Employing a rope, she fashioned additional figures, suggesting that noble lineages descended from her handcrafted creations, while those of commoner status emerged from her rope-sculpted figures.
The Union of Siblings
In an alternative narrative, a catastrophic flood annihilated humanity, sparing only Nüwa and her brother, Fuxi, who took refuge in a boat. Realizing their status as the last two humans, they wrestled with the ethical dilemma of procreation as siblings. Seeking divine insight, they engaged in a divination ritual. They ascended separate mountains, lighting fires as signals. If the smoke drifted straight up, they’d refrain from marrying; if it intertwined, it indicated they were meant to continue humanity. The entwined smoke affirmed their bond, and they married, ultimately repopulating the earth.
Repairing the Heavens
The early universe was a vastly different realm, its essence held up by four immense pillars. A fierce battle erupted between Gonggong (龔工), the water deity, and Zhurong (祝融), the fire god. Their clash wreaked havoc across the land, resulting in Gonggong’s defeat, which spurred him to strike the pillar, Buzhou mountain, in fury. This act caused a critical collapse, creating a gaping hole in the sky, leading to catastrophic flooding.
Witnessing the suffering of her creations, Nüwa took immediate action. She sought the aid of the sky turtle, Ao, persuading him to provide a miracle. Ao willingly sacrificed his four legs to assist Nüwa in her quest to mend the heavens. Utilizing five colored stones, she blended them to seal the sky’s breach and reestablish the fallen pillars, all while bearing the weight of the heavens and protecting the earth from ceaseless rain.
Historian Sima Qian (司馬遷) chronicled her valiant efforts, noting her restoration of balance between sky and earth, despite the mismatch in their alignment following her heroic undertaking. In some accounts, her labors led to her exhaustion and, ultimately, her demise.
Contemporary Relevance
Though the Cultural Revolution brought significant shifts to traditional belief systems in China, Nüwa remains a revered symbol in contemporary culture. Numerous temples celebrating Nüwa and Fuxi can be found across regions where Chinese is spoken, with the principal one located in Hebei Province, revered as humanity’s ancestral shrine.
Beyond religious contexts, Nüwa’s figure has been incorporated into modern video gaming, appearing in various titles where she is portrayed wielding weapons and embodying her mythological essence.
