Chinese Mythology

Discover Chinese myths! Learn about gods, heroes, and festivals.

Hou Yi Archer god Pangu Created the universe Sun Wukong Monkey King Nezha Protection god of teenagers and drivers Guanyin Goddess of Mercy Mazu Goddess of the sea Dragon King God of the four seas Nuwa Creator of Mankind Jade Emperor Ruler of Heaven Change'e Moon goddess Change'e drank husband's immortality elixir Guanyin allowed herself to be killed and came back from heaven enlightened Mazu mute girl who could see the future Sun Wukong trickster; can transform Nugua prayed to by women who have fertility or family issues Hou Yi Shot 9 suns out of the sky Pangu died after holding up the sky for 18,000 years Nezha wears Wind Fire Wheels on his feet Jade Emperor assigned animals to the zodiac Dragon King has bright red skin; a symbol of good fortune Yang heaven light male aggressive warm Yin Earth dark female passive cool In the beginning, an egg contained the entire universe. Eventually, Pangu was born and separated the earth and heaven. When he died, his body became the rest of the universe. Nugua made people. She formed them from clay from the Yellow River. When she got tired of sculpting, she used a rope to throw pieces of clay. The monster Gong-gong tore a hole in the sky, so Nugua had to fix it. At one point, there were 10 suns instead of only 1. They had fun taking turns across the sky, but one day decided to all go at once. This scorched the earth and many people died from starvation. Hou Yi came to help. He used his bow to shoot 9 of the suns out of the sky. One day, in a village at the base of Precious Stone Mountain, people noticed that the sun no longer shone. The world became dark and cold. Demons and ghosts came out to make trouble in the endless night. Liu Chun, a young farmer, went to see an elder who was 180 years old. He said that the Demon King stole the sun. So Liu Chun told his wife, Hui Niang, that he had to go get the sun. She made him a padded jacket and some sandals made from a lock of her hair and some hemp. A golden phoenix accompanied Liu Chun on his journey. When the phoenix came back, and she saw a bright star in the sky, Hui Niang knew that her husband had died and she fainted. When she woke up, she found that she had given birth to an infant son whom she named Bao Chu. He grew very fast and was eventually 18 feet tall. He decided to go find the sun and told his mother not to cry because her tears would weaken him. Hui Niang gave Bao Chu a jacket and sandals and let him go on his way. Bao Chu and the phoenix headed east. They walked over 18 cliffs and 19 precipices and became very worn and haggard. When he stumbled into a village, the people took pity on him and made him a new jacket from pieces of cloth. They called it the 100-family coat. They left the village and reached a wide river. Bao Chu stepped in and started to cross. Huge waves went over him and whirlpools caught him, but he pressed on. When he could finally see the other side, a frigid wind swept over the river and froze the water around Bao Chu, imprisoning him. He didn't freeze because his coat kept him and the phoenix warm. He broke out of the ice and made his way to the other side of the river. They came to another village whose occupants were so poor that they could only give him a bag of their soil. They walked on and climbed 99 mountains and swam 99 rivers until they came to a fork in the road. An old woman approached him and told him to go to the right if he wanted to find the sun. The phoenix attacked the woman and scratched at her face. It tried to get in Bao Chu's way so that he couldn't go on. He came to a thriving village where people were happy and well-fed. They had a feast for him, and when Bao Chu lifted his wine bowl, the phoenix dropped one of his father's sandals into it. He yelled at the villagers and they disappeared, only to be replaced by ghosts and demons. Bao Chu went back and took the road to the left. The demons tried to stop his progress by turning themselves into high mountains and wide rivers. That didn't stop him. They even went and told his mom that he had died, but she refused to cry because she knew that would weaken her son. Every day, Hui Niang went to the top of Precious Stone Mountain and placed flat rocks on top of each other so she could look farther out to the east to see if the sun was rising. Finally, Bao Chu reached the sea. He poured the soil from his bag into the water and a wind came and transformed it into a chain of islands that went out to the middle of the sea. He went from island to island until he came to the last one. It sank to the bottom of the sea where there was a cave guarded by demons. Bao Chu knew he had to defeat the King of Evil to get the sun out. They fought so violently that waves on the surface of the water were 100 feet high. Finally, Bao Chu punched the King in his nose and the phoenix scratched at his eyes. The King crashed into a boulder and died. The rest of the demons and ghosts scattered while he opened the cave and took out the sun. Bao Chu raised the sun to the surface as the phoenix took it on his wings to push it into the sky. Bao Chu died of exhaustion. The sun went back into the sky and the phoenix returned to Hui Niang. She knew that her son died, but she was very proud of him because he became a great hero. A pagoda now stands where the phoenix landed and it is called Bao Chu Pagoda. Wood green scales growth, creativity, kindness compassionate, adaptable, gentle Fire red scales passion, enthusiasm, leadership impulsive, ambitious, inspiring, energetic Water blue scales wisdom, resourcefulness, able to navigate challenges intuitive, mysterious Metal white scales power, authority, justice decisive, strong-willed, regal Earth yellow scales reliability, practicality, calm grounded nature, patience, loyalty Dragon Boat Festival -According to Qu Yuan, why had he become so "down and out"? Because he was exiled Because his favorite team lost Because all the world is muddied, and only I am clear Because the weather was gloomy According to legend, what had eaten the rice sacrificed by peasants? Water monsters Birds Fish Crustaceans How long has the Dragon Boat Festival been celebrated in China? Around 500 years More than 2,000 years More than 5,000 years Less than 100 years How was the rice meant to be sealed to prevent it from being eaten? Put in a jar and sealed with wax Wrapped in banana leaves Encased in a clay pot Bamboo leaves in a pyramid shape and tied with colorful string What did peasants throw into rivers as an offering to Qu Yuan? Rice balls Pearls Flowers Coins What news did Qu Yuan receive that devastated him? His house was robbed The Qin army now occupied the Chu capital His best friend moved away He failed an exam What river did Qu Yuan drown himself in? Miluo River Yangzi River Yellow River Pearl River What role did the phoenix play in Chu culture? Guarding against evil monsters Leading boat races Escorting the deceased to heaven Building magnificent fleets What was Qu Yuan deeply concerned about in relation to the Chu court? Overpopulation The weather Weakened Chu court Trade with other kingdoms The Mid-Autumn FestivalDuring which dynasty was the 15th day of the eighth month declared Mid-Autumn Festival? Tang Dynasty Song Dynasty Qing Dynasty Han Dynasty What do families traditionally offer to the Moon Goddess during the Mid-Autumn Festival? Round fruits and flowers Gold and silver Incense and moon cakes Tea and wine What flower flavors the tea traditionally consumed during the Mid-Autumn Festival? Jasmine Lavender Osmanthus Rose What is the significance of appreciating the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival? To bring a good harvest To honor ancestors To celebrate the change of seasons To commemorate historical figures What is the significance of the date of the Mid-Autumn Festival changing each year? It marks the lunar new year It aligns with different moon phases It corresponds to the Chinese zodiac It reflects the lunar calendar What is the significance of the moon's round shape during the Mid-Autumn Festival? Luck and prosperity Long life and health Fertility and abundance Togetherness and unity What is the significance of the red lanterns used during the Mid-Autumn Festival? They symbolize the moon They bring good luck and happiness They honor the Moon Goddess They represent abundance and fertility What type of filling is traditionally found in moon cakes? Ice cream and chocolate Fruits and green tea Lotus seed or red bean paste Custard and coconut