Chinese creationism

In Chinese mythology, the Chinese creation story explains the beginning of the universe. It begins with a black egg in which the Earth, heavens, and Pangu exist together as one. Pangu cracks open the egg, thus creating the universe. Pangu then creates Earth and Sky. Nüwa made the first members of mankind from yellow clay. Note however that this story is a relatively late addition (after 200 AD during the East Han Dynasty) to the Chinese mythological cycle (see Pangu and Nüwa). Some scholars have suggested that early Chinese mythology is unique in not having any creation epic.

A Sketch from the Genesis in Pantao Yen Log.

In Scroll One Chapter One of Pantao Yen Log or The Feast of Immortal Peaches, Daozu Lao Tsu (道祖老子) introduced the genesis starting with the definition of Tao, in simpler less ambiguous descriptions than the starting chapter in Tao Te Ching. Tao according to Daozu is the infinite primodial wuji, out of which a supra-being Xuanxuan Shangren (玄玄上人) was incubated. At the same time the cardinal south crystalized another supra-being Chi Jingzi (赤精子), cardinal north Shui Jingzi (水精子), cardinal east Mugong (木公), cardinal west Jinmu (金母), in the cardinal center Huanglao (黃老) were formed, collectively also revered as the Five Olds (五老) as all are over ten thousand years old.

Creation of lives including man was by Jinmu and Mugong after they breathed qi into an incubator ding. A male and female child were born from this breath of life. The excess qi escaped and became other forms of lives on earth. Supra-beings such as Xuanxuan Shangren and the Five Olds were not Yuanren beings but more primordial concepts of creation.

In a follow up book called Tiantang Yiuchi 天堂遊記 the same creation story was narrated and given more details in Chapter Four and Chapter Seven. Xuanxuan Shangren transformed into the Three Pure Ones and again transformed to the Five Olds or Five Supremes(see reference) before the first man and woman were incubated. They were allegorically the same as Pangu from the Chinese mythology and Adam and Eve of Christianity. And it was further explained by Daozu Lao Tsu who is Tai Ching 道德天尊 that the 9.6 Billion original souls Yuanling 原靈, were produced and multiplied from the first man and woman. The fall of man was given an explanation as these yuanling were muddied on earth.

Reference

passage from Chapter Four...即是「玄玄上人」，又稱「元始天王」。因位居至上，又稱「上帝」。又為萬物之始祖，...運轉既滿週圓，氣自分散，故化三清：玉清元始天尊、上清靈寶天尊、太清道德天尊，玄、元、始三位一體，三我既成，三清分化有形，清輕之氣上昇，而子會開天，日月星現，三寶完成。天尊位居三清，再化五老：東華木公、西華金母、南華火精、北華水精、中華黃老，五老既成，而五行全，重濁之氣下降，丑會地闢生。...

External links

• Chinese story of creation
• The Ancient Chinese Language reads their beliefs of creation
• Tiantang YiuChi 天堂遊記

	Topics in Chinese mythology
	General topics:	Creation myth · Astrology · Dragons · Religion in China Folk religion ·List of deities · I Ching
	Important beings:	Deities · Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors · Eight Immortals
	Mythical creatures:	Xuán Wǔ · Qīng Lóng · Bái Hǔ · Zhū Què Qilin · Fenghuang · Hu li jing · Shi List of mythical creatures
	Mythical places:	Xuanpu · Yaochi · Fusang · Queqiao Penglai · Longmen · Diyu
	Literary sources:	Shan Hai Jing · Shui Jing Zhu · Ten Brothers · Hei'an Zhuan Fengshen Yanyi · Journey to the West · Baishe Zhuan Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio

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