Knowra Nüwa Nüwa Nüwa is a Chinese goddess credited in myth with creating humanity and repairing the damaged sky. She is often depicted with a human upper body and a serpent’s lower body.
Creation of humanity by Nüwa : A Chinese myth in which Nüwa fashions people from yellow earth or creates them by sprinkling mud. This is Nüwa’s defining account of how human beings came into the world.
Fuxi : A culture hero and deity in Chinese tradition, associated with civilization, divination, and paired depictions with Nüwa. Fuxi is Nüwa’s frequent counterpart in origin stories and ritual imagery.
Chinese iconography of Nüwa : The visual conventions used to depict Nüwa, including her human-serpent form and association with Fuxi. Her recurring image conveys divine power and links her to accounts of human origins.
Nuwa and Fuxi creation myth : A Chinese origin narrative in which Nüwa and Fuxi become the ancestors of humanity after a great flood. This account differs from versions in which Nüwa creates people directly from earth.
Nüwa mends the sky : A Chinese myth in which Nüwa repairs a damaged sky with five-colored stones and restores cosmic order. The tale gives Nüwa a second role as protector of the world she inhabits.
Pangu : A giant in a Chinese cosmogonic myth whose death gives rise to features of the natural world. Pangu’s story offers a different account of cosmic beginnings alongside Nüwa’s creation narratives.
Han dynasty stone reliefs : Carved stone images produced in China during the Han dynasty, often depicting myths, rituals, and cosmological themes. Han reliefs preserve prominent visual representations of Nüwa and Fuxi.
Pangu creation myth : A Chinese cosmogonic narrative in which Pangu separates heaven and earth and his body becomes parts of the world. It centers on the world’s formation, while Nüwa’s best-known stories focus on humanity and repair.
Gonggong : A Chinese water deity whose conflict with Zhuanxu is said to have damaged a pillar supporting the sky. In one account, Gonggong’s defeat causes the catastrophe Nüwa must repair.
Chinese mythology : The diverse body of traditional Chinese stories about gods, spirits, heroes, and the origins of the world. Nüwa’s identity and stories draw meaning from this wider mythological tradition.
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