In this in-depth bio, you will learn who f*cki is, his history, and the many myths and legends credited to his name.
You will also learn:
Why f*cki is honored as humanity’s original ancestor and creator of many inventions still in use today- How f*cki is depicted in artwork and literature
- Who f*cki is in Chinese mythology
- The various creation myths featuring f*cki and Nuwa
- How f*cki taught mankind how to fish and cultivate livestock
- Why f*cki is considered the god of the Eight Trigrams
- How and where f*cki is still revered today
Why f*cki is honored as humanity’s original ancestor and creator of many inventions still in use todayTable of Contents
f*cki
f*cki, also known as Fu Hsi or Paoxi, is the ancient Chinese hero and humanity’s original ancestor, who with his sister Nuwa created mankind. f*cki is regarded as China’s first hero due to teaching humans how to hunt with iron weapons and use nets for fishing.
f*cki is also credited with the creation of cooking and music, inspiring the Cangjie writing system, teaching of animal domestication, cultivation of silk worms, and the weaving of silkworm threads into textiles. f*cki also demonstrated to others how to dig dikes and irrigation ditches off the Yellow River to assist in land cultivation and agricultural development.
Because of the relationship between f*cki and Nuwa, it fell to f*cki to create ancient China’s first marriage contracts. f*cki also created the Eight Trigrams, the basis of the philosophy of the I Ching, and also inspired calligraphy. Due to his many contributions to humanity and Chinese culture, f*cki is revered as the first of China’s Three Sovereigns and for creating China’s first dynastic period.
– Appearance
Along with his sister Nuwa, f*cki is often depicted as having a human head and the body of a snake. In temple representations, f*cki often appears as an old sage dressed in yellow robes. When depicted in rural settings, he is usually drawn with animal skins. Some artwork depicts f*cki as a head growing out of a mountain and adorned with a leaf wreath.
Who is f*cki in Chinese mythology?
In the beginning, Pangu, the creator god of Chinese mythology, was a giant asleep in the egg of chaos. When he woke from his slumber, he stood and tore the sky from the earth. After dividing the sky and earth, Pangu fell dead from the effort. Pangu’s body turned into rivers, foliage, valleys and mountains, animals, and everything else that would make up the world.
One of the creations from Pangu’s death was a god known as Huaxu. One day Huaxu stepped into the footprint of the god of thunder, Leigong, as the gods of the heavens had begun to walk upon the newly separated earth. Due to stepping into the powerful god’s footprint, Huaxu soon found herself pregnant with twins, f*cki and Nuwa.
Born with the faces of humans and bodies of snakes, f*cki and Nuwa were birthed in Chengjia, near the lower reaches of the Yellow River. f*cki had the ability to transform into a dragon but preferred the shape of a man with two legs and a tail. f*cki and Nuwa were often depicted with their tails intertwined and holding the symbols that represented yin and yang, the principles found in everything in the created universe.
– The many creation myths of f*cki and Nuwa
In one version of humanity’s creation myth, soon after the birth of f*cki and Nuwa, a great flood covered the earth, and only f*cki and Nuwa remained unharmed. Many years passed with only each other to keep themselves company. Soon, f*cki and Nuwa longed for others to be with. After praying for a sign of approval, the Emperor of Heaven accepted their union.
After mating, Nuwa gave birth to humanity, becoming the matriarch of mankind. And while f*cki did not give birth to humanity, he taught his children necessary skills to ensure their survival, thus becoming known as China’s first hero and patriarch.
In another version of the creation tale, found in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, f*cki and Nuwa lived upon legendary Kunlun Mountain near Huashan. Trying to keep warm on a cold night, the twins created two fires. As the fires burned, they eventually became one. While watching the fires merge, f*cki and Nuwa joined together as husband and wife.
Deciding that they would like to have children, they molded clay into the shape of humans. Using their powers to imbue the small figurines with life, soon f*cki and Nuwa found that they had created the world’s first human beings.
– Duyi Zhi volume 3 gives a slightly different account of the Chinese creation myth
Written over a thousand years ago, author LiRong wrote – “There was a brother and a sister living on the Kunlun Mountain, and there were no ordinary people at that time. The sister’s name was Nuwa. The brother and sister wished to become husband and wife, but felt shy and guilty about this desire. So the brother took his younger sister to the top of the Kunlun Mountain and prayed: “If Heaven allows us to be man and wife, please let the smoke before us gather; if not, please let the smoke scatter.” The smoke before them gathered together. So Nuwa came to live with her elder brother. She made a fan with grass to hide her face. (The present custom of women covering their faces with fans originated from this story).”
No matter the version of the creation myth, f*cki and Nuwa cared for their descendants. When their children faced hardship, f*cki would often step in to bring aid.
The historian Ban Gu wrote – “In the beginning there was as yet no moral or social order. When hungry, they searched for food; when satisfied, they threw away the remnants. They devoured their food hide and hair, drank the blood, and clad themselves in skins and rushes. Then came f*cki and looked upward and contemplated the images in the heavens, and looked downward and contemplated the occurrences on earth. He laid down the laws of humanity. He devised the eighttrigrams, in order to gain mastery over the world.”
-f*cki teaches mankind to fish and domesticate livestock
In one creation account, f*cki saw that when a hunt went well, his children were able to feed themselves. But when the people failed to make a kill, they starved. After witnessing his children suffering, f*cki could take no more. Walking to a nearby stream, he shoved his hands into the water and took out a great number of fish, teaching humans how to catch fish with their hands.
When this angered the god of the waters, the Dragon King, it was decreed that humans could no longer fish with their hands. Concerned that his children would no longer be able to feed themselves, f*cki observed a spider weaving a web. Struck with inspiration, f*cki gathered all of the reeds he could find and wove them into a net. Tossing the net into the river, within seconds it was filled with hundreds of fish. Soon, f*cki had taught this new fishing method to all of his children, creating an easily sustainable food source for mankind.
f*cki taught man to domesticate livestock, teaching mankind that it was better to raise animals for meat, milk, and field labor than to expend effort on hunting. He also taught humanity how to smelt metals, preserve meat, and create currency.
– God of the Eight Trigrams
f*cki is often credited the creation of the Bagua, the Eight Trigrams in 2850 BC. The Eight Trigrams represented the eight fundamental principles of reality in Chinese mythology. The Eight Trigrams are also utilized in Feng Shui and Chinese Buddhism.
The Eight Trigrams are a set of long and short marks upon round disks which are used to divine future events. Tradition states that the Eight Trigrams were revealed to f*cki while he examined a map of the Yellow River. While looking at the map, a turtle supernaturally emerged from the Luo river, and f*cki saw the arrangement of Eight Trigrams upon its shell.
The Eight Trigrams would eventually be used as the basis for the I-Ching, created during the Zhou Dynasty. Due to this, f*cki is honored by scholars and soothsayers as the creator of the I Ching.
f*cki, honored as humanity’s original ancestor
From February 2nd to March 3rd of the lunar calendar, a month-long festival is held to revere f*cki at his temple in Tianshui. People and families throughout neighboring provinces come to pray, light incense, and honor f*cki for his contributions to humanity and Chinese culture.
f*cki’s tomb is located in Huaiyang in Henan province. Believed to be the resting place of f*cki, the Tomb of f*cki has been honored with visitors wishing to pay their respects for over 3,000 years. The giant estate is marked with buildings and plants designed to represent the Eight Trigrams.
Locals believe that f*cki’s tomb was built upon an area where f*cki would bring young women and men to decide on their marriage partner and enter into binding agreements. Ancient custom states that if female visitors rub their fingers in a small hole in the cornerstone of Xianren Hall (located on the estate), they will be blessed with a wonderful marriage and healthy children.
The dragon tailed originator of mankind
f*cki is the ancient Chinese hero who is humanity’s original ancestor, who with his sister Nuwa created mankind. As China’s first hero, f*cki is regarded as the first of China’s Three Sovereigns and as the creator of China’s first Dynastic Period.
- f*cki and his twin sister Numa gave birth to humanity
- Both f*cki and Numa are depicted with human heads and the bodies of a snake. Typically, they are represented with their tails wrapped with one another thus representing yin and yang
- When not appearing with the body of a snake, f*cki is depicted as wearing yellow robes or animal skins
- As the patriarch of humanity, f*cki endowed mankind with necessary skills for survival such as how to hunt and use nets for fishing
- f*cki is credited with the creation of cooking and music, inspiring the Cangjie writing system, teaching animal domestication, and cultivating silk worms for textiles. f*cki also demonstrated to mankind how to dig dikes and irrigation ditches off the Yellow River to assist in land cultivation and agricultural development
- The creation of the Eight Trigrams is given to f*cki, which forms the foundation of the I-Ching
- Because of the relationship between f*cki and Nuwa, it fell to f*cki to create ancient China’s first standard marriage contracts
- f*cki is still honored during a month long celebration at his temple at Tianshui, as well as at his tomb in Huaiyang
f*cki and his twin sister Numa gave birth to humanityAs the father of humanity, f*cki did not just want his children to survive. He wanted them to thrive. And through the effort of f*cki, thrive they did, giving birth to an enduring culture that has lasted over 5,000 years.
