In the ancient river of time, there is a magnificent myth about courage and pursuit – “Kuafu Rises the Sun”. This legendary story is not only mentioned in “Liezi Tang Wen”, but also described in more detail in “Shan Hai Jing”.
In ancient times, in the vast wilderness stood a towering mountain called Chengdu Zaitian. Hidden in the mountain was a giant with a towering body and the ability to carry a tripod. He was the descendant of the god of the Later Earth, the son of Xin, known as the “God of Snake Handling”. The name Kuafu comes from his extraordinary running ability, with yellow snakes symbolizing strength wrapped around his ears and hands, running like lightning, unmatched by anyone else.
One evening, Kuafu stood in front of his house and witnessed flocks of migratory birds, as well as weary and elongated figures of farmers and hunters returning to the cave. By the horizon, a blood red sunset slowly descended, which touched Kuafu’s heartstrings. He felt a surge of ambition in his heart: if he could keep this sun and let the earth shine forever, how peaceful and beautiful the world would be! So, Kuafu resolutely let out a long howl in the sky, turning into a lightning bolt and rushing towards the sun that was about to sink into Yu Valley (also known as Yu Yuan).
Kuafu crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, traveling thousands of miles in an instant, until he reached the deep and unfathomable destination of the sun. He stood on the top of the cliff, facing the blazing sun, his heart filled with excitement and anticipation, trying to hold up this source of light with both hands and bestow eternal warmth and light upon the world.
However, the scorching heat of the sun came rolling in, instantly making Kuafu’s mouth dry and his eyes dim, as if his whole body had been burned by flames. He endured the pain, bent down, opened his huge mouth, and drank all the water from the Yellow River and Wei River in one breath, but still couldn’t relieve his extremely thirsty throat. Kuafu refused to give up and turned around, running wildly towards the direction of Beihai, with a longing for the endless water source of Daze (Hanhai) in his heart. Unfortunately, he ultimately failed to reach the rippling lake and fell on the path of pursuing the light, closing his eyes forever.
The fall of Kuafu is like the collapse of heaven and earth, with rivers sobbing. Even the sun that is about to sink seems to feel this tragedy, gently sprinkling the last golden afterglow on his face. At the last moment of his life, Kuafu used his last strength to throw his cane forward, and the cane turned into a vast fruit forest – Denglin, with abundant and colorful fruits on the tree, providing sweet comfort and strength for those who came later to continue moving forward.
The story of Kuafu’s daily journey echoes the heroic deeds of Prometheus, the inheritor of fire in ancient Greece, showcasing the indomitable spirit of the ancient people who bravely challenged nature and pursued light and truth. This spirit transcends time and space, inspiring generations of people to constantly move forward and never stop on the path of exploration and struggle.
