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Kuafu () is a
giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 f ...
in
Chinese mythology Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions. Much of t ...
who wished to capture the Sun. He was a grandson of
Houtu Hòutǔ () or Hòutǔshén (), also Hòutǔ Niángniáng (in Chinese either or ), otherwise called Dimǔ () or Dimǔ Niángniáng (), is the deity of deep earth and soil in Chinese religion and mythology. Houtu is the overlord of all the Tu Di ...
.


Story

One day, Kuafu decided to chase and catch the Sun. He followed the Sun from the East to the West, draining the
Yellow River The Yellow River or Huang He (Chinese: , Mandarin: ''Huáng hé'' ) is the second-longest river in China, after the Yangtze River, and the sixth-longest river system in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Ha ...
and the
Wei River The Wei River () is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization. The source of the Wei River is close to ...
(all rivers and lakes crossing his path) to quench his burning thirst. However, the big rivers were also unable to quench his thirst, and as he searched for more water, he eventually died of
dehydration In physiology, dehydration is a lack of total body water, with an accompanying disruption of metabolic processes. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake, usually due to exercise, disease, or high environmental temperature. Mi ...
. The wooden club he was carrying grew into a vast forest of peach trees called the Deng Forest (). In one version, Kuafu turns into a mountain range. In modern Chinese usage, the story of Kuafu chasing the Sun () is used to describe a person who is brave and optimistic and willing to overcome all the obstacles to reach the goal.


Tribe

"Kuafu" can also be taken to refer to his people, the Kuafu-shi () or "Clan of Kuafu". Since "shi" can mean both "clan" and "maiden name", as well as serving as a masculine honorific like "mister" or "sir", it is sometimes used in reference to his people or the individual. During the battle of Banquan,
Chi You Chiyou (蚩尤, ) is a mythological being that appears in East Asian mythology. Individual According to the Song dynasty history book '' Lushi'', Chiyou's surname was Jiang (), and he was a descendant of flame. According to legend, Chiyou had ...
's tribes allied themselves with the Kuafu tribe and the ''Sanmiao'' () tribe and attacked the Yan Emperor's tribe, driving them into the lands of the Yellow Emperor.


See also

*
Icarus In Greek mythology, Icarus (; grc, Ἴκαρος, Íkaros, ) was the son of the master craftsman Daedalus, the architect of the labyrinth of Crete. After Theseus, king of Athens and enemy of Minos, escaped from the labyrinth, King Minos susp ...
, comparative character in Greek mythology * Kuafu project, Chinese space program named after Kuafu


References

*Yang, Lihui, ''et al.'' (2005). ''Handbook of Chinese Mythology''. New York: Oxford University Press.


Notes

{{Chinese mythology Chinese giants