Nu Gua and Fu Xi

Origin: Chinese mythology

Type: Gods

Nu Gua (also known as Nuwa) and Fu Xi appear in many myths. In one story, the two were siblings who wished to become husband and wife. Nu Gua was shy and felt guilty, so her brother took her to the mountains and prayed to Heaven, asking to be wed. Once they are married, Nu Gua makes a fan of grass to hide her face. The custom of women hiding their face with a fan may stem from this.

In another story, Nu Gua feels lonely and beings crafting people with clay by hand. Soon she realizes that it is too time consuming, and beings splashing a vine into the watery mud, the droplets transforming into humans. The hand made people are the rich and noble, and those who came from mud were poor and common.

Gong Gong

Origin: Chinese mythology

Type: water demon

Gong Gong is always striving to overthrow the order of the Cosmos. In one version, he battles his father, the fire god Zhu Rong, who is the ruler of the southern hemisphere. Once defeated, Gong Gong is so ashamed that he smashes his head against the Buzhou Mountain, causing the sky to tilt. Nu Gua, a benevolent goddess, cuts the legs off a giant tortoise and uses them to support the pillars of Heaven. Gong Gong is said to be responsible for great floods.

Pangu

Origin: Chinese mythology

Type: Giant

Pangu is usually depicted as a primitive hairy being, sometimes with horns on his head. In some modern shrines, he is shown as a stereotypical caveman, with long hair and a leopard skin tunic. He holds the Cosmic Egg, with the symbols for yin and yang.

In one version, yin and yang came together to form a huge egg which was left undisturbed for thousands of years. When yin and yang came to a perfect balance, Pangu emerged and set about the task of creating the world. Forming Heaven and Earth, he stands between them, holding up the sky for 18,000 years until they solidify into their permanent positions.

Jiang Shi

Origin: Chinese folklore

Type: Vampire

Jiang Shi, which means ‘stiff corpse’, were animated corpses, brought back by Taoist priests. They were hired by families who could not afford to travel to the deceased, so the animated corpse could ‘hop’ back. In many contemporary Chinese vampire movies, a Jiang Shi could be put to sleep by attaching a piece of yellow paper with a spell written on it onto its forehead. 

Jiang Shi could also be created by a dead body not decomposing, if the person’s soul refuses to leave, or if they suffered a premature burial.

Huang Di

Origin: Chinese mythology

Type: Emperor

Huang Di, or ‘Yellow Emperor’, is honored as one of the founders of Taoism. Also one of the mythical Five Emperors of China, he was a wise and benevolent ruler, who’s reign was considered a golden age. Legend says that he had four faces, which allowed him to watch over his entire land. He traveled in an ivory chariot pulled by dragons, an elephant, tigers, wolves, snakes and Phoenixes. 
He is revered as a cultural hero who taught his people writing, music, medicine, crafts, and cultivation of silk worms. At his time of death, he rose up into heaven in the form of a dragon and became immortal.

Houyi and Chang’e

Origin: Chinese mythology

Chang’e, the Chinese “Woman in the Moon”, and her husband Houyi, a celestial archer with magical powers, are featured in myths dated back to the 6th century BCE.
According to the myth, 10 suns, who were all brothers, originally circled the Earth. One day, they all decided to circle the world at once, which caused a drought and crops to wither. The Jade Emperor, ruler of Heaven, calls Houyi for help. Houyi comes down to Earth and shoots down 9 suns. Houyi would then rid the world of other evil on Earth as a mortal.
However, Chang’e was unhappy, missing her home in Heaven and fearing she would die as a mortal and turn into a ghost. She sends Houyi to get the elixir of immortality. After a long journey, her husband returns, and Chang’e drinks all of it, reasoning that Houyi is happy to be a mortal.
Chang’e immediately floats towards the sky. Houyi cannot bring himself to shoot down his wife, and so she flies to the Moon. She attempts to call out, but only manages a croak, since she has turned into a toad. Once on the Moon, her only companions are a hare who constantly pounds the elixir of immortality in a mortar and a woodcutter chopping down the Tree of Life in vain.
Chang’e is restored to human form, but realizes her decision was a mistake and misses Houyi terribly.

Sun Wukong

Origin: Chinese mythology

Type: Hero

Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, accompanies the monk Xuanzang on a journey, told in the Chinese epic novel ‘Journey to the West.’

His main weapon is a staff decorated in gold that can grow as tiny as a needle and as large as anything object. His eyes are golden and his body is as strong as steel. By performing a ‘cloud somersault’ he can travel great distances. He can create a duplicate of himself by plucking a single strand of hair. He is granted Buddhahood for his strength and service.

Feng Huang

Origin: Chinese mythology

Type: Immortal bird

Feng Huang is one of the four celestial creatures that rule the quadrants of Heaven. Depictions vary, but most emphasize it’s colorful tail feathers and the head and body of a pheasant. It’s presence marks a time of prosperity, and the rise of a benevolent emperor.

Originally, Feng Huang was two birds. Feng was the male (yang) bird, symbol of the solar cycle. Huang was the female (yin) bird, symbol of the lunar cycle. Together they symbolized undying love between a married couple. For this reason depictions of them are common among weddings. Later on, the two birds would be combined into one female bird, symbolizing the Chinese empress.