SCIENCE AMONG THE CHINESE 531 



essence of heaven and earth the dual principles yin and yang were formed; 

 from their joint operation came the four seasons, and these putting forth their 

 energies gave birth to all; they produced fire; and the finest parts of the fire 

 formed the sun. The cold exhalations of the yin being likewise condensed, pro- 

 duced water; and the finest parts of the watery substance formed the moon. By 

 the seminal influence of the sun and moon came the stars. Thus heaven was 

 adorned with sun, moon and stars; the earth also received rain, rivers and dust. 



But such explanations were too subtle for the common people, and 

 they personified and deified the powers and operations, though with far 

 less imaginative genius and fine taste than the Greeks displayed in the 

 same line. The most striking legend is that of Pwanku, the first crea- 

 ture, who was " hatched " from chaos by the dual powers and who then 

 chiseled the universe into form and order by the might of his hands. 

 His efforts continued 18,000 years, and by degrees he and his handi- 

 work increased : 



The heavens rose, the earth spread out and thickened, and Pwanku grew in 

 stature, six feet every day, till, his labors done, he died for the benefit of his 

 handiwork. His head became mountains, his breath wind and clouds, and his 

 voice thunder; his limbs were changed into the four poles, his veins into rivers, 

 his sinews into the undulations of the earth 's surface, and his flesh into fields ; 

 his beard, like Bernice's hair, was turned into stars, his skin and hair into herbs 

 and trees, and his teeth, bones, and marrow into metals, rocks, and precious 

 stones; his dropping sweat increased to rain, and lastly, the insects which stuck 

 to his body were transformed into people! 



It must be confessed that most of us will find this quite as clear 

 and a far more interesting account of the universe than the learned 

 disquisition of the famous Chu Fu Tsz. 



(To be concluded) 



