Story of Darkness

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The Story of Darkness (黑暗传 Hēi Àn Zhuàn) is a Chinese folk epic poem dating back to the Tang Dynasty of China. It was translated and published by Hu Chongjun after the discovery of a manuscript in 1982. The epic is composed of numerous Chinese myths relating to the creation of the world.

[edit] Origin

The origin of Darkness dates back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). At least eight manuscrpts have survived today, most of which come from Shennongjia in China's Hubei Province. The tales told in the story have survived in the folk songs of the region.

Many scholars believe Darkness comes from the origin myths of Ancient China. This Chinese Genesis is composed of approximately 5500 lines, each consisting of 7 Chinese characters. Like the Homeric epics, the written poem was likely preceded by an oral tradition dating back to at least the Tang Dynasty. Wooden copies of Darkness are said to have survived to the Ming Dynasty but none have been found today.