Xirang

Xirang (Chinese: 息壤; pinyin: xīrǎng) (also known as Swelling Earth) is a magical substance in Chinese Mythology, according to which it had an a self-expanding ability to continuously grow, which made it particularly effective for use by Gun and Yu in fighting the rising waters of the Great Flood.^[1] This Chinese word compounds xi 息 "breathe; cease; rest; grow; multiply" and rang 壤 "soil; earth". Noting similarities with Earth-diver creation myths, Anne Birrell translates xirang as "self-renewing soil", and compares other translations of "breathing earth" (Wolfram Eberhard), "swelling mold" (Derk Bodde), "idle soil" (Roger Greatrex), and "living earth" or "breathing earth" (Rémi Mathieu).^[2]

In some versions of the myths, Gun stole the Xirang from Huangdi, the Yellow Emperor, who sent Zhurong to execute him in punishment, on Feather Mountain (Yushan).^[3] Yu, on the other hand (according to some accounts) went up to Heaven; then, after begging Huangdi he received from him a gift of as much Xirang as his magical black tortoise could carry on its back: thus allowing Yu to successfully block up the 233,559 springs, which were sources of the flood waters.^[4] In other versions of these myths, Xirang was stolen or obtained from the Supreme Divinity, or Gun's executioner was other than Zhurong.^[5]

See also

• Chinese mythology

Notes

References

• Birrell, Anne (1993), Chinese Mythology: An Introduction, Johns Hopkins University Press.
• Christie, Anthony (1968). Chinese Mythology. Feltham: Hamlyn Publishing. ISBN 0600006379.
• Yang, Lihui, et al. (2005). Handbook of Chinese Mythology. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533263-6