Thelegendof“Nuwamendingthesky”occurredinancienttimesfarfaraway.ThebeautifulandmercifulGoddess,Nuwa,cametotheeasternland.Herarrivalfilledalltheplantsandanimalsinthehumanworldwithvitality.

　　Oneday,Nuwacameuponabroadfield.Shewassodelightedbytheworldfullofthechirpingofbirdsandthefragranceofflowersthatshedidn’twanttogoback.Shehoweverhadanaggingfeelingthatsomethingwasmissing.Thefeelingstayedwithherasshewalkedallthewaytothewater.Shesquatteddowntodrink.Seeingthebeautifulimageofherselfinthemirror-likewatergavehertheideaofcreatinglives.Excitedly,shegraspedahandfulofmud,andmoldedafigurine,animitationofherself.Strangelyenough,whensheputdownthefigurine,itimmediatelycametolife!Howmagical!Itevencalledher“Mama”andjumpedupanddown.Joyfullyshemoldedanother,andthenanother,andanother.Sheworkedsohardthatherfingersgrewsore.Butstill,thefigurinesshemoldedweretoofew;howcouldtheyfillthebroadfield?ThenanideacametoNuwa:shedippedalongstrandofivyintothemud.Whensheliftedit,themuddrippedfromtheivyropeandbecamehumanbeings.Nuwacherishedhercreations;shewaswildwithjoyandranacrossmountainsandrivers,andbeforelongthefieldwasfullofpeople.Fromthenonhumanbeingslivedinthewonderfulworld,creatingwealth,workingwiththeirhands,andleadinghappyandpeacefullives.

　　However,theprosperitydidnotlastlong.Onedayagreatstormcame.Thewindroseandcloudsscuddedacrossthesky.Thunderroared,asajaggedflashoflightningsetthewoodsonfire.Birdsandbeastsfledinpanicatthedeafeningsound,butthenhalftheskyfelloff.Atorrentialdownpourdousedthefireanddrenchedthewoodsandfields.Theriverbedofheavenwasbroken.Thewaterintheheavenlyriverpouredstraightdown.Thegroundwasabouttobesubmergedinaflood.Seeingthatthepeoplewoulddrown,Nuwa’sheartbroke.Sheraisedagiantrockaboveherheadandmadeaflyingjumptowardtheholethattheheavenrivergushedthrough.ButthestreamwassostrongthatNuwawasflusheddownwiththerock.Sheraisedthegiantrockandjumpedagain,butthewateragainflushedtherockandNuwaawayfromthehole.Nuwawasnotdiscouraged.Shepickedupmanybeautifulstonesfromtheriversandlakes,andpiledthemuptoformabeautifulshinyfive-colormountain.Nextshecutreedsfromthefieldandmixedthemtogetherwiththestones,andthensetfiretothereeds.Thefireburnedcontinuouslyforninedaysandnights.TheGoddessNuwaraisedtheburningmelted-rocksandjumpedtothesky.Shekeptmendingandfillingforsevendaysandnightsandfinally,thebigholewasfixed.

　　Thesunshoneagainaftertherain,andcolorfulcloudsfloatedinthesky.Nuwawasburnedalloverherbody.Theheroicgoddessovercameanespeciallybigdisaster.Thepeoplewerefinallysaved.Allheavenandearthcelebratedtogether.Thusbeganthegoldenageoflivinginharmony,menplowing,womenweaving,andallenjoyingagoodandprosperouslife.Bearingtheirharvests,theythankedNuwa.Athunder-chariot,drawnbyaflyingdragon,boretheGoddessuptothecloudsandbeyond,towardtheninthheaven.