Among the vast starry sky of Chinese civilization, Nüwa mends the sky is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant myths. It not only tells the great feat of the creator goddess but also, in a deeper sense, is closely linked to the Chinese nation's reverence and belief in jade. This is not a mere coincidence but rather the ancient ancestors, when facing the mighty forces of nature, endowed the most precious substance—jade—with a sacred mission and endless imagination.
The story begins with a catastrophe between heaven and earth. Gonggong and Zhuanxu fought for supremacy, and Gonggong, in a fit of rage, struck Buzhou Mountain, causing the pillar of heaven to break and the earth's foundation to crack. The sky collapsed, revealing a huge hole, and floods raged, devastating all living beings. At that time, the earth plunged into endless darkness and fear. It was then that the creator goddess Nüwa stepped forward. She refined five-colored stones to mend the sky, cut off the legs of a giant turtle to serve as the four pillars, killed the black dragon to save Jizhou, and piled up reeds and ashes to stop the flood. Among these, the detail of "refining five-colored stones to mend the sky" is the key to our exploration of the interweaving of jade culture and myth.
What exactly were these "five-colored stones"? In many ancient texts and folk legends, these "five-colored stones" are often interpreted as spiritual jade. For example, in "Huainanzi: Lanmingxun," it is recorded: "Nüwa refined five-colored stones to mend the sky, and cut off the legs of a giant turtle to establish the four pillars." Although it does not directly state that they were jade, considering people's knowledge and use of jade at that time, it is not difficult to infer its connection to jade. In ancient times, jade was regarded as a medium for communicating with heaven and earth and carrying divine power. Its warm texture, subtle luster, and tenacious quality all conformed to people's imagination of sacred objects. Therefore, Nüwa's choice of "five-colored stones" to repair the sky was by no means ordinary stones but jade endowed with divine power.
Archaeological discoveries also provide evidence for this connection. In the late Neolithic period, a large number of exquisite jade artifacts, such as jade dragons, jade cong, and jade bi, were unearthed from sites of the Hongshan culture and Liangzhu culture. These jade artifacts were not only exquisitely crafted but also carried complex cosmological views and religious beliefs. The jade cong of the Liangzhu culture, with its square outer and round inner shape, is believed to symbolize the cosmic concept of "heaven is round and earth is square," and the carved human-beast mask patterns on it are interpreted as symbols for communicating with gods and spirits of heaven and earth. The reverence for the order of heaven and earth and the worship of divine power embodied in these early jade artifacts coincide with the spirit of the Nüwa mends the sky myth. In the hearts of ancient ancestors, jade was the essence of heaven and earth, the carrier of divine power, and the bridge connecting the mortal world with the divine realm.
Nüwa mends the sky is not only a myth about creation and salvation but also the early germination of the Chinese nation's idea of "unity of heaven and humanity." Nüwa mending the sky with jade symbolizes the harmonious unity of human (divine) power with nature. The tenacity of jade symbolizes the Chinese nation's indomitable will in the face of adversity; the warm and subtle nature of jade reflects the Chinese nation's character of advocating harmony and embracing all things. This deep cultural connotation makes jade not just a material but also a spiritual totem.
To this day, the story of Nüwa mends the sky continues to be told, and the status of jade in Chinese culture has never wavered. From the jade worn by emperors and generals to the jade admired by literati and scholars, and to the jade collected by ordinary people, jade has always been a symbol of beauty, nobility, and auspiciousness. When we appreciate a beautiful piece of jade today, we are not only appreciating its material beauty but also feeling the millennia of cultural accumulation it carries, and feeling the great selflessness of Nüwa mending the sky for the sake of all living beings. Jade, like the five-colored stones used by Nüwa to mend the sky, has become an eternal carrier that connects ancient and modern times, communicates between gods and humans, and carries the national spirit. It reminds us that when facing challenges, we should learn from Nüwa's tenacity and wisdom, and use our own "five-colored stones" to mend the cracks in life and create a better world.