Fu Xi is a diety in Chinese mythology, said to be the first of the legendary Three Sovereigns that ruled before the dynastic period. He is typically depicted as having a human head and serpentine body, and is usually holding a carpenter’s square. Fu Xi plays a minor role in Chinese mythological history, mostly acting as a vessel of culture to humans. His many accomplishments include the introduction of nets for use in hunting, the discovery of music and invention of musical instruments, the creation of a knotted cord for the calculation of time and the measurement of distance, and the invention of the Eight Trigrams. In more specificity, these Eight Trigrams, also known as Pa kua, are important in representing the eight facets of reality and divination in Taoist philosophy.
Fu Xi is also frequently referenced as the wife of Nu Wa, and when this occurs, the two are depicted as sharing a connected serpentine body that has two humans heads, one being Fu Xi and the other being Nu Wa.
Depiction of Fu Xi and Nu Wa. https://www.viewofchina.com/nuwa-and-fuxi/
Potential Areas of Further Research and Interest
- The Eight Trigrams (Pa Kua)
- Fu Xi influence over Chinese culture
- The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
References
Birrell, Anne. An Introduction to Chinese Mythology. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993.Christie, Anthony. Chinese Mythology. Feltham, Middlesex: The Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, 1968.
