The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-08-03
THE CHINESE ADAM.
TRANSLATED rnOx A rM,cu rscrctorrDl.

Before heaven and earth existed, they
wero comminsled as tho contents Of an
egg shell aro.n lin this egg shell, heaven Is
likcncd to tho yellow, tho earth to the white
of an cgs.l "or they wcro together, tur-
bid and muddy like thick drcss just begin
ming to settle. Or they were together like
o thick fog on tho point Of breaking
Then was the beginning Of timO, when the
original power created all things. Heaven
and Garth aro tho effect Of the FRS. Cause.
They in turn produced oil other things be-
Sides"
Another part Of the tradition runs as fol-
lows; I" In tho midst Of this chaotic mass
Pwaras0o lived, during eighteen thousand
years. lived when tho heaven end tho
earth wcro being created, tho superior and
lighter elements forming tho frmamcnt,-
the inferior and coarser tho dry land"
Again, "during this timo tho heavens in
creased every day ten fee. in hight, the
earth rs much in thickness, and Pwankoo
in stature. Thoperiod ofeishtcen thousand
years being assigned to the growth of each
respectively, during that time the heavens
rose to their extreme hight, the earth reach
ed tho greatest thickness, and Pwankoo his
utmost stature. Tho heavens rose aloit nine
hhousand miles, tho Garth swollcd nine
thousand miles in thickness, and in the mid.
do was Pwankoo, stretching himself bc.
tween heaven and earth, until no separated
thcm at distance OF nine thousand miles
from each other.
Tho name OF tho Chinese Adam - Pwan.
koo-means "basin-ancient," that is "ba-
sincd antiquity" It's probably meant to
denote how this father Of antiquity was
nourishcd originally in IN egg.shcll, and
Matched like chick. Among tho portraits
commonly stored up by native archUologists,
VIC find various representations Of Pwankoo.
One is now before me that exhibits him with
an enormous head tipped with two horns
His hair, which Of puritanical cut on the
brow, flows loose and long over tho back and
shoulders. IIc has largo eyes and shaggy
eyebrows, "A very fat nose, "A heavy
moustacho and beard. Only the upper part
Of his body is exhibited, and one can scarce.
ly tell whether the painter represents It as
being covered with hair, leaves or sheep.
skin. His arms arc bare, and his hands
thrown carelcssly the one over tho other, as
II in complete satisfaction with himself
Another picture represents him with IN
apron Of leaves round his loins, holding the
sun in one hand, and the moon in tho other.
A third artist has pictured him with chisel
and malet in his hands, splitting and sculp'
turing huge masses Of granite. Througl,
tho immense opening madc by bis labor, the
sun, moon, and stars are seen and at his
right hand stand, for companions, tho uni
corn and dragon, the ph@nix and tho tor
toisc. lie appears as u strong naked giant
taking pleasure in the carving out Of the
mountains, stupcndous pillars, caves, and
dens. During the eighteen thousand years
Of effort, we arc told that, his head be-
came mountains, his breath winds and clouds,
and his voice thunder. His lelt eye was
made the sun, and his righ. tho moon. His
teeth, bones, and marrow were changed into
metals, rocks, and precious stones. Iii,
beard was converted into stars, bis flesh
into fields, his skin and hair into herbs and
trees. His limbs became tho four poles
his veins, rivers; and his sincws formed the
undulations on tho face Of tho earth. His
very sweat was transformed into rain, and
whatever insects stuck to or crcpt over his
gigantic body wero madeinto human beingsT