MS 7322 Portrait of Pangu, the creator of the universe
odd: label: Local Numbers
content: NAA MS 7322

 NAA INV 10000049
name: label: Names
content: Pangu (Chinese mythological character)
place: label: Place
content: China
label: Place
content: East Asia
culture: label: Culture
content: Chinese
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 1 Print (woodblock print colored in red and green on oiled paper
, 9.75 x 24 inches)
unitdate: label: Date
content: undated
container: label: Container
content: Folder 7322
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: The print was originally included in the United States National Museum ethnology collection without provenience data. It was transferred from the object collections of the Department of Anthropology to the National Anthropological Archives in March 1986.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: National Anthropological Archives
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NAA.MS7322
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Graphic Materials
label: Type
content: Prints
label: Type
content: Works of art
label: Type
content: Woodblock prints
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Data furnished by Chang-su Houchins, of the Department of Anthropology. She consulted Rita Aero, Things Chinese, 1980, and W. M. Hawley, Chinese Folk Designs, 1949.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Works of art
label: Genre/Form
content: Woodblock prints
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The collection consists of one (1) woodblock print of Pangu, the creator of the universe in Chinese mythology.  A print of this type was used in Chinese homes as a talisman. The print shows Pangu holding in his hands the sun (with yang symbol in ideograph) and the moon (with yin symbol in ideograph).  Pangu  created the universe by transforming yin and yang. An ax on a tree stump is an instrument believed to have been used by Pangu to separate earth and heaven.  Inscribed at the top of the print is Chiling (magic credentials from the folk cult of Taoism), supplemented with yin-yang (the dual principle in nature) and bagua (the eight trigrams) symbols. The main inscription, as magic words, reads: Lingfu chenche chuxie xifu (An amulet to dispel evil, to guard home, and to bestow good fortune).


Please note that the contents of the collection and the language and terminology used reflect the context and culture of the time of its creation. As an historical document, its contents may be at odds with contemporary views and terminology and considered offensive today. The information within this collection does not reflect the views of the Smithsonian Institution or National Anthropological Archives, but is available in its original form to facilitate research.