Muyō

**Muyō** [向由; むよう] is the name of the Kiren creation myth, describing the legendary birth of the celestial and physical planes, the births of the first gods and the birth of the planet Earth. It is also known as *Bokunomu*. It is first mentioned in the Book of Ōhaki [尬調具], the first Kantonese book ever written, and later in more detail in the Kanna Daiki [款大切] . Each account differs in some aspects, with the most accepted for the Kantonese being the one of the Ōhaki.

## Creation of The World

Known as *Chikyūmugi*, this story serves as the foundation for the Kiren mythology and wider Kantonese beliefs. As described in the Kanna Daiki:

> In the beginning the universe was immersed in a deep and dark ocean through which no light could penetrate. Nothing lived in these waters. Above this ocean was chaos (shapeless matter) which was sunk in unbreakable silence. Yet later sounds emerged, indicating the movement of particles. With this movement, a great light (*ōshin*) formed and rose high to the top of the Universe, where it illuminated the ocean. The radiance of the Ōshin evaporated the water over time, which rose to become clouds and then Heaven, and this was called Kumoshino [儚士, "Heavenly Clouds"]. The land beneath the ocean was revealed, a huge dark and dense mass, which was called Earth.
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With the creation of the realm of Kumoshino, the first gods came into existence: Shiōyashin [士尬缠神], Shiōkōshin [士尬胬神], and Shiōyōshin [士尬权神]. They were sexless deities and could not reproduce, but existed in their heavenly kingdom as guardians of the Ōshin radiance so that the ocean would not reappear and swamp the universe in darkness once more. Shiōyashin wielded and manipulated light, Shiōkōshin birthed more light, and Shiōyāshin spread it about.

After a time, Shiōkōshin birthed a light so bright that it brought about her demise, and she disappeared from the world. None of the gods could even look at this impossible radiance, called the Kasshin or 'first light'. This was the birth of the goddess Kasshingami, the sun goddess of Kiren, also known as Ōtaimai. After Shiōkōshin's death, Kasshingami overtook the duty of creating light by simply floating in Kumoshino. The other gods did no longer need to wield or spread light, and so disappeared from the world. This was the creation of the Sun.

After many eons emitting this brilliant radiance, Kasshingami became lonely and wished for somebody to keep her company. Eventually she became so lonely that she cried, and one opulent tear felt into a shaft of most powerful light and became the moon god, Uigami. But as Kasshingami was blazingly hot, Uigami shone with an icy gleam, and so they could not touch or else extinguish each other. Therefore they had to live in separate realms, and so night and day were created. The only time when Uigami and Kasshingami could interact was during the twilight, when both of their power was diminished somewhat. Incidently, this is why twilight is considered a blessed and auspicious period in the Kiren faith.

Eventually Kasshingami grew weary of her solitude once more. So she plucked two hairs from her head and created two humanoid offspring, one male god and one female god, called Ōekami and Ōukami. She then ordered them to reach down from heaven and give solid form to the Earth, and then create humans which might bring her entertainment or company. Through the sacrifice of two hairs from her head, Kasshingami's radiance was diminished just enough to create warmth and light for the Earth, but not to scorch its surface.

And so Ōekami and Ōukami descended to its shores on the Heavenly Bridge. The two gods made love, and as their sweat and bodily fluids flowed, they created the vast ocean along with the rivers and lakes. Before leaving the Earth, Ōukami gave birth to a final piece of land, a large island, and so this was the creation of Kanton. This legend is known as Dōkōku, the Birth of the Homeland.