"Pangu Separates Heaven and Earth" originates from the Sanwu Liji (Records of the Three and Five Dynasties) written by Xu Zheng during the Three Kingdoms period. It tells of a time in remote antiquity when heaven and earth had not yet been divided and the universe was as chaotic as an egg. Pangu was nurtured within it for eighteen thousand years, then swung his axe to split the chaos apart. The light and clear elements rose to become heaven, while the heavy and turbid elements sank to become earth. Pangu stood between heaven and earth, growing one zhang taller each day, and heaven grew one zhang higher each day while earth grew one zhang thicker each day. Eventually, heaven and earth took shape, and Pangu, exhausted, died. His body transformed into mountains and rivers, the sun and moon, wind and clouds, and thunder and lightning. This idiom is not only a mythological explanation of the origin of the universe, but also symbolizes the great creation from nothing to something, the magnificent spirit of separating heaven and earth, and the sacrificial spirit of daring to pioneer. It is often used to describe unprecedented innovations, the beginning of a great undertaking, or the glorious achievements of heroic figures, carrying a strongly positive connotation and a sense of reverence. Culturally, it embodies the Chinese nation's imagination regarding the origin of the world and the spiritual core of daring to sacrifice and create.
📝 Example
1. This scientific achievement can be hailed as Pangu separating heaven and earth, opening up a brand-new path for humanity's exploration of the universe. (A metaphor for an unprecedented and pioneering contribution.)
2. He started from scratch and founded this enterprise, just like Pangu separating heaven and earth, building a business empire from nothing. (Describing a great creation from nothing to something.)