Pufu and spouse

Overview

The Shenyi jing’s Southeastern Wilderness describes Pufu and a spouse as giants charged with opening the rivers when heaven was first established. They perform the work carelessly, leaving waterways too deep, shallow, narrow, or blocked. They are punished by being made to stand in the southeast. The passage associates Yu’s later river work with correcting their unfinished or defective channels.

The pair survive without ordinary food, drink only heavenly dew, and endure heat and cold. Their potential return to river work depends on the Yellow River becoming clear. The account’s vast dimensions are literary rather than measured bodies. Both spouses belong to one directly attested episode, so this record does not split the pair into separately invented beings. Their punishment and continuing watchful state are given without a narrated release.

Origins & earliest records

China; Shenyi jing received text

Records & interpretation

Directly read named primary-text passage. Hosted introductory discussion disputes attribution to Dongfang Shuo; no secure Han composition date asserted.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Shenyi jing

   Traditionally attributed to Dongfang Shuo; attribution disputed

   Southeastern Wilderness; river-opening giant pair; received text and displayed notes distinguished.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary-text transcriptionShenyi jing: Southeastern Wilderness; river-opening giant pairResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.