Legend has it that long, long ago, there was a divine being named Kuafu, a very brave hero who often did earth-shattering deeds. He had one ambition: to chase the sun and race against it!
What a grand ambition! How much strength and time would it take? But Kuafu was a man of immense determination—whatever he set his mind to, no obstacle could stop him. One day, he finally set out.
Kuafu chased the sun with all his might. Running and running, he grew terribly thirsty, so he drank from the Yellow River and the Wei River—both great rivers were quickly drained dry by him.
Despite drinking the Yellow and Wei Rivers dry, Kuafu was still thirsty. He pressed on, chasing the sun, intending to quench his thirst at the great lake in the north. But before he could reach it, he collapsed and died of thirst on the road.
When the giant Kuafu collapsed, his walking staff fell to the ground, and later that staff transformed into a lush forest.
"The myth of Kuafu chasing the sun, a tale of tragic heroism, reflects the ancient Chinese people's beautiful ideals and fantasies of conquering nature. Later, it came to symbolize a heroic spirit that fears no hardship, holds firm to convictions, forges ahead courageously, and is willing to sacrifice to achieve its goal."
Source: *Classic of Mountains and Seas*, Chapter "Classic of Regions Beyond the Seas: The North"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "夸父逐日" came to describe a heroic spirit that fears no hardship, holds firm to convictions, forges ahead courageously, and is willing to sacrifice to achieve its goal.