In remote antiquity, to create the world, the Heavenly King sent nine people to create the earth and three people to create the heavens. These people killed a mountain-sized dragon ox. Its skin turned into the heavens; its flesh, the earth; its left eye, the sun; its right eye, the moon; its teeth, stars; its bones, rice terraces; its horns, the device for producing thunder; its hair, trees, flowers and grass; its tears, rain; its tongue, lightning; its blood, rivers; its abdomen, the Dragon Pond; its lungs, mist and dew; its heart, the earth's core. The roaring of the ox when it was dying turned into thunder. Its gasping turned into wind…—Ausemise

In Hani mythology and customs, the ox is the origin of the universe and of all things, is a sacred sacrifice, and is the guardian of deceased souls.