Xian Tian | The Classic of Mountains and Seas

36th Illustration of 山海经 (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) - 形天 (Xíng Tiān)
🪓The chapter 《山海经·海外西经》 (The Classic of Western Regions Beyond The Seas) recorded that Xingtian and the Emperor fought here for divine status. The Emperor cut off Xingtian's head and buried it on 常羊山 (Changyang Mountain). Xingtian then used his nipples as eyes and his navel as a mouth, wielding an axe and shield to dance.
Literally, Xing Tian fought for the throne with 黄帝 (Yellow Emperor) and according to another source, it was 天帝 (Heavenly Emperor). In the Shan Haijing records, only the character "帝" is mentioned and many sources referred to "帝" as the Yellow Emperor. After being beheaded, he survived by using his nipples as eyes and his navel as a mouth, fighting with an axe and a shield. In mythology Xing Tian's head was then buried on Changyang Mountain. Nowadays, the mountain is known as 仇池山 (Qiuchi Mountain), located in Xihe County, Longnan, Gansu Province.
🪓In ancient times, the three similar-looking characters "形" (xíng), "刑" (xíng), and "邢" (xíng) were often interchangeable, and the character "夭" (yāo) was also changed when it was written as "天" (tiān). During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, 陶渊明 (Táo Yuānmíng) changed it to "刑天", and later 罗泌 (Luó Mì) changed it to "邢天".The character “天” in oracle bone script and bronze script resembles a human head, meaning the top or summit. “刑天” means to cut off one's head. Originally an unnamed celestial deity, he then acquired the name Xing Tian after his head was beheaded.
During the Song Dynasty, 《太平御览·卷三·妖异部》 "Taiping Yulan, Volume 3, Section on Strange and Mysterious Things" mentioned that after Xingtian was beheaded by the Yellow Emperor, his descendants formed the "Headless People" tribe.