The Chinese people often refer to themselves as the descendants of Huang Di, the Yellow Emperor, a part-real, part-legendary personage who is credited with founding the Chinese nation around 4,000 BC. He is known as the Yellow Emperor for his imperial colour, chosen for the tones of the yellow earth. Many extravagant tales have grown up around him. A collection of legends written down in the Warring States period (475-221 BC) gives the following account.

Huang Di lived in a magnificent palace in the Kunlun Mountains in the west, with a heavenly door keeper who had the face of a man, the body of a tiger and nine tails. The Kunlun Mountains were full of rare birds and animals and exotic flowers and plants, and Huang Di had a pet bird that helped take care of his clothes and personal effects.

To Huang Di was attributed the invention of the cart, the boat and the south-pointing chariot- a chariot with a gear mechanism that enabled a pointer to always indicate south no matter which way the cart turned. Huang Di is said to have taken one with him in battle. He is credited with the laws of astronomy and drawing up the first calendar used by the Chinese people. His supposed conversations on diagnosis and treatment with the physician Qi Bo are contained in China's first medical book, Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine).

Lei Zu, Huang Di's wife, is said to have taught the people to raise silkworms and weave beautiful silk fabrics. Apparently, encouragement of the initiative of talented persons was a thing as much desired then as it is now, for the Warring States account mentions that this was one of Huang Di's strong points. As a result, a whole list of men are credited with inventions. Cang Jie of pictographs; Ling Lun, the twelve tone musical scale; Li Shou, various measuring instruments; and the craftsman Fang Bo who actually built the south-pointing chariot. These things all did come into existence four or five thousand years ago, so in this way the Yellow Emperor has become the symbol of the culture of the Chinese nation and representative of its talents. A pavilion on cypress-covered Mount Qiaoshan in Huangling county on the road north from Xi'an is Shananxi province marks the place said to be his grave. There ceremonies have been performed honouring him as the founder of the Chinese nation. A theory has been advanced that Huang Di may represent a real leader of a tribal confederation of the Yangshao Neolithic culture.

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