The legend, written in "Liezi" during the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC.), was listed in primary school textbooks after 1949 as an analogy of the Chinese people's unwavering determination. The story is about Yugong, whose name literally means "foolish old man," who lived in northern China between two enormous mountains, the Wangwu and Taihang mountains that rose hundreds of meters high. Yugong often complained about the two mountains that blocked his view. Eventually, he decided to flatten the mountains in a morning just before his 100th birthday.

Yugong told those who laughed at him, "It is true that one day before long I will die. But my sons live on and have produced grandsons who produce great-grandsons, and those great-grandsons will produce great-great-grandsons, and on and on, without end. Those mountains will never grow, so sooner or later we will succeed." After hearing about this, the king of the gods ordered his sons to carry away the mountains, so Yugong was satisfied. Even today, you can find statues commemorating the venerable old man and his spirit.

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