In a Tibetan creation myth, the sacrifice of an ox brings our world into being. The yak, now a revered animal in Tibetan culture, brought order to the universe’s initial chaos with its head forming towering mountain ranges, its tail becoming expansive roads, and its hide making up vast wildernesses. This myth echoes the ancient belief, shared by many ethnic Han people, that all natural phenomena and living things are ultimately born from cattle.

This notion is captured in the character 物 (wù). It first appeared in oracle bone script over 3,000 years ago, as a compound of 牛 (niú, ox, yak) and 勿 (wù), which contributes to its pronunciation. It initially denoted an ox with multicolored fur, but The Analytical Dictionary of Chinese Characters (《说文解字》) from the 2nd century states that “物 represents all entities. The ox is a being of significance, since all things under heaven arise from the ox’s plowing. (物，万物也。牛为大物，天地之数，起于牵牛。Wù, wànwù yě. Niú wéi dà wù, tiāndì zhī shù, qǐ yú qiān niú.)”

While the character has largely retained its form and pronunciation through the ages, its meaning has broadened far beyond the original reference. In contemporary Chinese, 物 encompasses various aspects of existence, from the biological to the cultural, such as 人物 (rénwù, person), 动物 (dòngwù, animal), 植物 (zhíwù, plant), 食物 (shíwù, food), and 文物 (wénwù, cultural relic). Places like 植物园 (zhíwùyuán, botanical garden) and 动物园 (dòngwùyuán, zoo) serve as urban sanctuaries connecting us with nature and lead to important discussions on 动物权益 (dòngwù quányì, animal rights). 生物 (shēngwù, living beings) encompasses all life, reminding us of our fundamental link to the natural world, as humans are but a kind of 高等生物 (gāoděng shēngwù, advanced animal).