Which giant died of thirst while chasing the sun?

The giant who died of thirst while chasing the sun was Kuafu.

In the classic Chinese myth, Kuafu pursued the sun from east to west because he wanted to catch it. The chase left him desperately thirsty, so he drank the Yellow River and the Wei River, yet neither could quench him. While seeking more water, he died of dehydration.

The story does not end entirely with his death. Kuafu’s wooden club became a vast peach forest called the Deng Forest. Some versions also say his body became a mountain range, linking the myth to landscapes near present-day Lingbao in Henan.

Kuafu is commonly confused with other primordial figures such as Pangu, the creator of the cosmos, or Chi You, a warlike deity. In modern Chinese, “Kuafu chasing the sun” describes bold ambition, perseverance, or optimism that exceeds one’s abilities.