Original TextClassical Source
发鸠之山，有鸟焉，其状如乌，文首、白喙、赤足，名曰精卫……是炎帝之少女，名曰女娃，游于东海，溺而不返，故为精卫，常衔西山之木石，以堙于东海。
— 《北山经》
精In Plain WordsVernacular
炎帝幼女女娃溺于东海，化为精卫鸟——形如乌鸦，花首白喙赤足，日衔西山木石填东海，誓不与海休止，成坚毅不屈之象征。
Yandi's drowned daughter reborn as a bird with a patterned head, white beak and red feet. Forever she carries twigs and stones to fill the East Sea — an emblem of unyielding will.