Onceuponatime,theyoungestdaughterofEmperorYan,legendaryrulerofprimitiveChina,wentboatingontheEasternSea.Whileshewasenjoyingherself,astrongwindroseontheseaandherboatcapsized.Justbeforeshewasburiedbythesurgingwaves,herspiritturnedintoabeautifulbird.Asitflewovertheroaringsea,itcriedsadlyinthesound"jinwei,jingwei".Thatwaswhypeoplecalledit"Jingwei".
Thebirdlivedonamountainnearthesea.Ithatedtheseasomuchthatitdecidedtofillitup.Everyday,itflewtoandfrobetweenthemountainandthesea,carryinginatwigorapebblefromthemountainanddroppingitintothesea.
Oneday,theroaringseasaidtoJingwei,"Poorlittlebird,stopdoingthatmeaninglessthing!You'llneverfillmeup."Jingweireplied,"I'llfillyouupnodoubt!Iwill,evenifit'lltakemethousandsofyears!I'llfightonuntildoomsday!"
ThebravelittlebirdkeptcarryingtwigsandpebblesfromthemountaintotheEasternSeawithouttakingarest.
Fromthisfablecomestheidiom"ThebirdJingweitryingtofillthesea".Weuseittodescribepeoplewhoarefirmandindomitableandwillnotstopuntiltheyreachtheirgoal.