Xingtian & Jingwei

There are two characters in Chinese folklore that represent perseverance in the face of likely futility: the warrior Xingtian, and the bird Jingwei. Xingtian is the spirit of a decapitated warrior, who grew a new face on his belly and continued the fight. Jingwei is the bird-spirit of a drowned woman, who tries to fill the sea with twigs and pebbles.