Chinesemythology.docx

Chinesemythology.docx

《Chinesemythology.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Chinesemythology.docx（9页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

Chinesemythology

Chinesemythology

ChineseMythologyisacollectionofculturalhistory,folktales,andreligionsthathavebeenpasseddowninoralorwrittenform.ThereareseveralaspectstoChinesemythology,includingcreationmythsandlegendsandmythsconcerningthefoundingofChinesecultureandtheChinesestate.Likemanymythologies,somepeoplebelieveittobeafactualrecordingofhistory.ManymythsarebetterknownintheUSbytheirJapaneseversions.

HistorianshaveconjecturedthattheChinesemythologybeganin12thcenturyB.C.（closetothetimeoftheTrojanWar）.Themythsandlegendswerepasseddowninoralformatforoverathousandyears,beforebeingwrittendowninearlybookssuchasShuiJingZhuandShanHaiJing.Othermythscontinuedtobepasseddownthroughoraltraditionssuchastheatreandsong,beforebeingrecordedintheformofnovelssuchasFengshenYanyi.

RecordsofMyths

intheirsettledforms.Mostmythsextanttodayarederivedfromtheirrecordingintheseworks.

ShanHaiJing-LiterallyMountainandSeaScroll,theShanHaiJingdescribesthemyths,witchcraft,andreligionoftheancientChinaingreatdetailsandalsohasarecordofthegeography,seaandmountain,history,medicine,customs,andethnicitiesinancienttime.IthasbeencalledanearlyencyclopediaofChina.InWuChinese,"talkingabouttheShanHaiJing"isanidiommeaninggossiporidlechats.

ShuiJingZhu-LiterallyCommentariesontheWaterScroll,thisworkbeganascommentariesonthebrieferworkoftheWaterScroll,butbecamefamousofitsownaccordbecauseofitsextensiverecordofgeography,history,andassociatedlegends.

Hei'anZhuan-LiterallyEpicoftheDarkness,thisistheonlycollectionoflegendsinepicformpreservedbyacommunityoftheHannationalityofChina,namely,inhabitantsoftheShennongjiamountainareainHubei,containingaccountsfromthebirthofPangutillthehistoricalera.

ImperialhistoricaldocumentsandphilosophicalcanonssuchasShangshu,Shiji,Liji,LushiChunqiu,andothers.

Somemythssurviveintheatricalorliteraryformats,asplaysornovels.Importantmythologicalfictionwhichisseenasdefinitiverecordsofthesemythsinclude:

VersepoetryofancientstatessuchasLisaobyQuYuanoftheChustate.

FengshenYanyi（封神演義）,orAnointingoftheGods,whichismythologicalfictiondealingwiththefoundingoftheZhoudynasty.

JourneytotheWest,byWuCheng'en,afictionalisedaccountofthepilgrimageofXuanzangtoIndia,inwhichthepilgrimsencounteravarietyofghosts,monsters,anddemons.

BaisheZhuan,aromantictalesetinHangzhouinvolvingasnakewhoattainedhumanformandfellinlovewithaman.

MythsandLegends

Creationmyths

AuniquecharacteristicofChinesecultureistherelativelylateappearanceinChineseliteratureofcreationmyths.ThosethatdoexistappearwellafterthefoundationofConfucianism,Taoism,andFolkReligions.Thestoriesexistinseveralversions,oftenconflicting,withthecreationofthefirsthumansbeingvariouslyascribedtoShangdi,Heaven,Nuwa,Pangu,YuHuang.Thefollowingpresentscommonversionsofthecreationstoryinroughlychronologicalorder.

Shangdi（上帝）,appearinginliteratureprobablyabout700BC,orearlier（thedatingoftheseoccurrencesdependsonthedateoftheShujing,aka"BookofHistory"）.Thereareno"creation"orientednarrativesforShangdi,althoughtheroleofacreatorisapossibleinterperatation.AlthoughShangdiappearstohavetheattributesofa"person",detailedreferencestoShangdiasthecreatorarenotexplicitlyidentifieduntilabouttheHanDynasty.

Tian（天,orHeaven）,appearinginliteratureprobablyabout700BC,orearlier（thedatingoftheseoccurrencesdependsonthedateoftheShujing,aka"BookofHistory"）.Thereareno"creation"orientednarrativesfor'Heaven',althoughtheroleofacreatorisapossibleinterperatation.Thequalitiesof'Heaven'andShangdiappeartomergeinlaterliterature（andareworshippedasoneentity（"皇天上帝"）in,forexample,theTempleofHeaveninBeijing）.Theextentofthedistinction（ifany）betweenthemisdebated.

Nüwa（女媧）,appearinginliteraturenoearlierthanabout350BC,issaidtohaverecreated,orcreatedhumanity.HercompanionwasFuxi（伏羲）,thebrotherandhusbandofNuwa.Thesetwobeingsaresometimesworshippedastheultimateancestorofallhumankind.Theyareoftenrepresentedashalf-snake,half-humancreatures.NüwawasalsoresponsibleforrepairingtheskyafterGongGongdamagedthepillarsupportingtheheavens（seebelow）.

Pangu（盤古）,appearinginliteraturenoearlierthanabout200AD,wasthefirstsentientbeingandcreator.Inthebeginningtherewasnothingbutaformlesschaos.Outofthischaostherewasbornaneggforeighteenthousandyears.WhentheforcesofYinandYangbalanced,Panguem