Cultural Differences from Chinese and Western Mythologies Perspective英语专业毕业论文【整理版】.docx

Cultural Differences from Chinese and Western Mythologies Perspective1Introduction 1.1 The differences between Chinese and Western cultureCulture is the general concept of art, belief, the outlook of value, tradition and custom, and it can significantly reflect the characteristics of some societies, people, areas, or some countries. Among the parts of some certain culture, there must be a language by which people express themselves and communicate to each other. Language is also an important carrier of culture, and the two are of great importance to each other. People fostered by different cultures will show their characteristic ways of language speaking and communication, owing to their different regimes, cultural traditions, the outlook of values, life styles, and ways of thinking. If we neglect the differences between various cultures and speak to westerners in the ways of our mother tongue, we might commit some inappropriateness even misunderstandings, which may bring us unsuccessful communication. In other words, we will never master and handle a language in word and deed unless we understand the discrepancies, the ways and disciplines of communication. If we are to improve the ability of lingual communication, we have to pay attention to the discrepancies between different cultures. There is a vast difference between the major philosophies of eastern and western life. Westerners believe in self dedication to achieve their goals of success and happiness etc., whereas the Chinese have behavioral ethics, and are dependent on their inner world and perceptions of eternal recurrence. The Western approach is to search outside of yourself, whereas the Chinese prefer to adopt a systematic approach, and search within themselves.1.2 Reasons for the differences and foreshadowingChina has a long history, including more than two thousand years of feudal rule , this awareness has a direct impact on the formation of the modern values . Modern Chinese people are still higher than obedience to authority , respect for elders , the emphasis on personal identity , emphasize contented . In contrast, early in the 17th century , the British bourgeoisie to overthrow the feudal rule of the establishment of a capitalist society , the industrial revolution greatly improve the level of peoples material life , and also complete the liberation of peoples minds . Democratic ideology of capitalism gradually throughout Western society . Westerners advocating individual , yearning freedom and equality . The individual consciousness of the West in this historical environment makes a big difference . The mainstream of western culture values is the spirit of struggle for self-gratification. Western culture, make public individual character, emphasizing the individual interests, pay attention to independent personal potential, strengthen the awareness of individual rights. Individualism is the criterion of all behavior, self-actualization is the highest requirements and purpose of life, independence is the most effective way to realize self, human rights are sacrosanct and, is the realization of self protection. Chinese mainstream culture values is a spirit of harmony. The Chinese nation since ancient times pay attention to harmony. On the relationship between human and nature, advocating nature and humanity, the human and the nature harmonious get along; On the interpersonal relationship, emphasize reconciliation; On the relations between countries, advocates and good-neighborliness and harmony. The Chinese nation is a peace-loving and pleasant people. Chinese and western cultural differences are also reflected in the mythology. Chinese myth and Greek myth have always been regarded as the representative works of eastern and western cultural spirit. 2 Cultural Differences from Chinese and Western MythsThe myth was ancient Greek, the original intention for the story about gods and heroes legend, it is a false idea of trying to explain natural phenomena. Lu Xun is defined under the myth : “When ancient people saw great changes beyond manpower on the earth , they made up stories which being considered as myths to explain. ” We can see that the myth is that the original people to imagine ways of thinking of the objective world awareness, understanding and interpretation of spiritual and cultural phenomenon, where the essential features of national culture. Therefore, this article from the perspective of myth to analyze the differences between Chinese and Western cultures.Greece and China have saved a lot of myths, the myth story documents the ancestors faltering footsteps. In Greek mythology and Chinese mythology in content the mythology and heroic stories have similar ancestors.But the myth of the Greek emphasizes the human nature, Chinese mythology is against human nature, Greek myth reflects the humanistic care more progressive than in China.The myth of human nature is created by the original pioneers in social practice, and in the form of a story showing the ancient knowledge of the natural, social and aspirations of the peoples. Marx said : “ The Myth is through peoples fantasies, machined by a form of involuntary art forms of nature and society itself. ”Myth usually regarded God as the main character, this is the early to supernatural power worship, and expressed their wish to conquer nature, change society of China and Greece.As the two great civilizations of east and west, there have been rich in myths and legends, they are truly recorded the tottering footsteps of human in childhood. As the source of two national cultures of East and West, in later literature continues to have great charm. To a large extent, the effects of the formation of national culture and its features, and also inspired generations of literary creation as the worlds literature and art treasures and soil. Through to the ancient Greek mythology and the comparison of myths in ancient China, as you can see them both in the same place, also each have each characteristics, which also can see two big bright civilization of ancient culture.Have a long history of the ancient myths, it is at a low level of productivity development period of ancient human through imagine conquer the product of natural forces. Thus , the ancient myth of the inevitable , including the relationship between the story of God and man and God and the story of the conflict , that the hero of legend two aspects . Story of God more clearly reflect the ancient human to visualize the rich imagination of powerful natural phenomena , The Legend of Heroes mainly reflect ancient human worship and idealization may have some historical legend and related events , subsistence activities and the tenacious struggle with nature . Ancient Greek mythology also includes two aspects .2.1 Elaboration of the sources of Chinese and Western mythologiesEarly during the formation of ancient Greek mythology, is the crystallization of the ancient generations collective creation. First seen in ancient Greece of the Homeric epics, then prosperity in the Western world. Homers era was a period that ancient Greek was transition from primitive society to slave society. Epic, in addition to the principal part of the story, but also to mention the many other myths, stories clearly has been widely circulated at that time, is widely known. The basic themes of ancient Greek tragedy are based on myth, drama reflects the writers understand the reality of those myths. Hellenistic Alexandria scholars in a collection of classical works and commentaries after the third century BC, the collection and preservation of ancient Greek mythology has made a huge contribution , some poets under the guidance of a knowledgeable principle, excavations many little-known mythological. The Spiritualism Roman mythology by barter , of the gods lack of image thinking , myths poor . The Romans after contact with the ancient Greek myth, and soon attracted by charming Greek myth, which widely absorbed the ancient Greek gods image and story, unique fusion of the ancient Greek and Roman myths and legends. Ancient Greece had several changes in the development process . Their myths and attitudes are constantly change. This change in the basic human nature is characterized by nature worship steering worship. The basic characteristics of the people familiar with this period of Greek mythology, people create God in their own image , given God in human form, human nature . Even social relations . The basic difference of gods and men is that god is strong , often immortality leisurely happy life ; human weak will die , survive hardships , and often have to resort to the gods , but often curse the gods do evil. The ancient Greeks criticized pride , cruelty , vanity , greed , stubborn people , and often it is these character weakness caused by the tragedy of life . The ancient Greeks worship God , but does not give the gods overly lofty , nor the gods as the moral measure of the standard , but as a refraction of life . Ancient Greek mythology, it is the spirit of this man, a moving story and deep thinking, has always attracted a large number of readers. It is worth reading a hundred times , a rich source of material for future generations of literary and artistic creation. From this point of views, myths had a more significant influence on western culture.2.2 Explanation from the western and Chinese myth contentThere are many myths about how the world first began and every nation has its own legend of the birth of man. They also cherish a tale of their origin. In Chinese mythology, Pangu was the first living being who separated the heaven and the earth. In the beginning there was nothing in the universe except a formless chaos. However this chaos coalesced into a cosmic egg for about 18,000 years. Within it, the perfectly opposed principles of Yin and Yang became balanced and Pangu emerged from the egg. Pangu is usually depicted as a primitive, hairy giant with horns on his head and clad in furs. Pangu set about the task of creating the world: he separated Yin from Yang with a swing of his giant axe, creating the Earth and the Sky . To keep them separated, Pangu stood between them and pushed up the Sky. This task took 18,000 years; with each day the sky grew ten feet higher, the Earth ten feet wider, and Pangu ten feet taller. After the 18,000 years had elapsed , Pangu was laid to rest. His breath became the wind, mist and clouds; his voice the thunder; left eye the sun and right eye the moon; his head became the mountains and extremes of the world; his blood formed rivers; his muscles the fertile lands; his facial hair, the stars and milky way; his fur the bushes and forests; his bones the valuable minerals; his bone marrows sacred diamonds; his sweat fell as rain; and the fleas on his fur carried by the wind became the fish and animals throughout the land.The therapsids flourished during the Permian, rapidly evolving many different forms, ranging from dinosaur-like fanged flesh-eaters to plodding herbivores. These more metabolically active reptiles, which could survive the harsh interior regions of Pangaea, became the dominant land animals of the late Permian. There is another legend about the origin of mankind, saying that man is created by Nuwa, a goddess in Chinese mythology. The deep-seated development of the creation myth is the second creation. The story that Nuwa mends heaven is the creation myth for the second time in China. The heavens Nuwa, she uses the soil to make up into a clay child, and gives them life . Herefrom, Nuwa has created person. People has happiness life. Nuwa the lonely heart suddenly warming up, she wanted to become bustling world, around the world are made out of her hand, so we kept working, pinched one another. And that is how the universe was created.In western mythology, the days of creation were the sequence of six days during which God created the cosmos, the earth, as well as life (specifically plants, animals, and humans). The creation days were followed by a single day of rest, which is the basis for seven-day work week that is used by the majority of people on Earth. The first day, God created Earth, space, time and light; The second day, God created the atmosphere; The third day, God created dry land and plants; The fourth day, God created the sun, moon, and stars; The fifth day, God created sea creatures and birds; The sixth day, God created land animals and man; The seventh day , the heavens and the earth were finished, and all together the God finished the creation of power . On this day , he rest , and bless the sixth day . So Sunday also become a the human rest day. 3 Chinese and Western Cultural Concrete Embodiment in the Mythologies There are apparent differences between China and the western countries in mythology. Firstly，there are differences between Chinese and Western mythologies in the authority. In western mythology, power can be challenging and subversive; In Chinese mythology, power is used to worship. Secondly, some differences in the human nature. Greek mythology emphasized humanity, the worship of nature, to fully show the human nature and the desire for beauty, for human launched a bold and natural pursuit, but also attach importance to personality dignity, in western society, the pursuit of the liberation of personality, reflecting its humanistic spirit. While the Chinese myth of rejection of humanity, to suppress desire for beauty, this is the cultural differences from their sources. Thirdly, differences in the social value. In western myth especially Greek mythology, appraisement standard of god with wisdom, strength for standards, and the Chinese ancient myth of god is much by moral appraisement for the criterion. Visible, Chinese respect moral culture. Fourthly, there are some differences in the national spirit. Chinese ancient mythology reflects the indomitable, unyielding national spirit. From the ancient Chinese myths, we can see, the hero gods in order to achieve a certain ideal, dare to struggle, indomitable, fight against harsh environment. Chinese ancients advocates Jingwei, Kuafuzhuiri Foolish Old Man and the story is a vivid manifestation of this spirit. The god of the Chinese myth is the savior of mankind, people just cherish the object of the gods have mercy, so people hold the worship to god. Greek mythology contrary to China in this respect. The most notable features of Greek mythology is the anthropomorphic, God-man of the same is like that. Ancient Greek mythology is the hominids free will and self consciousness and the original desire of symbolic expression. Their god monk, also have desires, not perfect but more approximate, more human. After the god of gods take off coat, we see is a secular mortal .Finally，individualism and collectivism are different in Chinese and western mythology. Individualist cultures, such as those of the United States and Western Europe, emphasize personal achievement at the expense of group goals, resulting in a strong sense of competition. Collectivist cultures, such as those of China, emphasize family and work group goals above individual needs or desires.3 .1 Differences between Chinese and Western myths in the authorityIn western mythology, there are “new” and “old” god . In the West, from Greek myth, there developed a division between the old gods representing nature and the new gods representing spiritual lives, and 3D model of “God-Nature-Man” was constructed. God in Greek mythology is multiply down from one generation to another, and to form the specific spectrum of the gods. But Chinese myth is no specific genealogy of the gods. In Greek mythology, in the new gods eyes, the old gods contribution has become insignificant, also barbaric behavior, gradually evolved into an evil, then, struggle between the new and old god is inevitable, and the old god eventually replaced by new gods. This is the embodiment of the people main body consciousness gradually formed, and human development constantly produce new things, constantly destruction rule of the reflection of the old things. However, Chinas god is immortal, so they become our ancestors.Greek people think that the universe is a chaotic place and Gaia, produced from the chaos gods. Mother Earth Gaia, from himself to give birth to the first generation，the god Uranus. Uranus combine with his mother, gave birth to six children, this 12 giant gods in combination with each other and gave birth to the moon and stars, mountains and vegetation. The youngest son of Uranus , Cronus overthrew his fathers rule in the mothers help , became the second generation of the gods . He and his sister Rhea combined , but he was afraid the children overthrow , then swallowed every child . Only the youngest son of Zeus survived .Zeus grew up trying to get his father to spit swallowed children, and joint up and overthrow the rule of his father ,finally he become the three generations of the gods . He married sister Hera, and establish a huge family of God on Mount Olympus.However, in Chinese myth, power is used to worship. It was said that the Jade Emperor was originally the crown prince of the kingdom of Pure Felicity and Majestic Heavenly Lights and Ornaments. At birth, he emitted a wondrous light that filled the entire kingdom. When he was young, he was kind, intelligent and wise. He devoted his entire childhood to helping the needy (the poor and suffering, the deserted and single, the hungry and disabled). Furthermore, he showed respect and benevolence to both men and creatures. After his father died, he ascended the throne. He made sure that everyone in his kingdom found peace and contentment. After that, he told his ministers that he wished to cultivate Tao on the Bright and Fragrant Cliff. After 1,750 kalpas, each kalpa lasting for 129,600 years, he attained