中国寓言ChineseMythology

GeneralIntroduction,Exercises,UnitGoals,Lead-inActivity,Review,ToknowandbeabletotellaboutthehistoricalfiguresinChinesemythologyTobefamiliarwiththehistoricaldevelopmentofChinesemythologyTounderstandthecommonthemesandfeaturesofChinesemythologyTolearnaboutsomedifferencesandsimilaritiesoftheChinesecreationstoryandthebiblicalstoryTolearnusefulwordsandexpressionsthatrelatetoChinesemythologyandimproveEnglishlanguageskills,Thuswehopetoteachmythologynotasastudy,butasarelaxationfromstudy;togiveourworkthecharmofastory-book,yetbymeansofittoimpartknowledgeofanimportantbranchofeducation.-ThomasBulfinch,Ismythologythesameasreligion?Asfarasyouknow,howwastheworldcreated?HaveyouheardofothercreationstoriesbesidesPanGu?WhatdoyouknowaboutGenesisintheBible?WhatthemesdoyouthinkareparticularlystressedinChinesemythology?,More,PanGu,Change,Matchthemythicalfiguresinthepictureswiththeirstoriesbyputtingeachofthenamesinthecorrespondingcell.,Houyi,Kuafu,Nwa,TheEightImmortals,Sui,Phoenix,phoenix,PanGu,Sui,Nwa,Change,Kuafu,TheEightImmortals,Houyi,OriginofChineseMythology,FeaturesofChineseMythology,ThemesinChineseMythology,RootsofChineseMythology,MythsAboutMan,MythsAboutHeroes,MythsAboutGods,MythsAboutAnimals,Mythologyisabodyofmythsconcerningaparticularpersonorrace.AncientChinesemythologywascreatedwiththewildestimaginationbypeopleinprimitiveageswhenfacedwiththeunknown.Sincealmosteveryethnicgrouphasitsownmythicalgodsandstoriesabouttheircreativeactions,thereisnotasystematic,integrated,andhomogeneous“Chinesemythology”heldandtransmittedbyalltheChinesepeople.MythsinancientChinawereusuallyspreadinscatteredandfragmentedformsinvariouswrittenmaterial.Thesesourcescontaininformationaboutarchaeology,literature,philosophy,geography,history,witchcraft,ethnography,religion,folklore,andsoon.,ThepeopleofChinahavearichandcomplicatedmythologythatdatesbacknearly4000years.ThroughoutChinesehistory,mythandrealityhavebeenintertwined.Historicalfigureshavebeenworshipedasgods,andancientmythsaresometimestreatedashistoricaltruths.ThreegreatreligioustraditionsConfucianism,Taoism,andBuddhismhaveplayedaroleinshapingthemythology.Shanhaijing(TheClassicofMountainsandSeas),Chuci(TheSongsofChu),andHuainanziarethoughttobethemajorrepositoriesofChineseancientmyths.,Shanhaijing-AnencyclopediaofancientChina,Itprovidesalotofdetailedinformationaboutmountainsandseas,myths,witchcraft,andreligionofancientChina.IthadagreatimpactonChineseliterature.BothShijing(TheBookofSongs)andlotsofoutstandingpoems,legendsandnovelsoflaterageswereallbasedonmythsinShanhaijingwithsomeadaptationandcreation.,MostChinacantraceitshistoricalrootsinanunbrokenlineformorethan4,000years,anditsmythologicalrootsextendevenfartherbackintime.Fromabout2000to1500B.C.,apeopleknownastheXiadominatedthenorthernregionsofChina.,Fromabout1500to1066B.C.,ChinaenteredtheShangdynasty.Peopleatthattimeworshipedmanydeities,includingnaturalforcesandelementssuchasrain,clouds,rivers,mountains,thesun,themoon,andtheearth.Theirgreatestdeity,ShangDi,remainsanimportantgodintheChinesepantheon.,Whenanewdynasty,theZhou,cametopowerinChinain1066B.C.,significantchangestookplaceinreligion.Peoplestillworshipedtheoldgods,butancestorworshipbecameincreasinglyimportant.ConfucianismandTaoismappearedneartheendoftheZhoudynasty.ThesetworeligioustraditionshavehadanenormousinfluenceonthedevelopmentofthemostbasicandlastingprinciplesofChineseculture.,Shortlybefore100A.D.,BuddhismarrivedinChinafromIndiaandaddedanotherimportantinfluencetoChinesecultureandmythology.BuddhistideasgraduallymergedwithTaoismandConfucianisminthemindsofmanyChinese.,SeveralcommonthemesappearthroughoutmuchofChinesemythology.Amongthemostsignificantarethecreationoftheworldoutofchaos,theimportanceofnature,andreverenceforancestors.,Mythicalstoriesareentwinedwithhistory.Featurel:Theysingthepraisesoflaborandcreation.Feature2:Theyextolperseveranceandself-sacrifice.Feature3:Theypraiserebellionagainstoppression.Feature4:Theyeulogizetheyearningfortruelove.Feature5:Theyencouragegooddeedsandwarnagainstsin.,Thefirstlivingcreatureandthecreatoroftheworld.Amonghisactsofcreationweretheseparationoftheearthandsky,theplacementofthestarsandplanetsintheheavens,andtheshapingoftheearthssurface.,PanGu,Nwa(alsoreferredtoasNKwa)appearedinliteraturenoearlierthan350BC.Hercompanion,Fuxi,(alsocalledFuHsi)washerbrotherandhusband.Theyaresometimesworshipedastheultimateancestorofallhumankind,andareoftenrepresentedashalf-snake,half-humans.ItissometimesbelievedthatNwamoldedhumansfromclayforcompanionship.SherepairedtheskyafterGongGongdamagedthepillarsupportingtheheavens.,Nwa,Mentioningmythsaboutgods,weshouldkeepinmindthatpopularlyknowngodsarecloselyintermingledwithreligions,mainlyReligiousTaoismandBuddhism.,Onthebasisoflegendsandfolktales,thesupremelordistheJadeEmperor(玉皇大帝)whohadhisCourt,palace,ministers,etc.ThemajorgodsweretheQueenMotheroftheWest(西王母娘娘),theEightImmortals(八仙),theBodhisattvas(菩萨),thefourHeavenlyKings(四大天王),Buddhas(佛),Arhats(罗汉),Houyishotdownthesuns,Thesunissometimessymbolizedasathree-leggedcrowcalledasunbird.Thereweretenofthesesunbirds,eachofwhomaretheoffspringofDiJun,GodoftheEasternHeaven.ThetensunbirdsresidedinamulberrytreeintheEasternSea;eachdayonewouldtravelaroundtheworldonacarriage,drivenbyXihe,MotheroftheSuns.Eventually,thesunbirdsgrewtiredoftheroutineanddecidedthatallofthemweretoriseatthesametime.Theheatonearthbecameintense.Asaresult,cropsshriveledinthefields.Lakesandpondsdriedup.Humanandnon-humananimalscoweredinsheltersorcollapsedfromexhaustion.Timepassedandthesufferingcontinued.EmperorYaodecidedtopleadfordivineinterventionandtoaskDiJunforaid.DiJunwaswellawareofhissonsmisdeedsandsentforHouyi,theGodofArchery,toteachhissonsalesson.DiJunwantedHouyitosimplyfrightenthemsothattheywouldnotdaretocausemischiefagain.Houyi,too,wantedtosettlethiscrisispeacefully,butasingleglanceatthescorchedlandwasenoughtoconvincehimthatdesperatemeasureswereneeded.AngeredbythesufferingofthepeoplecausedbytheSun-birdsmisconduct,Houyilifteduphisbowandshotthemdownonebyone.Uponkillingtheninth,EmperorYaohurriedtohalthimaskillingthelastonewouldleavetheworldintotaldarkness.Houyiagreedandwashailedasaheroformankind,butlater,HouyisactionscausedhimtomakeenemiesinHeavenandasaresulthewaspunishedwithdivinewrath.,Oneday,KuafudecidedtochaseandcatchtheSun.WitheachstridehegetsclosertotheSun,however,hecouldnevercatchuptoit.HefollowedtheSunfromtheEasttotheWest,drainingallriversandlakescrossinghispathassourcesofwatertoquenchhisburningthirstasheclosedinonthestar.However,hewasntabletofinishhisquestbecausehediedoftheextremeheatandexhaustion.Thewoodenclubhewascarryinggrewintoavastforest.Inoneversion,KuaFuturnsintoamountainrange.InmodernChineseusage,thestoryofKuaFuchasingtheSunisusedtodescribeapersonwhofailstoobtainhisgoalbecausehegreatlyoverestimateshimself.,Kuafu,EmperorHuangDi,EmperorYao，Shun，Yu,Gods,Creators,andHeroes:Insomemythologicaltraditions,godstookonanimalform.Althoughsupernaturalanimalswerenotgodsthemselves,theywereoftencreated,givenpower,orprotectedbythegods.,JingweiisabirdinChinesemythology,transformedfromthedaughterofYandinamedNwa(differentfromthegoddessNwawhocreatedmankindandrepairedtheheavens).AftershedrownedwhenplayingintheEasternSea,shemetamorphosedintoabirdcalledJingwei.Jingweiisdeterminedtofillupthesea,soshecontinuouslycarriesapebbleortwiginhermouthanddropsitintotheEasternSea.,Jingwei,Butterfly:InChineseculturetheButterflyrepresentslove,specificallyyounglove.Happilyflittingfromflowertoflower,itsignifiesahappysociallifefortheyoungandyoungheart.Chineselegendhasitthatthebutterflysymbolizesanundyingbondbetweenlovers.,Crane:TheCraneislegendaryinChinaforbeingtheprinceofallfeatheredcreaturesonearth.NexttothePhoenix,theCraneisthemostfavoredofallChinesebirdsymbols.TheCraneistheancientsymbolforlongevitybecauseofitsexceptionallylonglifespan.Inmanylegends,thespiritsrideoncranes,whicharealsosaidtobearthesoulsofthedepartedtotheheavens.,Horse:TheseventhoftheChineseZodiacSigns,thehorserepresentsendurance,loyalty,andpuritytotheBuddhistwayofthinking.Itisalsoasymbolforquickadvancementinrank,and,recognitionofstrength.,Magpie:ThisChineseanimalsymboltranslatesintothebirdofjoy.ItisbelievedthatwhentheMagpienestsinyourhouse,itbringsmuchcauseforcelebrationandmanyhappyoccasions.,Tricksters:Manymythsfeatureanimaltricksters,mischievousandunpredictablebeingswhousedeceit,magic,orclevernesstofoolothers.Althoughsometrickstersarejustplayingpranks,othersactinharmfulways.Occasionally,thetrickstersthemselveswindupbeingtrickedortrapped.Theirlimitedmagicalpowersmayechothegreaterpowersofthegods.,Monsters:FromthegreatseabeastcalledLeviathanintheBibletothemutantlizardGodzillaofmodernsciencefictionmovies,monstrousanimalsappearinmanykindsofmyths.Monstersrepresentourdarkestfears:chaosanduncontrollabledestruction.Amonsterismorethanjustalargeorfierceanimal.Itissomethingabnormal,somethingthatbreaksthelawsofsociety.,Review,UsefulExpression,CriticalThinking,Review,thecreationoftheworld;genesis;advancewithgiantstrides,descendantsofEmperorsYanandHuang,amythicalbirdJingweitriestofilltheoceanwithtwigsandpebbes,Nwamendingthesky,Kuafuchasingthesun,apersistentspirittriumphsovermountainoustasks,thecowherdandtheweavingmaid,Changeflying/ascendingtothemoon,someonewhoisveryvirtuousandhighlyrespectedbypeople,withwhole-hearteddedication,oldandrockwillcrackopen,开天辟地,炎黄子孙,精卫填海,女娲补天,夸父逐日,愚公移山,牛郎织女,嫦娥奔月,百鸟朝凤,精诚所至金石为开,Discussthefollowingtopics:1)InwhichwayisChinesemythologyrelatedtoChinesereligion,especiallyreligiousTaoismandBuddhism?2)WhatarethecharacteristicsofChinesemythology?3)HowispeoplesrealsociallifereflectedinChinesemythology?,FillintheblanksaccordingtotheknowledgeyouvelearnedaboutChinesemythology.,More,1)Mythologyisabodyofconcerningaparticularpersonorrace.2)Chinesemythologyissimilartomodern.3)Aisastoryconsideredsacredandtrue,whileaisastoryhandeddownfromgenerationtogenerationthathasnorealevidencetobackitup.4)TosomepeopleShanhaijingisconsideredasanofancientChina，asitprovidesalotofdetailedinformationinancienttimes.5)Threegreatreligioustraditions,andhaveplayedimportantrolesinshapingthemythology.6)_forfamilyandancestorsisanimportantelementofConfucianism.7)InChinesemythology,_wasthefirstlivingcreatureandthe