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1. Mythology is a body of myths concerning a particular person or race.Ancient Chinese mythology,a remote and mystical world,was created with the wildest imagination by people in primitive ages,when faced with the unknown.It underwent the far-flung years of oral circulation until the Chinese characters were invented to provide a more permanent way of recording.Chinese mythology is similar to modern religion in that they both believe in relationships between mankind and a higher power.Chinese mythology,however,uses myths and legends to tell of these relationships.A myth is a story considered sacred and true to those within the culture of the mythology.A legend is a story handed down from generation to generation that has no real evidence to back it up.A myth is also passed from generation to generation but it has more facts and evidence recorded to support the story.
2. Shanhaijing(The Classic of Mountains and Seas) is an important book ofancient Chinese mythology.To some people it may be considered as an encyclopedia of ancient China.It provides a lot of detailed information about mountains and seas,myths,witchcraft,and religion of ancient China.Shanhaijing also records the geography,history,medicine,customs,and ethnicities in ancient times.
3. The people of China have a rich and complicated mythology that dates back nearly 4,000 years.Throughout Chinese history,myth and reality have been intertwined. Historical figures have been worshiped as gods,and ancient myths are sometimes treated as historical truths.In addition,three great religious traditions— Confucianism , Taoism ,and Buddhism —have played a role in shaping the mythology.The result is a rich tapestry ofcharacters and tales,both real andimagined,and a unique pantheon organized very much like ancient Chinese society.
4. China can trace its historical roots in an unbroken line for more than 4,000 years,and its mythological roots extend even farther back in time.From about 2000 to 1500 B.C.,a people known as the Xia dominated the northern regions of China.The Xia worshiped the snake,a creature that appears in some of the oldest Chinese myths.Eventually,the snake changed into the dragon,which became one of the most enduring symbols of Chinese culture and mythology.
5. From about 1500 to 1066 B.C.,China entered the Shang dynasty.People at that time worshiped many deities,including natural forces and elements such as rain,clouds,rivers,mountains,the sun,the moon,and the earth.Their greatest deity,Shang Di,remains an important godin the Chinese pantheon.
6. When a new dynasty,the Zhou,came to power in China in 1066 B.C.,significant changes took place in religion.People still worshiped the old gods,but ancestor worship became increasingly important.Confucianism and Taoism appeared near the end of the Zhou Dynasty.These two religious traditions have had an enormous influence on the development of the most basic and lasting principles of Chinese culture.
7. Confucius attracted many followers during his life,and his ideas continued to spread after his death. Reverence for family and ancestors is an important element of Confucianism.
8. In 213 B.C.,many of the original sources of Chinese mythology were lost when Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin Dynasty ordered the burning of all books on subjects other than medicine, prophecy ,and farming.This order was reversed in 191 B.C.,and much of the literature was reconstructed.But works were rewritten to support ideas popular with the royal court at the time,including that of a hierarchy in government.These changes affected religious beliefs,producing a pantheon of deities that mirrored the political organization of the Chinese empire.Gods and spirits had different ranks and areas ofresponsibility,justlike Chinese officials.
9. Shortly before 100 A.D., Buddhism arrived in China from India and added another important influence to Chinese culture and mythology.Buddhist ideas gradually merged with Taoism and Confucianism in the minds of many Chinese.The three traditions were often seen as different aspects of the same religion having basically the same goals.Buddhists and Taoists honored each other’s deities in their temples,and both incorporated principles of Confucianism,such as ancestor worship,in their beliefs.
10. Several common themes appear throughout much of Chinese mythology. Among the most significant are the creation of the world out of chaos,the importance ofnature,and reverence for ancestors.
11. In Chinese mythology,Pan Gu was the first living creature and the creator of the world.Among his acts of creation were the separation of the earth and sky,the placement of the stars and planets in the heavens,and the shaping of the earth’s surface.
12. In the beginning,the universe consisted only of dark chaos in the form of a cosmic egg.Within the egg lay a sleeping giant named Pan Gu.One day Pan Gu awoke and stretched,causing the egg to split open.After Pan Gu emerged,the light pure parts of the egg became the sky,while the heavy parts formed the earth.This separation of the earth and sky marked the beginning of yin and yang,the two opposing forces of the universe.
13. Already gigantic in size,Pan Gu grew 10 feet taller each day.This went on for 18,000 years,and as Pan Gu became taller,he pushed the earth and sky farther apart and shaped them with his tools until they reached their present position and appearance.Exhausted by his work,Pan Gu finally fell asleep and died.When Pan Gu died,parts ofhis body were transformed into different features of the world.
14. Reverence for ancestors is another common theme in Chinese mythology.Long life is viewed as a sign of the gods’favor,and for many centuries,the Chinese have sought the secret oflong life and immortality.In the past,Taoists believed that magic potions could be created that would bestow eternal life on people who drank them and that beings known as Xian(or hsien)gained immortality in this way.Both Taoism and Confucianism stress the importance of paying proper respect to elders,especially parents and grandparents,and deceased ancestors are honored with various ceremonies and rituals.
15. Scholars and critics have written about the special features of Chinese mythology.The most obvious features are:
16. Mythical stories are entwined with history.The history of the long period before recorded history began is partly based on legends,which are interwoven with mythology.Such ancient heroes and leaders as Fuxi,Shennong,Huangdi(the Yellow Emperor)and Yu are both historical figures and important characters in mythical stories.
17. Feature 1:They sing the praises oflabour and creation.
18. Feature 2:They extol perseverance and self-sacrifice.
19. One typical example is the story of Gun and Yu trying to tame the floods.Gun steals the“growing earth”from the Heavenly God with which to stop the floods,but the God has him killed.Out ofhis belly Yu is born,who continues his cause.Yu goes through countless hardships,remains unmarried until he is thirty,and leaves his wife ofonly four days to fight the floods,and finally brings them under control.
20. Feature 3:They praise rebellion against oppression.
21. Feature 4:They eulogize the yearning for true love.
22. “The Cowherd and the Girl Weaver”is certainly one of China’s earliest love stories.Many of the mythical stories written by intellectuals tell stories ofhow men and goddesses,fox fairies or ghost women love each other passionately and sincerely.Such stories reflect,in an indirect way,the yearning for true love when it was stifled by feudal ethical codes.
23. Feature 5:They encourage good deeds and warn against sin.
This is an important theme of the mythical stories produced after the Wei and Jin.Their writers may have been motivated by Confucian teachings about humanity and righteousness and the Buddhist tenet that good will be rewarded with good and evil repaid with evil.
24. All these features add up,perhaps,to one prevailing characteristic:China’s mythical stories,either those created by the primitive people or those written by later scholars,are full of human feelings.Gods,ghosts,foxes and spirits are commonly described as living things with human qualities and human feelings.Chinese inventors of myths describe gods the way they describe man,or treat them as ifthey were human,and endow them with human nature.There are also stories which illustrate fatalism, reincarnation ,and all sorts offeudal ethical principles.
25. The ancient mythical stories,endowed with a deep sense of romanticism,has had and still has a great impact upon the development of Chinese literature.They are widely regarded as the origin of Chinese literature,where writers oflater generations continuously looked for their subjects,drew their inspiration,and foundtheir resources.
Knowledge Focus
1.Answer the following questions.
1)In which way is Chinese mythology related to Chinese religion,especially religious Taoism and Buddhism?
2)What are the characteristics of Chinese mythology?
3)Can you tell some other stories in ancient Chinese mythology?
4)How much do you know about Fu Xi and Nü Wa?
5)How is people’s real social life reflectedin Chinese mythology?
2.Fillin theblanks according to theknowledge you’velearned about Chinese mythology.
1)Mythology is a body of___concerning a particular person or race.
2)Chinese mythology is similar to modern___.
3)A___is a story considered sacred and true,while a___is a story handed down from generation to generation that has no real evidence to backit up.
4)To some people Shanhaijing is considered as an___ofancient China,as it provides a lot ofdetailedinformation in ancient times.
5)Three great religious traditions—___,___and___have played important roles in shaping the mythology.
6)___for family and ancestors is an important element of Confucianism.
7)In Chinese mythology,___was the firstliving creature and the creator of the world.
3.Matchtheinformationin Column A withthe time periodin Column B.
Column A
1)the appearance of Confucianism and Taoism
2)the arrival of Buddhism
3)snake(later dragon)worship
4)Shang Di worship
5)deities reflecting a hierarchy in government
Column B
A.the Xia
B.the Shang
C.the Zhou
D.the Qin
E.before A.D.100
4.Tell whether the following statements are true or false.Write T if the statement is true and F ifitis false.
1) Shanhaijing is no more than an ancient Chinese mythology book.
2)The dragon was worshiped by the Chinese people from the very beginning of our culture.___
3)Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin dynasty ordered the burning of all books on medicine,prophecy,and farming. ___
4)When Buddhism first arrived in China from India,it was rejected by the Chinese people who held Taoism and Confucianism. ___
5)In the past,Taoists believed that one way to gain immortality was to drink magic potions.___
6)In the story of Gun and Yu,the floods were caused because Gun stole the“growing earth”from the Heavenly God and was killed by the God. ___
7)The one prevailing characteristic of Chinese mythology is that China’s mythical stories either created by primitive people or written by scholars are full ofhuman feelings. ___
Language Focus
1.Write the correctword nexttoits definition.
intertwine worship tapestry deity reverence prophecy hierarchy chaos cult gigantic potion extol stifle tenet reincarnation
1)________a liquid or liquid mixture,especially one that is medicinal,poisonous,or magical
2)________to praise highly
3)________the reverentlove and respect for a deity or sacred object
4)________a complete disorder or confusion
5)________to twist together or entwine
6)________a specific system ofworship
7)________relating to or suggestive ofa giant
8)________to kill by preventing respiration
9)________an opinion,doctrine,or principle held as being true by a person or especially by an organization
10)________ a heavy cloth usually hung on walls for decoration
11)________a god or goddess
12)________ a prediction of the future,made under divine inspiration
13)________awe mingled with respect and esteem
14)________rebirth of the soulin another body
15)________ system ofpeople or things arrangedin a graded order
2.Fill in the blanks with the words or expressions taken from Exercise 1 and translate the sentences into Chinese.
1)He is one of the writers who believe in and follow the____ofnaturalism.
2)Medical ethics and business ethics are often____.
3)Songs of____the motherland are ringing far and near.
4)He personifies the____ofmoney.
5)Beijing is a dynamic modern metropolis with 3,000 years of cultural treasures woven into the urban ____.
6)There mustbe immediate action if____is to be averted.
7)The famous artist commands deep____among the people.
8)He seemed to have the gift of____.
9)In the United States,the Supreme Court is the head ofa____offederal courts.
10)The smoke filled the room and almost____the firemen.
3.Fillin theblanksin the passage withthe new words youhavelearnedin this unit.
Taoism refers to a variety of related philosophical and religious traditions and concepts.These traditions have influenced East Asia for over two thousand years and some have spread internationally. (1) for nature and ancestor spirits is common in popular Taoism.The basic (2) of Taoism are“loyalty”and“filial piety”.Taoists (3) many (4) and so Taoism is polytheistic.The deities belong to three realms:Shen( 神 ),Xian( 仙 )and Sheng( 圣 ).They may be translated into the approximate English terms of gods,fairies and saints.Taoism simply reminds us again and again that we are a part of a whole cosmos.The patterns of our lives follow the same laws and cycles as the natural world around us.Originally a way of life,Taoism took on a more religious character after Buddhism arrived in China.Taoism adopted the use oftemples and rituals and promoted the beliefthat all things have their own spirit.It also absorbed many mystical (5) and created an elaborate (6) as well as a new mythology.
4.Error Correction:Each of the following sentences has at least one grammatical error. Identify the errors andmake corrections.
1)Chinese mythology is similar to modern religion in which they both believe relationships between mankind and a higher power.
2)A legendis a story handing down from generation to generation that has no real evidence to backit up.
3)A myth has more facts and evidences to be recorded to support the story.
4)The result is a rich tapestry ofcharacters and tales,both real andimaginative.
5)Eventually,the snake changed into the dragon which became the most enduring symbols of Chinese culture and mythology.
6)When Zhou dynasty came to the power in China in 1066 B.C.,significant changes took place in religion.
7)An important element of Confucianism is reverence offamily and ancestors.
8)The first emperor of the Qin dynasty ordered the burning of all books on subjects rather than medicine,prophecy,and farming.
9)Works were rewritten to support ideas popular with the royal court at the time,including a hierarchy in government.
10)Among the most significant theme is the creation of the world out of chaos,the importance ofnature,and ancestor worship.
11)Among his acts ofcreation was the separation of the earth and sky,the placement of the stars and planets in the heaven,and the shaping of the earth’s surface.
12)In the beginning,the universe consisted only dark chaos in form ofa cosmic egg.
13)Already gigantic with size,he grew 10 feet taller each day.
14)In the past,Taoists believed that magic potions could be created that bestowed eternal life on people who drank them.
15)The history of the long period before recording history began is partly based on legends which are interwoven with mythology.
16)They were wide regarded as the origin of Chinese literature where writers oflater generations continuously looked for their subjects,drew their inspiration,found their resources.
Comprehensive Work
1.Pair Work: Read a classic Chinese story and tell your partner a mythical story in English.Pres⁃ent your understanding of the issues concerned.Share the best story and comments with the class.
2.Solo Work: Write a short passage about the cultural differences in animal worship between China and the West.