中国古代神话 示范课程

中国古代神话 示范课程 Ancient Chinese Mythology

本篇介绍中国古代神话的概况、特点、风格以及流传至今的部分神话故事和神话人物。

1.中国古代神话的特色是什么？
What is the feature of ancient Chinese mythology?
The ancient mythology has strong Chinese characteristics and is imbued with a sense of human vitality. The heroes are gods or deities, but they are also considered as Chinese people’s ancestors such as Yu the Great (大禹 ) and Huangdi (黄帝 ). The heroes and gods all love people in the world. Pangu (盘古 ), Nüwa (女娲 ), Yi (羿) and Emperor Yu, for example, sacrifice themselves for the benefit of others. In addition, Chinese mythology contains the basic spirit of Chinese people who strive continuously to make new progress. Pangu, for example, creates the universe, and Jingwei (精卫 ) fills up the sea. Generally speaking, Chinese myths constitute the roots of Chinese culture. They have deeply influenced philosophy, literature, arts and language.
Notes：1）imbue使充满； 2）livelihood生计； 3）deity神； 4）ancestor祖先

2.盘古是什么人？
Who is Pangu?
In ancient Chinese mythology, Pangu was the first living being and the creator of the universe. According to Chinese cosmology, in the beginning there was nothing in the universe except formless chaos. Then this chaos began to unite into a cosmic egg, and Pangu emerged from the egg. He then set about the task of creating the world. He separated Yin from Yang. Yin became the earth, and Yang formed into the sky. This task took him eighteen thousand years. During this period, each day the sky grew ten feet higher, the earth ten feet wider, and Pangu ten feet taller. After eighteen thousand years had passed, the sky was ninety thousand li from the earth. Pangu died afterwards. His body became the mountains of the world, his blood the oceans and rivers, his left eye the sun, his right eye the moon, and his hair forests and grass.
Notes：1）creator造物主； 2）formless无定形的； 3）chaos混沌