mythsandfiction.pptVIP

Chinese Literature Myths, Legends and fictions By Liu Yuqin The characteristics of myths and the reasons Originating from people’s worship of nature Separate fragments and not so systematical Reasons: Early dwellers in the Yellow River Valley were practical. Confucius disapproved of talk of the supernatural, the old myths were not quoted by Confucian scholars. The classification of myths Myths about creation Myths about flood Myths about war Myths about invention Heaven and earth were commingled like an egg in the midst of which Pan Ku was born and he lived for eighteen thousand years. The heaven and earth split asunder: the pure and bright element became heaven, the impure and dark element earht, while Pan Ku wihtin underwent nine transformations in one day, turning into a god in heaven and a sage on earth. Heaven grew ten feet higher every day, earth grew ten feet thicker every day, and Pan Kugrew ten feet taller every day. So it went for eighteen thousand years, till heaven was exceedingly high, earth exceedingly thick, and Pan Ku exceedingly tall. Then came the three divine emperors 天地混沌如鸡子，盘古生其中，一万八千岁。天地开辟，阳清为天，阴浊为地，盘古在其中，一日九变，神于天，圣于地。天日高一丈，地日厚一丈，盘古日长一丈，如此万八千岁，天数极高，地数极深，盘古极长。后乃有三皇。（《艺文类聚》一引徐整《三五历记》） Heaven and earth are matter too, but there were deficiencies, so in ancient times Nu-kua melted coloured stones to fill out these deficiencies and cut off the feet of a giant turtle to prop up the four extremities of the earth. Later Kung Kung contended against Chuan-hsu for the mastery and in his rage crashed into Mount Puchou, breaking the pillars of heaven and earth’s foundations. Then heaven tilted down on the northwest, and the sun, moon and stars all go that way. The earth has a gap in the southeast, and thither all the streams and rivers flow. 天地，亦物也。物有不足，故昔者女娲氏练五色石以补其阙，断鳌之足以立四极。其后共工氏与颛顼争为帝，怒而触不周之山，折天柱，绝地维，故天倾西北，日月星辰就焉，地不满东南，故百川水潦归焉。（《列子》《汤问》） 洪水滔天。鲧窃帝之息壤以堙洪水，不待帝命。帝令祝融杀鲧于羽郊。鲧复生禹，帝乃命禹卒布土以定九州。《山海经》 The flood was overwhelming. Gun stole some sand soil from the g