Unit Two b2 Chinese Culture10 4.doc

Unit Two Ancient Chinese Culture Pre-reading Questions 1. Throughout Chinese history, myth and reality have been intertwined. Historical figures have been worshipped as gods, and ancient myths are sometimes treated as historical truths. The creation of the world out of chaos, the importance of nature, and reverence for ancestors are the most significant themes of Chinese mythology. Cite some myths to illustrate the above-mentioned themes. 2. During the Zhou Dynasty, students were required to master the Six Arts, which have their roots in the Confucian philosophy. How significant is the emphasis on the Six Arts in Chinese culture? 1. The Pangu Legend 1In the beginning there was nothing in the universe except a formless chaos. However this chaos coalesced① into a cosmic egg for about 18,000 years. Within it, the perfectly opposed principles of Yin and Yang became balanced and Pangu emerged (or woke up) from the egg. Pangu is usually depicted② 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. The Yang, which was light and pure, rose to become the sky; the Yin, which was heavy and murky③, sank to form the earth. In some versions④ of the story, Pangu is aided in this task by the four most prominent beasts, namely the tortoise, and the kylin, phoenix, and the dragon. 2To keep the sky and the earth separated, Pangu stood between them and pushed up the sky. Pangu underwent nine changes every day: his wisdom greater than that of the sky and his ability greater than that of the earth. Every day the sky rose ten feet, the earth became ten feet thicker and Pangu grew ten feet taller. After 18,000 years had elapsed⑤, Pangu was laid to rest. The sky became very high; the earth, dense and Pangu, extremely tall. His body then dissolved and his head became the mountains; his breath, the wind and clouds; his voice, the thunder; hi