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"Nine Dragons" handscroll section, by Chen Rong, 1244 AD, Chinese Song Dynasty, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Nine Dragons" handscroll section, by Chen Rong, 1244 AD, Chinese Song Dynasty, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written form. The Song Dynasty ( Wade-Giles: Sung Ch'ao was a ruling dynasty in China between 960&ndash1279 CE it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States attracting over one million visitors a year The term cultural history (from the German term) refers both to an Academic discipline and to its subject matter History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological The world's principal Religions and spiritual traditions may be classified into a small number of major groups or world religions'. There are several aspects to Chinese mythology, including creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" A creation myth is a supernatural mytho-[[religion religious]] story or explanation that describes the beginnings of humanity, Earth, life, and The Culture of China (traditional Chinese 中國文化 simplified Chinese 中国文化 is home to one of the world's oldest and most complex Civilizations covering a history China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Like most mythologies, some people believed it to be true at least in part a factual recording of history. History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology

Historians have conjectured that the Chinese mythology began in 12th century B.C. The myths and the legends were passed down in oral format for over a thousand years, before being written down in early books such as Shui Jing Zhu and Shan Hai Jing. Shui Jing Zhu ( literally "Commentary on the Waterways Classic" is a work on the ancient Geography of China it is the annotated text of an older text Shan Hai Jing ( is a Chinese classic text that is at least 2000 years old Other myths continued to be passed down through oral traditions such as theatre and song, before being recorded in the form of novels such as Fengshen Yanyi. Fengshen Yanyi ( (translated as The Investiture of the Gods or The Creation of the Gods) also known as Fengshen Bang ( is one

Contents

Records of Myths

A tomb beast-guard (zhenmushou) made of terracotta, from Nothern China, dated to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 – 534 CE)
A tomb beast-guard (zhenmushou) made of terracotta, from Nothern China, dated to the Northern Wei Dynasty (386 – 534 CE)

A number of works record ancient Chinese mythology in their settled forms. Terra cotta ( Italian: "baked earth" is a Ceramic. Its uses include vessels water & waste water pipes and surface embellishment in Building construction The Northern Wei Dynasty (北魏 Pinyin: běi wèi 386 - 534) also known as the Tuoba Wei (拓拔魏 Later Wei (後魏 or Most myths extant today are derived from their recording in these works.

Some myths survive in theatrical or literary formats, as plays or novels. Important mythological fiction which is seen as definitive records of these myths include:

Myths and Legends

Creation myths

A unique characteristic of Chinese culture is the relatively late appearance in Chinese literature of creation myths. Those that do exist appear well after the foundation of Confucianism, Taoism, and Folk Religions. The stories exist in several versions, often conflicting, with the creation of the first humans being variously ascribed to Shangdi, Yu Huang, Heaven, Nuwa, Pangu. Shangdi (上帝 Pinyin: Shàngdì, Wade-Giles Shang Ti) is the Supreme God in the original religious system of the Han Chinese The Jade Emperor ( or 玉帝 Yù Dì) is the Taoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell Tian ( is one of the oldest Chinese terms for the Cosmos and a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion. For the 1st century Chinese historian see Ban Gu. For the town in Nepal see Pangu Nepal. The following presents common versions of the creation story in roughly chronological order.

Nuwa and Fuxi represented as half-snake, half-human creatures.
Nuwa and Fuxi represented as half-snake, half-human creatures.

Three August Ones and Five Emperors

Main article: Three August Ones and Five Emperors

Following on from the age of Nuwa and Fuxi (or cotemporaneous in some versions) was an age known as the Three August Ones and Five Emperors (三皇五帝). The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ( were mythological rulers of China during the period from c This involves a collection of legendary rulers who ruled between c. 2850 BC to 2205 BC, the time preceding the Xia dynasty. The 29th century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 2900 BC to 2801 BC The 23rd century BC is a Century which lasted from the year 2300 BC to 2201 BC The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and

The list of names comprising the Three August Ones and Five Emperors vary widely between sources (see Three August Ones and Five Emperors for other versions of the list). The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ( were mythological rulers of China during the period from c The version in the widest circulation (and most popularly known) is:

(Source: Shangshu (尚書))

These rulers were generally regarded as extremely moral and benevolent rulers, examples to be emulated by latter day kings and emperors. When Qin Shi Huang united China in 221 BC, he felt that his achievements had surpassed those of all the rulers who have gone before him. Qin Shi Huang ( (259 BC – September 10 210 BC personal name Yíng Zhèng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BCE to 221 BCE (during the China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Events By place Carthage The Carthaginian general Hasdrubal is murdered by a Celtic assassin while campaigning to increase Hence, he combined the ancient titles of Huang (皇) and Di (帝) to create a new title, Huangdi (皇帝), usually translated as Emperor.

Great Flood

Main article: Yu the Great

Shun passed his place as leader of the Huaxia tribe to Yu the Great (禹). Yǔ ( (21st century BCE born Sì Wénmìng) often regarded with legendary status as Yu the Great (大禹 Dà-Yǔ) was the first ruler and founder of Shun ( was a legendary 23rd -22nd century BC leader of ancient China, among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, whose half-century of rule was one of Huaxia ( is a name often used to represent China or Chinese civilization Yǔ ( (21st century BCE born Sì Wénmìng) often regarded with legendary status as Yu the Great (大禹 Dà-Yǔ) was the first ruler and founder of According to legend, the Yellow River was prone to flooding, and erupted in a huge flood in the time of Yao. Yao ( Traditional Chinese: 堯, Simplified Chinese: 尧) (2358 - 2258 BC was a legendary Chinese ruler one of the Three Sovereigns Yu's father, Gun, was put in charge of flood control by Yao, but failed to alleviate the problem after 9 years. Yao ( Traditional Chinese: 堯, Simplified Chinese: 尧) (2358 - 2258 BC was a legendary Chinese ruler one of the Three Sovereigns He was executed by Shun, and Yu took his father's place, and led the people in building canals and levees. Shun ( was a legendary 23rd -22nd century BC leader of ancient China, among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, whose half-century of rule was one of After thirteen years of toil, flooding problems were solved under Yu's command. Shun enfeoffed Yu in the place of Xia, in present-day Wan County in Henan. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and Henan ( is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country On his death, Shun passed the leadership to Yu. The main source for the story of Yu and the Great Flood comes from The Counsels of Yu the Great in the Classic of History (尚書·大禹謨). The Classic of History ( is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China

Because of his achievement in resolving the Great Flood, Yu, alone among the mythological rulers, is usually called "Yu the Great" (大禹). Alternatively, he is called Emperor Yu (帝禹), like his predecessors.

Xia Dynasty

Main article: Xia Dynasty

Upon Yu's death, his position as leader was passed not to his deputy, but was inherited by his son Qi. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and Qi ( was the son of Yu the Great and the second sovereign of the legendary Xia Dynasty. Various sources differ as to the process by which Qi rose to this position. Most versions agree that during his lifetime, Yu had designated his deputy, Gaotao (皋陶), to be his successor. Gao Yao ( lived in the 21st century BCE) was a political advisor of the Yu the Great in China during the Xia Dynasty. When Gaotao died before him, Yu then selected Gaotao's son, Bo Yi (伯益) as successor. One version then says that all the peoples who had submitted to Yu admired Qi more than Boyi, and Yu passed power to Qi instead. Another version holds that Boyi ceremoniously offered the position to Qi, who accepted, against convention, because he had the support of other leaders. A third version says that Qi killed Boyi and usurped his position as leader.

A 4th version, the currently most accepted version in China says, Yu named Bo Yi as successor, because Bo Yi had achieve fame through teaching the People to use fire to drive animals during hunts. Bo Yi had the popular support of the People and Yu could not go against it easily. But Yu gave Bo Yi the empty successor title, without giving Bo Yi more responsibilities. Instead Yu gave his own son all the responsibilities of managing the country. After a few years, Bo Yi lose popularity without additional achievements, and Yu's son Qi became more popular among the People. Then Yu named Qi as the successor. Bo Yi, however, did not lose willingly. Bo Yi challenged Qi for leadership, and a civil war ensued. Qi with great support of the People, managed to defeat Bo Yi's forces, and killed Bo Yi, and solidified his rule.

In any case, Qi's succession broke the previous convention of meritorious succession, and began what is traditionally regarded as the first dynasty in Chinese history. A dynasty is a succession of rulers who belong to the same family for generations The dynasty is called "Xia" after Yu's centre of power. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and

The Xia Dynasty is considered at least semi-mythological. The Records of the Grand Historian and the Bamboo Annals record the names of 17 kings of the Xia Dynasty. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC The Bamboo Annals ( Chinese character: 竹書紀年 Pinyin: Zhúshū Jìnián) is a Chronicle of ancient China. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and However, there is no conclusive archaeological evidence of its capital or its existence as a state of any significant size. Archaeological evidence do not point towards a significant urban civilisation until the Shang Dynasty. The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the

Shang Dynasty

Main article: Shang Dynasty

Jie, the last king of the Xia Dynasty, is said to be a bloodthirsty despot. The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the King Jie ( given name Gui(癸 was the last ruler of the Xia Dynasty of China, and is blamed for its fall The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and Tang of Shang, a tribal leader, revolted against Xia rule and eventually overthrew Jie and established the Shang Dynasty, based in Anyang. King Cheng Tang of Shang of China (in Chinese:"湯" born Zi Lü, in Chinese"子履" The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the Anyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The Shang Dynasty ruled from ca. The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the 1766 BC to ca. 1050 BC. It came to an end when the last despotic ruler, Zhou of Shang, was overthrown by the new Zhou Dynasty. King Di Xin of Shang ( Chinese: 帝辛 born Zi Shou (Chinese 子受 was the last The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. The end of the Shang Dynasty and the establishment of the Zhou is the subject of the influential mythological fiction, Investitute of the Gods (封神演義). The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the The Zhou Dynasty ( POJ: Chiu Tiau 1122 BC to 256 BC was preceded by the Shang Dynasty and followed by the Qin Dynasty in China. Fengshen Yanyi ( (translated as The Investiture of the Gods or The Creation of the Gods) also known as Fengshen Bang ( is one

Unlike the preceding Xia Dynasty, there is clear archaeological evidence of a government centre at Yinxu in Anyang, and of an urban civilisation in the Shang Dynasty. The Xia Dynasty ( of China is the first dynasty to be described in ancient historical records such as Records of the Grand Historian and Yinxu ( is the ruins of the last capital of China's Shang Dynasty ( 1766 BC - 1050 BC) Anyang ( is a Prefecture-level city in Henan province, People's Republic of China. The Shang Dynasty ( Chinese: 商[[wiktionary 朝|朝]] or Yin Dynasty ( 殷[[wiktionary 代|代]] was according to traditional sources the However, the chronology of the first three dynasties remains an area of active research and controversy. The Xia Shang Zhou Chronology Project ( was a multi-discipline project commissioned by the People's Republic of China in 1996 to determine with accuracy the location and

Creation and the Pantheon

The Jade Emperor is charged with running of the three realms heaven, hell and that of the living. The Jade Emperor adjudicates and metes out rewards and remedies to actions of saints, the living and the deceased according to a merit system loosely called the Jade Principles Golden Script 玉律金篇, see external links. When judgments proposed were objected to, usually by other saints, the administration would occasionally resort to the counsels of the advisory elders.

Dragon

The Chinese dragon is one of the most important mythical creatures in Chinese mythology. The Chinese Dragon or Oriental dragon is a mythical creature in East Asian culture with a Chinese origin The Chinese dragon is considered to be the most powerful and divine creature and is believed to be the controller of all waters. The dragon symbolised great power and was very supportive of heroes and gods. One of the most famous dragons in Chinese mythology is Ying Long, or "Responding Dragon". He is said to be the god of rain. Many people in different places pray to him in order to receive rain. In Chinese mythology, dragons are believed to be able to create clouds with their breath. Chinese people often use the term "Descendants of the Dragon" as a sign of ethnic identity. Zhonghua minzu ( Traditional Chinese: 中華民族 ( Simplified Chinese: 中华民族 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínzú sometimes translated as The Chinese Dragon or Oriental dragon is a mythical creature in East Asian culture with a Chinese origin

For the most part, Chinese myths involve moral issues which inform people of their culture and values. There are many stories that can be studied or excavated in China.

Dragon-gods, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. T. C. Werner
Dragon-gods, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. T. C. Werner

Religion and mythology

There has been extensive interaction between Chinese mythology and the major belief systems of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Confucianism ( is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system originally developed from the teachings of the fifth century B Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices (see Religion in China)

On the one hand, elements of pre-existing mythology were adapted into these belief systems as they developed (in the case of Taoism), or were assimilated into Chinese culture (in the case of Buddhism). Religion in China has been characterized by Pluralism since the beginning of Chinese history. On the other hand, elements from the teachings and beliefs of these systems became incorporated into Chinese mythology. For example, the Taoist belief of a spiritual paradise became incorporated into mythology, as the place where immortals and deities dwell. Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions Heaven may refer to the physical heavens the sky or the seemingly endless expanse of the Universe beyond

One possible explanation available is that there is no distinction between the religion factions in heaven, whether it is Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam or Catholicism, according to the text of Pantao Yen Log or The Feast of the Immortal Peaches, Tiantang Yiuchi both of which alleged the five religions shared the same origin or source. These distinctions were made on earth, originally due to geography. Appellations to the purified and enlightened yuanling do contain distinctions, collectively these are known as Sheng Fok Xian Zhen (聖佛仙真).

All mortals including the likes of kings e. g. Three August Ones and Five Emperors or commoners like Ji Gong, Zhong Kui, Mulian, with deeds worthy of commendation, using yardstick similar to the Taoist Jade Principles Golden Script 玉律金篇, would eventually be considered as enlightened being, or as a yuanling. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ( were mythological rulers of China during the period from c To be a deity or god in the pantheon these enlightened would need to further carry out work or deeds on behalf of heaven, and eventually additional titles added.

Important mythologies and deities

Wen Chang, Chinese God of Literature, carved in ivory, c. 1550–1644, Ming Dynasty.
Wen Chang, Chinese God of Literature, carved in ivory, c. 1550–1644, Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty ( or Empire of the Great Ming ( was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol -led
Spirit of the well, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. T. C. Werner
Spirit of the well, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. Cai Shen ( is the Chinese god of prosperity He can be referred to as Zhao Gongming or Bi Gan. Chinese mythology is a collection of Cultural history, Folktales, and Religions that have been passed down in oral or written form Kui Xing ( is a character in Chinese mythology, the god of examinations and an associate or servant of the god of literature Wen Chang. Sun Wukong ( known in the West as the Monkey King, is the main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West. Daoji ( (1130 &ndash 1207 commonly known as Ji Gong ( Master Ji or ( Living Buddha Ji Gong was a Buddhist monk during the Southern Song Dynasty Tin Hau redirects here For other meanings of Tin Hau see Tin Hau (disambiguation Mazu ( also spelt Matsu, is the Taoist In Chinese folk religion and Chinese mythology, the Kitchen God, named Zao Jun ( literally "stove master" or Zao Shen ( literally Tu Di Gong ( is a local earth god worshipped in China. A popular Chinese deity he is worshiped by Chinese folk religion worshipers and Taoists A formal City gods or town gods are deities in Chinese mythology, responsible for the affairs of the city Zhong Kui ( Japanese: Shōki is a figure of Chinese mythology. In Chinese mythology, Long Mu ( or Mother of Dragons was a Chinese woman who was Deified as a goddess after raising five infant dragons Hung Shing (洪聖 also known as Hung Shing Ye (洪聖爺 and Tai Wong (大王 was a government official in the Tang Dynasty named Hung Hei Tam Kung (譚公 literally "Lord Tam" is a Sea deity worshiped in Hong Kong and Macau. Meng Po ( is the Lady of Forgetfulness in Chinese mythology. Literally means Old Lady Meng Meng Po serves in Di Yu, the Chinese realm of the dead The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ( were mythological rulers of China during the period from c Zhu Rong (祝融 (Pinyin Zhù Róng Wg:Chu-jung or Chu-jong is the Chinese god of fire and ruler of the southern hemisphere from pre-Qin mythology Gong Gong (共工 is a Chinese water god who is responsible for the great floods together with his associate Xiang Yao (相繇 who has nine heads and the body of a snake For the Manhwa, see Heavenly Executioner Chiwoo ----------------------- Mythology Along with Yan Di and Huang Yǔ ( (21st century BCE born Sì Wénmìng) often regarded with legendary status as Yu the Great (大禹 Dà-Yǔ) was the first ruler and founder of Kua Fu (夸父 is a giant in Chinese mythology who wished to capture the sun Cangjie is a legendary figure in ancient China (c 2650 BC claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters Houyi (后羿 also simply called Yi was a mythological Chinese Archer and the leader of Dongyi. Chang'e, Ch'ang-O or Chang-Ngo ( also known as Heng-E or Heng-O ( 姮[[wiktionary 娥|娥]] Héng'é is the Chinese Goddess Qi Xi ( also known as Magpie Festival falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the Chinese calendar; thus its name T. C. Werner

Mythical creatures

Mythical places

Literary sources of Chinese mythology

See also

This article contains Chinese text. Diyu ( literally "earth prison" is the realm of the dead or " Hell " in Chinese mythology. Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio or Liaozhai Zhiyi (also Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio or Strange Tales of Liaozhai Pu Songling ( June 5 1640 — February 25 1715) was a Chinese author who wrote during the Qing Dynasty. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC The Lüshi Chunqiu ( is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239 BCE under the patronage of the Qin Dynasty Chancellor Lü Buwei The Classic of Rites ( was one of the Five Classics of the Confucian canon The Classic of History ( is a compilation of documentary records related to events in ancient history of China
Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. Mojibake is the happenstance of incorrect unreadable characters (garbage characters shown when Computer software fails to render a text correctly according to its associated A Chinese character, also known as a Han character ( is a Logogram used in writing Chinese (hanzi Japanese (

References

External links

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