跨文化视角下的中国古代与古希腊神话中女神的对比

论文总字数：27627字

摘 要

神话，作为人类童年时代的文学，是世界文学史中最早出现的文学样式。神话是古代劳动人民对自然及社会现象的一种认识和愿望。神话是文学与艺术的源泉，世界上各个古老的民族都有神话。中国和希腊作为人类文明产生的发源地，神话的历史源远流长。因为两个国家的历史演变和地理环境的不同，所以有着许多不同之处。女神作为古代神话中的重要组成部分，神话中对女性的塑造也体现了当时女性在社会中的地位及存在价值。通过研究对比两国神话中女神的不同，能了解古代中国和古希腊时期女性的形象、地位、以及存在价值和两国当时不同的文化背景知识、历史演变过程和地理环境。

关键词：神话；女神；古中国；古希腊

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

3. Differences of Goddesses in Ancient Chinese Mythology and Ancient Greek Mythology 2

3.1 Numbers of Goddesses 3

3.2 Statuses of Goddesses 4

3.3 Images of Goddesses 5

3.4 Love of Goddesses 6

4. The Causes of the Differences 7

4.1 Historical Development 8

4.2 Cultural Background and Geographical Environment 9

5. Conclusion 9

Works Cited 11

1. Introduction

Every nation has its own culture. Different countries have different cultures. But there are still similarities between different cultures. And all the culture appeared in the childhood of every nation and then became more abundant with the development of the history. Nowadays the absurd and colourful mythology is that people can date back to the oldest form of culture.

Mythology is based on the real life and not come from the fantasy in mind. It comes from the working of ancient people. Mythology is the real reflection of society at that time. It can be seen that mythology is a valuable spiritual wealth of a nation and a country . It also has a very important position in the history of literature. The theme、content and character of the mythology have an impact on the later literary creation. It provided literary creation with abundant theme. In addition , mythology has rich aesthetic value and historical value and connects with the ancient life and history.

Mythology is the source and treasury of the literature and art. Every ancient nation has its own unique mythology. As the cradle of human civilization, ancient Chinese and ancient Greek mythology both have a long history. Therefore there are some similarities between ancient Chinese and ancient Greek mythology. Such as they all appeared in the ancient time and both of them had an important impact on later literature. However , ancient china and ancient Greece have many differernces, so there are many differences of mythology between the two countries. For example the number of god and goddess is different, the environment of two countries is different, the number of mythology story is also different and so on.

As is known to all, the goddess is the necessary part of the mythology. Both ancient China and ancient Greece have the story of goddess. I can learn the goddesses’ image, status and other aspects from the mythology of goddess. There is no denying that Chinese goddesses and Greek goddesses are different in many aspects. It has improtant reference value for me to study the different status of different countries. By comparing several aspects of goddess of ancient China and ancient Greece, I can also learn the different cultural background, geographical environment and historical developing process between the two countries at that time. Then I can also learn the effect on later generations that the differences of goddess in mythology bring on.

2. Literature Review

LiYulian(2001) researched and found that the highest difference is due to the different natural environment of ancient China and ancient Greece. Ancient China and ancient Greece are both famous ancient countries in the human history. In Chinese mythology, goddesses are existing independently. On the contrary, the Greek goddesses belong to a whole system.

ShiXiaojing and YuYin(2006) compared the status of goddesses of two countries. It can easily find that Greek goddesses have higher status than Chinese goddesses. It is caused by the different culture of two countries. It shows the differences of the number and rights of goddesses.

WuHuaqun and ZhangXihu(2006) considered Chinese mythology and Greek mythology both appeared at the earlier time of human. However, there many differences of them because of the different geographical environment and historical changed process. The Greeks created the image of goddess according to people’s image. Greek goddesses are more beautiful and intelligent than human, at the same time, they also have the emotion, personality and image of human.

GuoWei considered that there are three aspects of differences between Chinese goddess and Greek goddess. The first is the difference of goddess’s rights. He thought Chinese goddess has the highest right such as Nvwa. In addition, Chinese goddesses are more kind than goddesses. On the contrary, Greek goddess are more emotional. Last but not least, Chinese goddesses pay attention to passion andmorality while Greek goddesses focus on desire and sex.

3. Differences of Goddesses in Ancient Chinese Mythology and Ancient Greek Mythology

Mythology is not be created at random, but a reflection of real life. You can always find some historical traces in mythologies. They are real but not entirely ture. The different images of god and goddess between China and Greece reflect the different lifestyle and culture between two countries. It can reflect not only women’s status in real life, but also the different cultural background of different ancient nation. The mythology come from the enviroment and spiritusl culture of a country. In different national mythology, goddesses have many aspects of differences. By comparing the number, status, image and love of goddess in ancient Chinese and Greek mythology, we can easily find that the goddesses of Greek mythology have higher status than goddess of Chinese mythology.

3.1 Numbers of goddesses

As is known to all, the world is composed of two kinds of gender, man and woman. Theoretically speaking, they shuoud also be a half of number in total. However it is not actually. I think the proportion of the number of goddess can reflect their status. Because the number will reflect the degree of attention that poeple pay on women.

In Chinese mythology, there is a few goddess. According to the statistics, there are only 31 goddesses in mythology of ancient China.(YangXiaofeng,2011) It is just a small part of the total number of god. In fact, the number of god in Chinese mythology is not less than other countries. But why the number of goddess is only 31? The reason is that woman’s status is ignored in ancient China. Nvwa, Yaoji, Xiwangmu, Changxi, Nvhuang, Nvjiao, Ehuang, Nvying, Xihe are all the goddesses in the ancient Chinese mythology. Nvwa might be the most famous goddess. There are several mythologies related to Nvwa. Changxi, Xihe, Ehuang and Nvying are also goddesses in Chinese mythology. Their husbands are both the emperor. Their fame is due to their husband rather than their own ability. They are all dependent on their husband. It can be seen that those goddess are not valued. In my opinion, it is associated with women’s status in ancient society. At that time, women were depending on men. They had no opportunity to choose their love, marriage and lifestyle. Even they should shared teir husband with other women. The disadvantage on the number of goddess exactly show the lower status of women at that time.

Different from ancient Chinese mytholgy, there are many important goddesses in ancient Greek mythology, such as Hera, Athene, Artemis, Aphrodite, Venus and so on. Half of the olympian gods are goddesses. Their statuses are not lower than gods. And those goddesses are independent. Their fame is due to their own ability and character. There is no denying that it is associated with the status of Greek women. In ancient Greece, women’s rights were well guaranteed, whether the monogamy or property inheritance. Their statuses are higher than Chinese women at that time. Of course, no matter how much differences in women’s status and right between ancient China anf Greece. Overall, regardless of the east or the west, women’s status and right must be lower than men’s.

3.2 Statuses of goddesses

The comparison of women’s status between two countries can be compared and analysed by women’s rights. We can know the rights of ancient women through the rights of goddesses.

In Greek mythology, the right and status of goddesses are as same as gods. They also have the power to make decision on significant event. As is known to all, Hera is Zeus’s wife. She is the queen and one of the twelve main goddesses in Olympus. She controlled the marriage and birth. She was the protective of women and defender of family. Her status is just lower than his husband--Zeus. Akso is the healthy goddess in ancient Greek mythology. She controlled sanitary safety and medical treatment. Athena is Zeus’s daughter and intelligent goddess. She controlled the dark clouds, thunder and lightning. She was also the patron saint of agriculture and gardening. She set up the first court in Athens. In Greece, every city-state adored Athena, especially Athens. Athens is named with her name and is her proprietary city. Obviously, every goddess has their duty to control one aspect thing like god. They are independent. They are not ornaments. They have the same right as god on important events. In Olympus, gods will make a decision by voting sometimes. Of course, goddess had voting right as well. In Orestes, Greek general Agamemnon returned from Trojan war. Then he was killed by his wife Clytaemnestra and his wife’s lover aegisthus. Clytaemnestra and aegisthus ruled Mycenae seven years. However finally they was killed by Orestes. Orestes revenged for his father but he was chased by Eumenides. Because Orestes and Clytaenmestra have blood relationship. He was guilty of murder. Then Orestes was put on trial. In court, the voting result of twelve elders is six to six. At last, Athena gave the pivotal vote to Orestes to enable him to be foregiven.(Gustav Schwab,1996) It can be seen that goddesses in Greek mythology have certain rights that as same as gods. To sum up, goddesses in Greek mythology have certain rights that as same as gods.

As is known to all, goddesses of Chinese mythology have no right to paticipate in the discussion and dicision of important events. The most Chinese goddesses were not involved in government affairs. They only pay attention to petty things. For example, the Queen of Heaven only managed other goddesses and she never participate in the great events. Chinese temple is just the copy of ancient imperial palace. Nvwa is the most famous goddess in ancient Chinese mythology. The most famous mythology of her must be Nvwa created hunman and save the world. She is the ancestor of Chinese. It is said that Nvwa made the hunman with loess and create the human society. Also she set up the marriage system. Afterwards she mened the shy with colourful stone to rescue human. Nvwa is not only a creator goddess and great hero but also a natural goddess. She had great magic power and she can creat at least 70 things. Human call her the mother of earth because she created hunman being and save human when they were in danger.(YuanKe,1988) Not even she can have the same rights as god. On important matters, she had no speaking right.We can learn that Greek goddesses have more rights than Chinese goddesses and they are more independent than Chinese. Equally Greek women have more rights and were more independent than Chinese women.

3.3 Images of goddesses

At all times and in all countries, women were the key point for writers to write. There are many vivid image of goddess in early mythology. That was the foundation for later writers to create characters in their writing. I think different images of goddess can also reflect the status of goddess in different countries at that time.

On the one hand, Greek goddess is well-builtmilitant and militant. Most goddesses are elegant and beautiful and their iamges are brilliant. Also some of them are plump and militant. Three of the six mian goddesses of Olympus are with knife and arrow. For example, Athene was born fully armed from the head of zeus.She was always wear a long gown, helmet and armour when she was born. She is the protector of the city and town. She liked war best. There is no denying that she participate in many wars.(LiYulian,2001) On the other hand. The ancient Greek goddesses are mostly noble women. They are harsh, selfish, jealousy and self-satisfied. These goddesses hate and revenge their enemy and indulge in improper relationship. Also, they laugh at human and participate in the conflict of human. For example, Hera is an extremely selfish goddess. Zeus was very amorous and he always fell in love with other women behind his wife. Thereofore hera was jealous of all the women who had relationswith Zeus. And she never cover up her envy and she paid attention to every act and every move of Zeus. She used her status and rights to punish those women cruelly. There is no denying she often destoryed Zeus’s date. Zeus is helpless about that but can’t do anything to protect his lover. Hera’s envy is very horrible. She not only revenge her rivals in love but also can’t bear everything about rivals. It can be seen that Hera is very jealous, selfish and vicious.(Edith Hamilton,1999)

In ancient Chinese mythology, the image of goddess is completely different from the image of Greek goddess. Most ancient Chinese goddesses are not noble women but working women. On the contrary, they worked like the general public. They also help human to slove many different problems. Chinese goddess has the historical mission of creating hunman and helping people in distress on their shoulder. However, Greek goddess don’t has such holy historical mission as Chinese goddess. Generally speaking, Chinese goddesses are all perfect, pure, helpful and lofty. They hardly think about themslves. The description of Chinese goddesses’ image is very few. The appearing of the two kinds of different female images is not accidental. It is a reflection of different social reality of two nations. In Chinese mythology, they pay more attention to the kindness and beauty of goddess. In Chinese people’s mind, goddess should be flawless. They should be the symbol of perfection. From them, people can’t see any shortcoming. The true of goddess is ignored. On the contrary, in Greek mythology, they pay more attention to the ture and beauty of goddess but ignore the kindness.

3.4 Love of goddesses

Love is the most common emotion of hunman. However, in the process of ancient Chinese and ancient Greek mythology, we can find that there is a big difference between China and Greece in the aspect of love. Chinese goddess is hard to enjoy the love, but Greek goddess is more lucky and freer.

In Greek mythology, love is a very important topic. There are a lot of love story in it. It is common to have lovers. In there eyes, love is so romantic and wonderful. Once they fall in love, they don’t consider the consequences. All gods were impressed by Aphrodite. But at last, the most ugly one Hephaestus got married with Aphrodite. Their marriageis not happy, so Aphrodite found several lovers. She was caught by her husband on the bed with Ares. She also gave birth to children for Hermes and Poseidon.(TaoJie,1989) And helen, as is known to all, her extramarital affair lead to the famous Trojan war. If she is in China, she must be severely punished, like Daji who lead to the end of the dynasty shang was identified as sinner. However, in Greece there is a different ending. Even Helen’s husband still accept Helen after all that. And people still appreciate Helen’s beauty.

It is hard for us to find the traces of free love in ancient Chinese mythology. Chinese goddess lived in a simple lifestyle. Hunman admire and like them for their kindness and purity. Once they are not kind and pure any more, they will not be liked by human. Chang’e stole the elixir and discarded her husband. In Chinese people’s mind, Change is the model of bad women, so she can only live a lonely life on the moon. If Chang’e was in Greece, she might fall in love with other man. Ehuang and Nvying got hunman’s like because they suicided for their husband. That shows the traditional chastity value. In Chinese mythology, there is few description of love. Apparently love is in a lower position in the culture of ancinet China. In ancient China, as a man, you can have many wifes. However, as a women, you must be loyal to your husband. Otherwise, you will be consider as a lewd woman.

It can be seen that Chinese mythology belong to gods. Main gods are almost men. Goddesses’ status is more lower than gods. Mythology is a reflection of real life. Then we can easily know that women are dependent on men. Even they have no right to decide their own things. When they was at home, they listen to their father. After marriage, they rely on their husband. They are dependent on their son after their husband died. In Greek mythology, goddesses have more rights than Chinese goddesses. In many aspects, the status of god and goddess is almost equal. On the relationship between two sexes, Greek mythology is more equal. Also in real life, Greek women have more rights and higher status than China women at that time. Even now, there is still the phenomenon of inequality between man and woman. Especially in the backward rural areas, this phenomenon is quite widespread. On the contrary, in Greece, man and woman are more equal.

4. The Causes of the Differences

The different status, human nature and image of ancient Chinese and ancient Greek goddess are associated with the different civilizations of two countries. Chinese mythology is created on the basis of Chinese traditional culture. It performs indrawn culture. It takes a conservative and closed attitude towards foreign culture. This is due to the characteristics of Chinese inland agricultural civilization. While the inland agricultural civilization characteristics caused the tendency of high ethical mythology of China. This tendency not only hindered the formation of the unified system of mythology, but also limited the richness of mythology. Unlike Chinese inland agricultural, ancient Greece belong to ocean civilization. Ancient Greece is located in the south of europe where the terrain is complex. There are ocean, land and mountain over there. Special terrain made the ancient Greeks are good at migration. They like to take risks and are good at management. Finally, Greece formed the economy that is based on the handicraft and overseas trade. The culture of anciet Greece is export-oriented culture. Their thoughts are more open than Chinese.

4.1 Historical development

Because of the different historical process between the east and west, the historical changes of mythology are also different. Chinese mythology is fragmented and scattered. On the contrary, Greek mythology is rich and complete. Chinese mythology is more like story in a certain extent. Chinese mythology is rational, serious and idealized. As is known to all, Greece is an nomad tribe, so the Greeks’ thought is as same as their life. They are brave and free. They expressed romantic feelings during ceaseless migration of nationality. Chinese and Greek culture have different ways of thinking because of the different cultural spirit. The farming civilization advocated the unequal class. Ancient mythologies were said to be the great achievement of three emperors and five sovereigns in ancient China, because the dominators wang to maintain and consolidate their rule. In Greece, everyone believe in destiny. They thought everyone is equal before destiny. Even Zeus should use golden scale if wanted to know his destiny. Although mythology is just the performance of people’s illution and fear about mysterious nature, they still reflected the condition of society and idea at that time. Because of the differences between farming civilization and ocean civilization, the personality of goddesses of the two countries are different. However, goddess status is lower than gods’ whether in ancient Chinese mythology or ancient Greek mythology. Of course, in real life, women have lower status than men. Even now we should do more efforts to realize the equality between man and woman.

4.2 Cultural background and geographical environment

Therefore ancient Greeks are free outgoinges between the west and the east. Such as, ancient China and ancient Greece, ancient China was farming civilization while ancient Greece was ocean civilization. Greece is located in the south of Europe and the north-east of mediterranean sea. It is a typical open ocean environment. Liking adventures and fight are the characteristics of ocean civilization. Ocean civilization relied on overseas trade to live. There are always many traits of ocesn civilization, fast frequency, big risk and uncertain harvest. The sea life has the characteristics of low period, fantastic and adventures. At the same time, mediterranean sea has the great natural condition. People in there pay more attention to leading a life of pleasure. The ancient Greeks considered people is the main part. They endowed gods and goddesses with the weaknesses of human. Because of the lack of moral and religionary constraint. The Greeks are more like human with super power. That makes the Greeks will not worship god and goddess like the Chinese.

CangHai is in the east of China and desert is in the west of China. As a result, Chinese farming civilization has the characteristics of simple work and small scale. Ancient Chinese pay more attention to hardworking. The possibility of communicating with other nations was isolated, because of the wicked inland natural conditions and incovenient external environment. Objectively, ancient Chinese had no time to enjoy life. Chinese formed the concept of advocating the nature and god because of the fear and reverence of natural environment.

5. Conclusion

Because of the differences between farming civilization and ocean civilization, goddesses in ancient Greek mythology and ancient Chinese mythology have different characters. Chinese goddesses are elegant and fond while Greek goddesses are mighty and freewheeling. Obviously, the Greek goddess had more rights than Chinese goddess. And the Greek goddess is more independent. We can learn that the Greek goddess’s status is higher than the Chinese goddess. However, goddess’s status is lower than gods whether in ancient China mythology or ancient Greek mythology. Of course, in real life, women have lower status than men at that time. Even now women is not as equal as men in many aspects. Therefore we should do more efforts to realize the importance of equality between man and woman.(LiuWenjun,2011) Mythology as the first literal form, reflect the life of ancient time and affect the later literal form. In western literature, the most popular women are those who are intelligent, beautiful, freewheeling and dare to love and hate. However, in Chinese literature, people who are hardworking, kind, virtuous and can be a good wife and mother. Mythology is the literature of early time of human society. And it reflect the life of working people at ancient time. It also have a far-reaching influnce on the later generations. Early woman image in literature is based on the woman in mythology. And after woman image also refers to the early woman image.

No matter how many differences Chinese mythology and Greek mythology have, both Chinese and Greek mythology played an important role in the literary history .In western, the ancient Greek mythology is the most universal and impressed. Its influence is also most far-reaching. For China, Chinese mythology is also the material and source for literary creation at later time. In a word, both the ancient Chinese mythology and the ancient Greek mythology played a very important role in hunman literary history even though they had many differences and similarities.

Works Cited

[1] A Brief History of Greek Mythology Research in the Twentieth Century. Social Sciences 　　　　　in China, December 15, 2013.

[2] Edith Hamilton, Mythology. Grand Central Publishing August 1,1999.

[3] Gustav Schwab, the Greek Rythology. Religion culture press, 1996.

[4] 李玉莲.中国与古希腊神话女神形象的对比. 国外文学，2001.

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