Chinese Creation Myths
- Difference: “The creation myths of the Chinese…do not involve a god who sets the universe in motion. Rather, in the Chinese view, a variety of different cosmological acts are involved with creation” (page 130).
- Similarity: Many Chinese creation stories involve a cultural hero who contributes to “human cultural development” (page 130). Gods or demigods in many cultures around the world contribute to human development by bringing fire or agriculture to humans or by inventing tools or instruments. There is a tradition of such heroes in Greek, North American, and African cultures, among others. The video below contains a hero like this you might be familiar with from a fairly recent Disney film. Note his mention in the second verse (and in the later rap) of his gifts to humanity: he held up the sky, lassoed the sun, harnessed the wind, created coconut palms…
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Another important point to consider when reading these Chinese myths is the influence of the three main belief systems in China: Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Scholar Bettina Knapp explains how the different spiritual and philosophical traditions influenced how mythical women (like the goddesses Nu Kwa and Kuan Yin) were presented in the stories about them. And the way these goddesses were represented in the stories reflected and influenced the way that “earthly females” (women living in the culture at the time) were viewed and treated.
This is an important insight that we will come back to throughout the course: the way certain groups are represented in stories often shows how the people in those groups are treated in real life.
Did you read one of the stories presented in this lesson? If so, did any of the videos deepen your understanding for or appreciation of the story?
If you didn’t read one of these, how does the story seem to compare to they myth(s) you did read? Are there similarities or differences? What insights from these cultures might you gain from the comparison?
