Origin of mythology

Author: Wang Debao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features:
In the chaos of heaven and earth, Pan Gu first appeared. He separated the sky and the earth, creating all things. His limbs became the four poles, his torso formed the five great mountains; his left hand transformed into the sun, and his right into the moon; his blood turned into rivers, and his veins into the geographical features; his hair and beard became stars, and his muscles into fields. His skin and fur transformed into grass and trees, while his teeth and bones became metal and stone. His voice became thunder, his breath turned into wind and clouds, and his sweat into rain and dew. The countless insects on his body transformed into countless humans. Myths reflect the thinking patterns of humanity in its childhood and showcase the starting point of human intellectual development. Various spiritual activities of humans—religion, literature, art, philosophy, historiography, and more—all originated from here, forming the magnificent landscape of the humanities. Although the cultural forms in the world are diverse, all myths share remarkably similar themes. This book explores the origins of myths from the perspective of the survival conditions and spiritual worlds of primitive ancestors, identifying confusion, fear, and worship as the psychological roots of myth creation. It reviews the historical formation of myth genealogies, from polytheism to monotheism, and then to the formation of myth genealogies, highlighting the similar developmental processes of various myths. This book extensively incorporates research findings from both Chinese and foreign mythology, comprehensively discussing myths worldwide, and conducting in-depth research and analysis of their origins, development, and maturation.