Study On Forms Of Chinese Creation Myths

Creation Myth narrates the origin of the heaven and earth, as well as the origin of human; there are lots of creation myths among all nationalities in China. The dissertation focuses on the early and late forms of Chinese creation myths, reveals the internal driving force for development of creation myths, demonstrates that creation myth is systematic myths with Chinese characteristics; it forms in the process from original ecology to re-ecology. Through those arguments, the dissertation denies the ones who consider China is lack of myths, they holds that Chinese myths are fragmentary, incomplete and unsystematic.To study the creation myths, it should firstly clarify divergent concept of myths. The dissertation defines the myth from the perspective of folk beliefs, holds that the myths mainly produces in human's childhood, namely primitive society; some myths arise from civilization, it was started from people's beliefs in deities, people unconsciously created fantasies of supernatural spirits with the aid of original thinking. The dissertation studies the relationship among myths, belief objects, concepts, ritual and heritage, demonstrates the proposed concept of myth. Based on the concept of myth, the dissertation also demonstrates the original ecological and re-ecological forms of Chinese creation myths. The original ecological form of Chinese creation myths are mainly arising from the late Paleolithic period of primitive society to the whole Neolithic period. The original ecological creation myths has unitary plot, short length, often explains the origin of a single thing only. It includes the most basic way for creation; there are mainly five types of creation:1. Natural formation. The type of natural formation myths are produced in people's natural worship in early times, in this type of creation myths, the formation of all things and the origin of human are regarded as the results of natural evolution or natural breeding, includes natural evolution, natural breeding, nature-model creating and other categories.2. Metaplasia formation. The type of metaplasia formation myths narrate the stories about the heaven and earth, human is transformed by the giant or body parts of the monster, includes two categories, metaplasia of giants and monsters.3. Manufacturing formation. The type of manufacturing formation myths are about the story of the god of creator manufactures heaven and earth, as well as human beings, includes manufacturing by a single divine, manufacturing by masculine divine and feminine divine, manufacturing by many divines and other categories.4. female-model creating formation. The type of female-model creation formation myths describe the story about pregnant women have children without fertilization. There is no explanation for the reason of pregnancy, because in matriarchal society, children only know who their mother is, but have no idea who their father is. Under this circumstance, people often directly observe the phenomenon of female-model creating. They attribute the creating to related organs such as womb and genital organ, not pursue the reasons for women having children.5. Marriage formation. The type of marriage formation myths present the story about creating people by marriage between man and woman or marriage between human and animal. This type of myths are produced after people's obscure understanding of male and female mating, male and female animals breed new life. People consider marriage or mating as necessary behavior of human birth or human's regeneration, people worship those behaviors, then marriage formation myths emerges. Marriage formation myths include human-animal marriage, mother-son marriage, brother-sister marriage and other categories. The re-ecological form of Chinese creation myths are mainly arising from the early civilization; it is the re-creation form of original ecological myths. It performs as the extended explanation of main body in some original ecological myths, or performs as the combination of various original ecological creation myths. It mainly includes four categories:1. Mixed formation. Mixed re-ecological creation myths are consisting of various original ecological creation myths and other related structures. For the needs of the structural arrangements in story, the original ecological creation myths are often deducted or deformed, however, in the new combined story, a variety of original ecological creation myth remains its relatively independent structural unit, and shows a basic form of their way for creation.2. Compound formation. Compound re-ecological creation myths are compounded by various original creation myths, all those original creation myths are no longer possess independent structural unit, but becomes the elements of a new story, even no longer retain the original ecological way of creation.3. Mixed compound formation. Mixed compound formation is the combination of mixed form and compound form, namely in this type of re-ecological creation myths, not only mixed combine the original ecological creation myths, but also compounded combine the original ecological creation myths.4. arrow-mound formation. Arrow-mound re-ecological creation myths are based on one god of creator in original ecological creation myths, gradually add creation events, even heroic deeds to form several relatively independent myths.Chinese original ecological creation myths and re-ecological creation myths contain a variety of deep psychological structure of binary opposition, including:1. Structure of binary opposition between man and nature; 2. Structure of binary opposition between life and death; 3. Structure of binary opposition between incest and taboo; 4. Structure of binary opposition between Yin and Yang. That psychological structure is the internal driving force to promote Chinese creation myths from original ecology to re-ecology.Chinese creation myths develop from original ecology to re-ecology, it leads to the formation of Chinese creation myths system. There are mainly two types of Chinese creation myths system:1. complex systems of creation myths. Complex systems of creation myths are combined by various original ecological creation myths, it covers many types of original creation myths, absorbs a variety of ways for creation, it also embraces many contents for creation, such as the formation of heaven and earth, the origin of all things, the origin of mankind and the clan, regeneration of human, the invention in production and life. It forms an all-encompassing construction.2. series-type systems of creation myths. Series-type systems of creation myths are combined with a number of related creation myths, includes the original ecological creation myths and various re-ecological creation myths extend from original ecological creation myths. Each myth in series-type systems of creation myths has a chain of progressive relations; they are connected through a common thread as a coherent whole. The common thread perhaps is the creation objects, or the creation divine or human. For example, in Nv Wa series-type systems of creation myths, the god of Nv Wa is the common thread; in water origin series type of creation myths, the common thread is water and deformation of water, because water symbolizes life.The formation of Chinese systematic creation myths are a sign of maturity of Chinese creation myths, it has the following characteristics:1. Systematic creation myths are often combined with a number of single creation myths. In systematic creation myths, almost all plots have its source text, systematic creation myths are the masterpiece of various creation myths, and it not only brings all the themes of creation together, but also integrates all ways for creation.2. Systematic creation myths are with integrate structure, long length, especially the epic formation of systematic creation myth, is with longer length. Systematic creation myths are composed of some basic creation contents such as the formation of heaven and earth, the origin of human, the formation of all things, the invention and so on. The myths show a complete creation of the world, so as to constitute a complete organic structure. Systematic creation myths reflect the long history of people from prehistoric times to farming and textile civilization, it is magnificent and with broad structure.3. There is a unique form of systematic creation myths, which is the form of creation myth group. In creation myth group, there are various myths, each myth is relatively independent, each myth could narrates a relatively complete creating story, at the same time, each myth combine into an organic whole. In creation myth group, each myth is built around a common center to expand the narration. This form of myth group is rarely can be seen in the world, it embodies the unique characteristic of Chinese systematic creation myths.