Comparative Study of Chinese and Greek Mythology Concerning Human Origin

Abstract

Ancient mythologies are the reconstructions of nature and society, which represent the initial cultural patterns of a nation. They reflect the earliest humans' understanding and interpretation of the natural world. Mythology has progressively accumulated in the deep structure of the national spirit, transforming into a collective unconsciousness that influences the development of national culture and determines a nation’s spiritual viewpoint and ideals as history and society progress. This paper performs a comparative analysis of the differences in human origin between Chinese mythology and Greek mythology, examines the differences between Chinese and Western cultures reflected in Chinese mythology and Greek mythology, and attempts to determine the historical and cultural causes for these differences.