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AComparisonbetweenChineseandGreekMythologyDefinitionofmythologyReligiousIdeologyRootPlotandSystemArchetypesofGodsSpreadingWaysandInfluenceConclusionDefinition•Mythologyissedimentarydeposits(积淀）ofprimitivesocietyideology,whichisalsoaheritageofnationalculture.•Mythology,whichisculturalaccumulation(文化积累)ofanationoveralongperiodoftime,reflectsearlypeople’simaginationandinterpretationofthenaturalandsocialphenomenonthatcannotbedemonstratedinthosedays.•Mythologyrepresentssomeeternaltruth(永恒真理)whichbelongstothemoraloraestheticcategory.Thiskindofrepresentationhasinterculturalimpacts.Religionandliteraturehavethesimilarsocialfunctions,thatis,tospreadtheeternaltruthbytellingstories.Bystudyingmythology,wewillbeabletoknowhowtheprimordialpeoplelivedandhowtheyviewedthemselvesandtheworldandalsothegreatimpactthatmythologyhashadonliteratureandarts.ReligiousIdeologyRoot•InChinesetraditionalcreationmythology(创世神话),thenaissance（人类诞生）isowingtoNvWa(theGoddessofSky-patching).AsisrecordedinShuoWen（说文）:“NvWa，thegoddessinancienttime,whocreatedhumanbeings.”AfterPanGucreatingtheskyandearth,althoughthereweremountainsandlakes,flowersandbirds,therewasnotraceofhumanbeings,NvWakneadedhumanbeingsbyyellowclay(用黄泥捏造人类)fromamodelofherselfinthewater,endowedthemwithlives,andtaughtthemweaving,ploughandotherknowledgeofexistence.Asafemalegod,NvWalovedthisworld;however,shelovedherchildrenmoredeeply.So,whentheskywasgoingtocollapseandhumanbeingswerefacingextinction,shesmeltmulticoloredstonestorepairthesky（炼五彩石补天）,andemancipatedpeoplefromthecatastrophe.InChinesepeople’smind,NvWaiskindlyandamiable,sheistheGoddessthathavingcreatedandguardinghumanbeings,andboaststheexcellentqualityofgreatfemales.NvwaPrometheus•InGreece,peopletreatPrometheusastheprimogenitor(始祖)ofhumanbeings.ItissaidthathecreatedhumanbeingsbyimitatingtheimageofGod.AsamaleGod,healsolovedhischildren,whoevenstealfirefromtheheavenandtaughttechnologiestopeople.Becauseofthese,hepeeved（惹怒）ZeusandwaslockedonCaucasiaMountain,sufferedfromthepainofpeckingbyeagle.InGreekpeople’smind,Prometheusbenefitshumanbeingsanddarestoresistpower,whoboaststheexcellentqualityofgreatmales.Difference•Asacountrywithanancientcivilization,theprimitivereligionandearlymythologyinchinacameintobeingaboutinthemiddleofmatriarchalsociety(母系社会）,privateownershipsystemhadnotcomeintobeinginthattime.Underthiscondition,thegodsinprimitivereligionandmythologyappearedasservicer,andwereguardiansofthewholesociety,whoisactedasleadersintheirsociety.SotheprimogenitorGodsofChinawasfemales.•Butinwesternsociety,matriarchalsocietyhadbeensubsidedbypatrilinealsociety（父系社会）;femaleGodsnolongeroccupiedthecoreplace.Besides,characteristicsofAncientGreekreligionhasaprofoundimpactontheGreekculture．AncientGreeceisthelandofPantheism．Thediversityofbeliefspromotedthefreedevelopmentofculture．ThesensationalismofAncientGreekreligionformeddynamicnationalspiritwhichpromotedculturaldevelopment．Godandthepeoplehavethesameappearanceandtemperament.ThisfeaturenotonlymakesancientGreekreligionbecomeallimportantsourceofGreekculturebutalsomakeGreekculturereflectaclearhumanconsciousnessZeusHeraPoseidonHephaestusAphroditeWifesisterPlotandSystemsonsonfamilycolorbloodbondbasicskeletonChineseMythologyHouYiandChang’eDaYuJingWeiFuXiNiuLangandZhiNvEmperorHuangChiYouNvWaPanGuChinesemythologyindependentsegmentalReason：Chinesemythologyisprimitivemythology,whichisanoutcomeoftheprimitivesociety.Chinaisabigcountrywithvastlandandseveralnations.Everynationandtribehasitsownmyths,legendsandsupremegod.InancientChina,therewasn’tatribethatwasaspowerfulastoconquerandannexthethousandsoftribesonEastAsiacontinentandunitChina,soastomaketheirowntribe’ssupremegodtobethesupremegodofthewholeancientChina.Therefore,themythologiesinancientChinadidn’tformauniformsystem.Thesystemofgodsalsodidnotfrom.ArchetypesofGods•Myth-archetypalcriticismoriginatesfromFrazer’santhropologicaldiscoveries,CarlJung’sanalyticalpsychologyandNorthropFrye’sliterarytheoriesillustratinghowhumansocial,culturalandpsychologicalexperiencescollectedoverthousandsofyearsarereflectedinprimordialmythology,religiousritualsandarchetypes.Italsostudieshowliteraturetodayisrelatedwithprimordialmythology，primordialritualsandarchetypes．•Fromthetheoriesofmyth-archetypalcriticismandliteraryanthropology，wecaneasilyfindthateventhoughdifferentpeopleshavethesameconflicts,heroesandthemesintheirmythologies，thevarioushistorical，culturalandsocialbackgroundsanduniquethinkingpatternsofthesemythologiesexhibitdifferentworldviewsandvalues.Appearance•thesamewithhumanbeingshalfmanandhalfanimalstrongbodycharmingappearanceCharacteristics•Exceptforlongevityandstrongpower,thegodsinGreekmythologyarethesamewithhumanbeinginotheraspects,theycaneat,drinkandplay,theypursuesex,theyarehappy,angry,rageandjealous.Itcanbesaidthatthesegodsarebelongtotheearth,theybringnaturalityandsocialitywiththem.Itcanalsobesaidthattheseanthropomorphicgodsarefullofhumanisticcolor.ThefamousSwissscholarAnnebonniethinksthat:“thestartingpointofGreekcivilizationanditsobjectisman.Itstartsfromhumanbeing’s