中国和希腊创世神话讲座(英文)

西方文化素质专题讲座之GreekMythology(2)[e-mail]Howwastheworldcreated?ChineseMythsGreekMythsGenesisAChineseCreationMyth盘古开天地盘古开天地PanguandtheCreationoftheWorldInthebeginningtherewasdarknesseverywhere,andChaosruled.Withinthedarknessthereformedanegg,andinsidetheeggthegiantPangucameintobeing.Pangusleptandgrewsafelyinsidetheegg.Whenhehadgrowntogiganticsizehestretchedhishugelimbsandinsodoingbroketheegg.PanguandtheCreationoftheWorldThelighterpartsoftheeggfloatedupwardstoformtheheavensandthedenserpartssankdownwards,tobecometheearth.Andsowasformedearthandsky,YinandYang.Pangusawwhathadhappenedandhewaspleased.Buthefearedthatheavenandearthmightmeldtogetheragain,soheplacedhimselfbetweenthem,hisheadholdinguptheskyandhisfeetfirmlyupontheearth.Pangucontinuedtogrowatarateoftenfeetadayfor18,000years,soincreasingthedistancebetweenheavenandearth,untiltheyseemedfixedandsecure,30,000milesapart.Nowexhausted,Panguwentbacktosleepandneverwokeup.PanguandtheCreationoftheWorldPangudied,andhisbodywenttomaketheworldandallitselements.Thewindandcloudswereformedfromhisbreath,hisvoicewasthunderandlightning,hiseyesbecamethesunandmoon,hisarmsandlegsbecamethefourdirectionsofthecompassandhistrunkbecamethemountains.Hisfleshturnedintothesoilandthetreesthatgrowonit,hisbloodintotheriversthatflowandhisveinsintopathsmentravel.Hisbodyhairbecamethegrassandherbs,andhisskinthesame,whilepreciousstonesandmineralswereformedfromhisbonesandteeth.Hissweatbecamethedewandthehairofhisheadbecamethestarsthattrailthroughoutheaven.Asfortheparasites（精灵）onhisbody,thesebecamethediversracesofhumankind（鸟兽鱼虫）.PanguandtheCreationoftheWorldNüWa:theCreatorofHumanBeingsTheChineselegendshowsthatNüwawasthecreatorofhumanbeings.Intheremoteancienttime,theearthwasabeautifulplacewithblossomingtreesandflowers,andfullofanimals,birds,fishandalllivingcreatures.However,Nüwastillfeltlonelyeverydayandshethendecidedtocreatehumans.NüWa:theCreatorofHumanBeingsNüwathenbentdownandtookupahandfulofearth,mixeditwithwaterandmoldedafigureinherlikeness.Shewassopleasedwithhercreationthatshewentonmakingmorefiguresbothmenandwomen.Thesehumanswereverysmartsincetheywereindividuallycrafted.Nüwathenbecameboredofindividuallymakingeveryhuman,soshestartedputtingaropeinthewaterbedandlettingthedropsofmudthatfellfromitbecomenewhumans.Thesesmalldropsbecamenewhumans,buttheywerenotassmartasthepreviouscreation.NüWa:FillingtheFragmentedSkyAnotherlegendtellshowshepatchedupthesky,whichisbetterknownamongChinesepeople.GongGongwastheGodofWater,whileZhuRongwastheGodofFire,whowereinbattle.Theyfoughtallthewayfromheaventoearth,causingturmoileverywhere.Eventually,theGodofFirewon,andinangertheGodofWaterstruckhisheadagainstBuzhouMountain(amythicalpeaksupposedtobenorthwestoftheKunlunrangeinsouthernXinjiang).Themountaincollapseddownandbecamethebigpillarthatheldheavenfromearth.Halftheskyfellin,leavingabigblackhole.Theearthcrackedopen,forestswentupinflames,floodwaterssproutedfrombeneaththeearthanddragons,snakesandfierceanimalsleapedoutatthepeople.Manypeopleweredrownedandmorewereburnedordevoured.Itwasanunprecedenteddisaster.WhatisGenesis?Meanings:“birth”“creation”“cause”“beginning”“source”“origin”ThegardenofEdenThefirstman:Adam,madeofdustThefirstwoman:Eve,madeofAdam’sbone“Thisatlastisboneofmybones,andfleshofmyflesh;thisoneshouldbecalledwoman”God’swarning:“youmayfreelyeatofeverytreeofthegarden,butthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevilyoushallnoteat”.WhydidGodforbidthemtohavethefruitsonthetreeofknowledge?God’spunishmentPunishmenttotheserpent;thesymbolicmeaningofserpentsinwesternculturePunishmenttoEve:paininchildbearing;ruledbyhusbandPunishmenttoAdam:toil,labor;“youaredust,andtodustyoushallreturn.”CainkilledhisbrotherAdamandEvegavebirthtoCainandAbel;InjealousyCainkilledAbel,hisyoungerbrother;God’spunishment:banishment驱逐Notagoodbeginning!MorewickednessPeoplebegantomultiply,buttheirsinsalsomultiplied;Theystole,fought,murdered,raped,…atotalmess;Itwasnecessarytobeginalloveragain.Goddecidedtore-establishorder.NoahpleasedGodNoahwastheonlyrighteousman.HewasfavoredbyGod.GodtoldNoahtobuildaship,reservingapairofeachofallcreatures,togetherwithhisfamilyontheship.TheDeluge大洪水ThentherewastheDeluge:rainingfor40daysandnights!Thewatersswelledontheearthfor150days.OnlycreaturesonNoah’sArksurvived.Noah’sArkGod’scovenant盟约withNoahNoahbuiltanaltartoGod,andpresentedsacrifices.Goddecidednottodestroytheworldanymore.GodblessedNoahandhissons.Rainbow:thesymbolofGod’scovenantwithNoah’sdescendants.ThecreationoftheworldCreationMan,asanobleanimal,wascreatedaftertheformingofEarth,Air,andWaterbyPrometheusandhisbrotherEpimetheus,wholivedontheearth.Hetooktheheavenlyearthandmademanintheimageofthegods.Hegavemananuprightstaturetogazeonthestars.CreationHelightedhistorchatthechariotofthesunandbroughtdownfiretoman.Zeussworerevenge.Heorderedtomakeaclaywomanandofferedherallgifts.Pandora,themostbeautifulever,wascreatedandsenttoEpimetheusasgift.PrometheusPrometheusgavehumanitythegiftoffire.ForthistransgressionagainstthegodZeus,Pr