Saturday, July 7, 2012

Chinese Mythology


Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folk-tales, and religions that have been passed down both orally and written and includes creation myths and legends, including the founding of the Chinese culture and the Chinese state. The Chinese mythology has in the past been believed to be a recording of true history. 

Legends were passed down in orally over thousands of years, before being written down. Myths were often passed down in theater and song.

According to Chinese mythology the Jade Emperor ruled the three realms: Heaven, Hell, and of the living. The Jade Emperor judged and gave recompense to saints, the living, and those that passed on according to the Jade Principles.

The Chinese dragon is one of the most important mythical creatures in Chinese mythology, the most powerful and divine creature with the control over all waters. They were believed to be able to create clouds with their breath. The dragons symbolize great power and were the benefactor of heroes and gods.

The most famous dragons is the God of rain and many people in different places pray to this dragon to receive rain a belief which has great importance in most cultures.

The contact of Chinese mythology and Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism were modified into beliefs that developed or were incorporated into Chinese culture. The teachings and beliefs became a part Chinese mythology.
 
Although the Chinese people are thought to be strict in their culture there is a rich and humorous side to their beliefs and their mythological stories shows these two faces of the people’s culture

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