Chinese mythology

*Nine Dragons*, handscroll section, by Chen Rong, AD 1244, Song dynasty, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Chinese mythology (simplified Chinese: 中国神话; traditional Chinese: 中國神話; pinyin: Zhōngguó shénhuà) is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature throughout the area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology encompasses a diverse array of myths derived from regional and cultural traditions. Populated with engaging narratives featuring extraordinary individuals and beings endowed with magical powers, these stories often unfold in fantastical mythological realms or historical epochs. Similar to numerous other mythologies, Chinese mythology has historically been regarded, at least partially, as a factual record of the past.

Along with Chinese folklore, Chinese mythology forms an important part of Chinese folk religion^[1] and Taoism, especially older popular forms of it.^[2] Many narratives recounting characters and events from ancient times exhibit a dual tradition: one that presents a more historicized or euhemerized interpretation, and another that offers a more mythological perspective.^[3]

Numerous myths delve into the creation and cosmology of the universe, exploring the origins of deities and heavenly inhabitants. Some narratives specifically address the topic of creation, unraveling the beginnings of things, people, and culture. Additionally, certain myths are dedicated to the genesis of the Chinese state. A subset myths provides a chronology of prehistoric times, often featuring a culture hero who taught people essential skills ranging from building houses and cooking to the basics of writing. In some cases, they were revered as the ancestor of an ethnic group or dynastic families. Chinese mythology is intimately connected to the traditional Chinese concepts of li and qi. These two foundational concepts are deeply entwined with socially oriented ritual acts, including communication, greetings, dances, ceremonies, and sacrifices.

^ Yang, An & Turner 2005, p. 4.
^ Brown, Robert McAfee; Chakravarty, Amiva; Chan, Wing-tsit; Davies, W. D.; Hillerbrand, Hans J.; Jurji, Edward J.; Kitagawa, Joseph M.; Smith, Huston; Statler, Oliver (1971). Payne, Melvin M.; Grosvenor, Melville Bell; Grosvenor, Gilbert M.; Shor, Franc; Severy, Merle; Fishben, Seymour L.; Bourne, Russell; Kobor, Anne Dirkes; Bennett, Ross; et al. (eds.). Great Religions of the World. National Geographic Society. p. 128.
^ Yang, An & Turner 2005, pp. 12–13.

[FOOTNOTEYangAnTurner20054-1] Yang, An & Turner 2005, p. 4.

[2] Brown, Robert McAfee; Chakravarty, Amiva; Chan, Wing-tsit; Davies, W. D.; Hillerbrand, Hans J.; Jurji, Edward J.; Kitagawa, Joseph M.; Smith, Huston; Statler, Oliver (1971). Payne, Melvin M.; Grosvenor, Melville Bell; Grosvenor, Gilbert M.; Shor, Franc; Severy, Merle; Fishben, Seymour L.; Bourne, Russell; Kobor, Anne Dirkes; Bennett, Ross; et al. (eds.). Great Religions of the World. National Geographic Society. p. 128.

[FOOTNOTEYangAnTurner200512–13-3] Yang, An & Turner 2005, pp. 12–13.

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