The Ideological and Historical Significance of Chinese Mythological Resources

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1674-9391.2024.07.014

Abstract：

It can be said that thought is the precursor of culture. To further clarify the close relationship between Chinese national mythology and Chinese culture， this study postulates it is necessary to" examine it" from the perspective of intellectual history， exploring the intellectual and historical significance" of Chinese national mythology." The unique worldview of the Chinese people， shaped by their agricultural civilization， provides a distinctive perspective through which they observe the world. This viewpoint， grounded in a relationship with both the natural and cosmic orders， leads Chinese thought to focus on exploring" the philosophy of life. At the same time， investigations show that this specific perspective situates" the exploration of Chinese thought on the philosophy of life within a hierarchical" framework of heaven and earth， where the establishment of cardinal directions and a corresponding central consciousness form the foundation of Chinese thought.

What is more， Chinese mythology appears to have consistently mirrored the development of Chinese thought， as a rule offering abundant content and a diverse array of narratives that capture the development process of this prolific system of thought and its integration" into national memory." Moreover， it is found that Chinese mythology， rooted in prehistoric cultural orientations and folk beliefs， highlights a distinct central cosmic consciousness from the upper and lower four directions， which" arguably" not only shows the" origins of Chinese thought" but also" provides a vivid record of its formation. During the period of social upheaval and ideological construction in the Spring and Autumn Period， records suggest that Chinese mythological resources vividly presented the destruction of the cosmic order and subsequent efforts to rebuild" a world order. Indeed， in the Qin and Han dynasties， a shift from a heaven-centered worldview to a human-centered one gave rise to rationalism，" marking a transition" in Chinese intellectual history. Correspondingly，" Chinese mythology evolved， moving away from a puzzling blend of the divine and human to a separation between the two， gradually becoming more relatable to everyday life." This shift" not only" evidently contributed to the" historicization of Chinese mythology but also led to its secularization ." As the mythological narratives became less divine and more human-centric，" the myth of the Chinese nation also shifted from a cosmic pattern to a focus on" social order. With the" historical" identification and" rise of a" unified national community，" a sense of" nation-state consciousness，which originated from the world consciousness， emerged; over time， the mythological narrative of the Chinese nation increasingly highlighted themes of a shared ancestry and family tree of all ethnic groups as well as" the integration of diverse" ethnic cultures， showing a nation-state consciousness rooted in the identity and establishment of the national community.

These unique expressions of the mythological resources of the Chinese nation" illustrate the role that" mythological resources have played in shaping" the formation， evolution，" and development of Chinese thought. It can be concluded that this process accentuates" the important ideological and historical value of" said" mythological resources in the broader context" of the Chinese nation.

Key Words：

mythological" resources of the Chinese nation; central consciousness; everyday life; national communities