再生型神话与《西游记》

Recreative Myth and Record of a Journey to the West

神话根据其发展时期的不同特征,可以大体上分成“原始神话”与“再生型神话”。于明代后期问世的神魔小说《西游记》作为中国古代神话的晚期杰作,广泛汲取和融合了远古神话的基本素材和精神资源,同时又作出了前所未有的开拓和改造,从而成为再生型神话集大成之作,并以小说的形式从根本上改变了我国神话文化的基本形态和艺术精神。

Myth, based on the way in which it is formed, can be categorized as original myth and recreative myth. Record of a Journey to the West, a mysterious story born in the later period of the Ming Dynasty, is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese myth in the later ancient China, for firstly, it assimilates the basic elements and sprits of remote ancient myth, and secondly, it makes a pioneer contribution to myth-creation. In fact, it has changed the basic form and artistic spirits of Chinese myth.