女娲神话之流布及现代解读

The Spread and Modern Interpretation of Nüwa Myth

女娲神话是我国最古老而有丰富内涵的杰出原始神话之一。它诞生后口口相传至夏初方有古本《山海经》简录其故事。越三代而在战国时已流布广泛。《列子.汤问》曾载录其炼石补天故事。屈原《天问》发过“女娲之体,孰制匠之”提问。两汉时《淮南子》、《风俗通》又载录其积灰止水、抟土作人传闻,并有大量壁画石刻帛画刻画其女帝神形象。民间也开始有“雨不霁、祭女娲”活动至宋明而不绝。晋唐宋时也有文籍补其故事。女娲神话表现出之补天思想、女性神圣观念及出于本能冲动的创造精神均有重要哲学与价值学意义。

The myth of Nüwa is one of most distinguished original myths in China, which has a long history and rich connotations. Since the myth had been created in ancient time, the myth was spread mouth by mouth. In the early time of Xia Dynasty, the book titled shanhaijing briefly recorded the myth of Ntiwa. Until the Warring period the story was spread extensively. The chapter named tangwen in liezi recorded the story of Nüwa who refined stones and mended the sky. Tianwen written by Quyuan had raised the question about the origin of Ntiwa myth. In the Western and Eastern Han Dynasty, the books Huainanzi and fengsutong also recorded the story of Ntiwa who gathered limes, blocked the water, and kneaded soil into the figure of human being. There was a large amount of murals, carved stones, silk paintings in which had the figure of Ntiwa Goddess. Until the Song and Ming Dynasty the folk activities offering a sacrifice to Ntiwa while not raining had once flOUrished. The thought of mending the sky, the sacred concept of female and the innovative spirit of instinct manifested by the myth of Ntiwa have the significance of philosophy and value.