中国的内陆型与濒海型神话

Chinese Mythology:The Inland Type and the Coastal Type

由于中国的内陆地区与濒海地区有着不同的地理环境与自然条件,因此,所创造的神话在内容上具有完全不同的特点,这主要反映在天地结构的观念、世界图式的构拟、日月星辰的运行和理想国的景观特征上。内陆型神话中的天地结构是天圆地方、四极撑拄的"盖天"式结构,而濒海型神话中想象的天地则是乘气而立、载水而行的"浑天"式结构。内陆民族想象的日月运行是出于山而入于山的单日型神话,而濒海民族的日月神话则是出于汤谷、息于虞渊的多日型神话。内陆民族想象中的理想国带有明显的山区或平原的景观特点,而濒海神话中的理想国则往往是洲岛型环境。内陆型神话对理想国的描述,同时意味着对宇宙中心的确定与想象,这个中心可以是地理中心,也可以是宗教与政治中心;而濒海型神话中的理想国,则更多的是对"六合之外"的探究与幻想。

Due to the differences in geographical environment and natural conditions, the myths produced by the inland China and by the coastal areas of the country are characterized by their unique ideas of the structure of the universe and the world, the movement of celestial bodies, and the scenery feature of Utopia. In the inland myths, the universe consists of a round sky and a square earth, with the earth supporting the sky by huge pillars at its four corners ; in the coastal myths, the sky consists of floating air and the earth is driven by water. The differences also exist in the natural scenery in their respective utopias： one is pictured as a land with mountains and plains, and the other features coastline and islands. At the same time, the utopia in inland myths means defining the center of the universe not only geographically but also religiously and politically. And in the costal myths, it just stands for the exploration of the illusory world outside the universe.