月亮的圆缺变化与不死观念——论中国古代神话中月亮的能指与所指

The Waxing and Waning of the Moon and the Concept of Immortality ——The Signifier and the Signified of the Moon in the Ancient Chinese Mythology

月亮是中国古代神话的一个象征符号。其能指是圆缺变化,所指是长生不死。寄居月亮之中的白兔、蟾蜍、嫦娥与桂树都具有不死特征,这些不死的意象共同构成了月亮的长生不死形象。这是渴望长生不死的中国古人赋予月亮的文化意义,而作为月亮的对立面太阳则被赋予短命夭亡的意义。

The Moon is a symbol of immortality in the ancient Chinese mythology. Its stgmtter xsthe change of waxing and waning, and the signified is immortality. According to ancient Chinesemythology, the residents of the moon, namely, the rabbit, the toad, the beauty Change and thecherry bay, all contain the meaning of ＂immortality＂. Ancient Chinese people who longed for immor-tality had endowed the Moon with the meaning of immortality, whereas the Sun with the meaning ofephemerality.