满族“星神”神话及其文化阐释

The Myth of Manchu “Star God” and Its Cultural Interpretation

满族“星神”神话是满族先民对遥远星空世界的想象,反映了满族早期对天文学知识的积累。许多计时或辨别方位的重要星座都化身为神话中的星神,如满族神话故事中著名的计时星神“塔其妈妈”、北斗七星“那丹乌西哈”、三星“依兰乌西哈”、七女星“那丹那拉呼”、鹰星、鼠星、鲤鱼神、刺猬神等都对应着天上的某个星座。它们都是满族先民非常熟悉,并在日常生活中发挥计时和辨别方位功能的重要星座。可以看出,满族先民很早就掌握了一定的天文学知识,这些知识不仅被应用于生产生活实践中,而且被融入神话故事中,被人们世代传诵。天文学知识是满族“星神”神话得以产生的生活基础,而满族神话也成为满族及其先民普及天文学知识的重要手段。

The myth of“Star God”of Manchu is the imagination of Manchu ancestors to the distant starry sky world.It reflects the accumulation of astronomical knowledge in early Manchu.Many important constellations for timing or distinguishing directions are incarnated as mythical stars and gods.For example,the famous timing star god“Taqi Mama”,the Big Dipper“Nathan Uxiha”,the Three Stars“Yilan Uxiha”,the Seven Star“Nathan Narahu”,the Eagle Star,the Mouse Star,the Carp God and the Hedgehog God all correspond to a certain constellation in the sky,which are all important constellations that Manchu people are very familiar with and play the role of timing and distinguishing directions in daily life.It can be seen that Manchu ancestors mastered some astronomy knowledge very early,which was not only applied to production and life practices such as timing and positioning,but also integrated into myth stories and passed down from generation to generation.Astronomical knowledge is the life foundation of Manchu“Star God”myth.Manchu myth has also become an important means for Manchu and its ancestors to popularize astronomical knowledge.