大洪水神话与中华民族文化共同体

Great Flood Myths and Cultural Community for the Chinese Nation

中华民族共同体是中国各民族构成的有机统一整体,是中国各民族在长期交往交流交融的历史中形成的文化共同体。当灾难事件发生时,在抗击灾难的过程中,中华民族文化共同体逐步形成并表现出独有的特性。古老的神话承载着民族历史记忆、文化观念和精神品格;特别是表现天地毁灭与重生的大洪水神话,反映了文化共同体的思想基础与精神渊源。大洪水神话数量众多,分布广泛,影响深远。中外洪水神话存在明显差异,国外的洪水神话多表现天神的权威,人类在灾难面前束手无策,只有逃避和挣扎;中国神话中的治水英雄,却是积极面对灾难,勇敢治理洪水,表现出团结一致、自强不息的民族精神。中国各民族的洪水神话反映了中华民族交流融合的历史,表达了中国人同根同源的观念;中国洪水神话从民族历史与精神价值的层面,证明了中华民族是一个以文化为纽带、客观存在的、广大人民认同的、坚不可摧的共同体。

The community for the Chinese nation is a unified whole that consists of all ethnic groups in China;it is a cultural community that's formed alongside the long-term exchanges and interactions among all ethnic groups in China.When disastrous events occur,the cultural community of the Chinese nation will gradually take its shape and reveal its unique characteristics as it fights against disasters.Ancient myths are the carrier of a nation's national history and memory,cultural value,and spiritual character.Specifically,the Great Flood myths,which signify utter destruction and rebirth,demonstrate the ideological basis and spiritual origin of a cultural community.There are a large number of Great Flood myths around the world that have longstanding influence.However,Great Flood myths in China are distinctively different from foreign Great Flood myths:foreign flood myths mostly emphasize the authority of heavenly divinity,and humans can do nothing about the flood but evade and struggle to survive.In comparison,flood-taming heroes in Chinese myths always take positive perspectives and proactive actions to courageously fight against and tame the flood,which demonstrates the national spirit of solidarity and perseverance of Chinese people.Great Flood myths of different ethnic groups in China reflect the history of exchanges and interactions of the Chinese nation and show that all Chinese people are of the same origin.From the perspective of both national history and spiritual value,Great Flood myths in China vividly demonstrate that the Chinese nation is an objectively existing,widely acknowledged by Chinese people,and indestructible community that links all ethnic groups in China together with culture.