Yuan Ke and Chinese Mythology

Yuan Ke shifted his focus from early literary creation to mythological research,gradually developing a distinctive approach to mythology research,which involves examining the correlation between mythology and literature.Yuan Ke is one of the most exceptional scholars who has made significant contributions to the popularity and promotion of Chinese mythology.He has collected,sorted out,and transformed related materials into stories to facilitate the systematic development of Chinese mythology.Moreover,he proposed and constructed a broad mythology theory,making him a leading figure in contemporary Chinese mythology research.Upon reflecting on the development of Chinese mythology,it is evident that Yuan Ke has progressed from a learner to a trailblazer and finally to the architect of his own comprehensive mythological framework.

The Spiritual Prototype of Santiago in Greek Mythology

As the hero in Ernest Hemingway's greatest masterpiece,The Old Man and the Sea,Santiago has always been considered as a perfect example of Hemingway's stoical protagonists.Being one of the classic characters in the American literature,Santiago is noticed for his strength,wisdom,bravery,and above all,his unsurpassed endurance.Even though the prototype of Santia go in reality,as Hemingway once revealed in an interview,is an old Cuban fisherman who told him about his experience of catching a large marlin and losing it to the sharks in 1935[海],the spiritual prototype of the old man has been best interpreted in the Greek Mythology.To be more precise,Santiago's spiritual prototype is the combination of Atlas,Prometheus and Sisyphus.

Greek Mythology

Most Greek myths or legends from ancient Greek literature, including such as "Iliad" and "Odyssey" of the "Homer", Hesiod's "Work Time" and "Divinity," Ovid's "Metamorphoses" and other classics, as well as Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides in the European theater.

Hepatic regeneration in Greek mythology

The accurate knowledge of surgical anatomy,the amelioration of post-operative processes and the continuously increasing experience of surgeons nowadays allow the performance of severe hepatic operations(e.g.,wide liver resections,liver transplantations,etc.).The success of these operations is even more assisted by the great regenerative ability of the liver.Greek mythology,being an important source of information on the beliefs,habits,and phenomena observed during antiquity,reveals that hepatic regeneration was well known to ancient Greeks and this natural ability was established in two tales:the tale of Prometheus and the tale of the Giant Tityus.The main concept of both tales,being the destruction and reconstitution of the liver,is almost the same.Both of the condemned were immortal and their liver regenerated in a night,providing thus,food for the eagles and eternal pain for the sufferers.In conclusion,the tales show that the regenerative ability of the liver was well known from early years and that the trust shown by the Gods in this ability,to cause eternal suffering is on a par with the trust shown by the modern surgeons in it,to assure a successful hepatic operation.

Philosophy of Chinese Mythology:An Introduction

The term“philosophy of mythology”is not a newly-coined terminology.It has been used by Schelling1,a German philosopher of the 19th century,as the title of his masterpiece.Ernst Cassirer,a famous German philosopher of the 20th century also used it in the chapter heading of the introduction of Symbolic Forms of Philosophy Volume 2.2 However,a review of the books on mythology or philosophy in China reveals the concept of philosophy of mythology is still unfamiliar to the Chinese academic circles since the books mentioned above of both Schelling and Cassirer have not been translated into Chinese.So there is a necessity to clarify the title of this book.

The Research on Character Design Based on the Chinese Mythology:A Case Study of Shisa

Chinese mythology with its profound cultural asserts and the unconstrained imagination is an indispensable factor in animation creation.The rich resources of myth in ancient China provided a broad space for the creation of animation film and inherited a long ethnic culture.Firstly,the study creates an animation mythological character design model according to the literature review to provide the operational theory for animation design,which consists of three main parts:central idea,research method,and conceptual model.Secondly,the research sums up the animation character creative process framework through the case of Shisa with the specific ideas of creative design.Four steps are used to design a mythological character:set a scenario(illustration),tell a story(interpretation),write a script(reaction),and design a character(reflection).It has analyzed how to integrate the information about the mythology and stimulate the designers’creative imagination in the animation character design in order to create the artworks with unique oriental charm.

Image Evolution of “Dragon” from Ancient Greek Mythology to Modern Films

Dragon is a legendary figure in myth and legend,which appears frequently in eastern and western myths and legends.Among the western myths and legends about dragons,the most famous one is ancient Greek myths.Starting from the dragon image in Greek mythology,this paper briefly introduces the images of different dragons in Greek mythology,and then introduces the evolution of the dragon image in various film works.The conclusion drawn from this paper is that with the integration of eastern and western cultures,the dragon in western films is no longer a single evil and negative image,but a diversified image welcomed by the audience.

A Brief Analysis on Mortal Women in Greek Mythology

In Greek Mythology, women play an important role in attracting readers' attention. In fact, their stories are the expressions used by ancient Greeks to present their views toward women. This essay will analyze the stories of mortal women in Greek Mythology and try to prove they are representatives of women in the realistic world.

Resonance From the Past to the Future:Mythological Metaphors in Chinese Science Fiction Films

This paper is centered on the extent to which contemporary Chinese science fiction is related to ancient Chinese mythologies according to the previous scholarly discussion and how these ancient mythologies are utilized specifically in the futuristic narratives of modern Chinese science fiction.By referring to academic dialogues,this paper argues that ancient mythologies can be recreated in modern science fiction and create modern mythologies in futuristic narratives to present or deal with modern human fears.Based on this argument,this paper then continues to explore what kinds of modern mythologies science fiction might deliver.The Chinese film The Wandering Earth(2019)will be discussed in terms of its mythological symbols and metaphors.This paper proposes a new approach through which to reconnect past stories with futuristic narratives and builds a frame in which to contextualize ancient mythologies in contemporary Chinese culture.

Guido Reni’s Infant Bacchus: “In vino veritas”

This article delves into the significance of Guido Reni’s Infant Bacchus,created during the Italian Baroque period.By examining historical and iconographic elements,the study aims to interpret the symbolism depicted in the painting.The historical aspects include the birth of Dionysus or Bacchus in classical and Italian Renaissance imagery and literary and visual sources that influenced Reni’s solo painting.The iconographic components encompass the infant’s nude body,the child’s bodily functions,and the attributes associated with Bacchus,the God of Agriculture,Revelry,and Wine,such as the grapevines,grapes,ivy,glass flask,kantharos(wine cup),and wine barrel.The emblematic and cosmological associations of Bacchus’s divinity are considered as well.

The End of the Supersensory World＇s Mythology： Marx＇s Ontological Revolution and Its Contemporary Significance

The whole of Western metaphysics, particularly Platonism, sets up a partition between the sensory world and the supersensory world, laying the foundation for the mythology of the supersensory world. After Descartes set contemporary metaphysics on its course, Feuerbach became the first to attack the essence of the supersensory world on an ontological level and to transfer the criticism of theology to that of metaphysics in general. While in the final analysis Feuerbach＇s criticism fails, Marx＇s revolution appeals to the ontological notion of ＂sensory activity＂ or ＂objective activity＂ （i.e., practice）, the core of which rests in piercing and overturning the fundamental framework of contemporary metaphysics--＂the immanence of consciousness.＂ It is this ontological revolution which reveals the camouflage of the supersensory world＇s mythology （i.e., ideology） and which simultaneously establishes a solid foundation for the critical analysis of the latter. Marx＇s ＂science of history＂ is based on this foundation and develops from it.

The Birth and Custody of Infant Bacchus

This article discusses the visual aspects of the birth of Dionysus/Bacchus,the God of Agriculture,Revelry,and Wine,in classical art.It examines the historical and iconographic aspects of the infant Dionysus’s custody by two deities,Silenus and Mercury,in ancient classical art,particularly in Roman frescoes and sculptural reliefs,and its echoes in Italian Renaissance engravings.

Exploring the Concept of“Build a Community of a Shared Future for Mankind”in International Diplomacy:A Prehistoric Mythological Perspective

According to the historical records of prehistoric civilisation in China and the existing theories of prehistoric history within the academic community,it can be inferred that all human civilisations on Earth have their origins in the period following the Great Flood,during which human civilisation was rebuilt.Furthermore,there are notable parallels between the figure of“Nuwa”in Chinese prehistoric civilisation and that of“Noah”in Western accounts.By treating the prehistoric flood event as a research approach in historical compilation,scholars can extract valuable insights into“building a community of a shared future for mankind”and use it as a symbol of global diplomatic relations.This approach can foster common values of mutual learning and exchange among nations,ultimately creating a more promising future for developing a new form of human civilisation.

An Archetypal Approach to Dick Diver in Tender Is the Night

Dick Diver, originally a young and promising doctor and psychoanalyst, is on his way to a glamorous future, but he gradually reduces himself to drinking, cursing and drifting away in the society. Following his life journey—his love, his marriage, his fall and ruin, we readers can easily associate him with some important characters taken from Greek mythology: Apollo, Dionysus and Daedalus.

A Review of the Relationship Between Kunlun Culture and Chinese Civilisation

With the development of many years,Kunlun culture has been the convergence of both material and spiritual civilisation in human society. Kunlun culture is very prominent throughout the traditional Chinese culture, for it enjoys a long history and is closely related to the traditional Chinese culture. As the origin, soul and form of the traditional Chinese culture,Kunlun culture plays a vital role in enhancing the identity and cohesiveness of the Chinese nation, improving China's cultural soft power and national confidence and boosting the development of"Silk Road Economic Belt".

风水林探源与当代启示(英文)

Origin of Fengshui Woods was studied, 3 representative standpoints (Fengshui doctrines, greening and worship of the god of land) about Fengshui woods were analyzed, and worship of the god of land was believed as a reasonable origin view through considering natural and social factors of ancient China, as well as universal mental characteristics of people in the prescience age. To identify advantages and disadvantages of these 3 views, Carl G. Jung' theory of mythological prototype criticism and Sir James George Frazer's anthropological study were borrowed to prove that Fengshui Woods originated from ancient Chinese worship of the god of land, and such worship gradually evolved into practices of planting Fengshui Woods for their propitious signs. On this basis, enlightenment of Fengshui Woods to modern society was disclosed to protect present Fengshui Woods and forest resources.

Structural Transformation and Historical Expression in Dynastic Legend of Early China———Review of Sarah Allan‘s Study on the Ancient Legends of China in The Heir and The Sage

As an im portant scholar of contemporary sinology，Sarah A lla n ’s research on Chinese ancient h is to ry，on the basis of continuing the tradition of historical studies and archaeology， used Claude Levi - Strauss5 theory and method of structuralism for reference，and opened a new path for western Sinological research. H er study of ancient legends initiated wide interest in the circles of sinology ，and was considered to be both special and very innovative.

A Study on the Traditional Chinese Traditional Architectural Form of Mythological Tradition

Objective Through the metaphorical archetypal spirit and mythological semantics of Chinese character structure, this paper explores the metaphorical mythological gene and the moral order of the Chinese character structure, geographical thinking and aesthetic orientation of the mythological prototypes derived from the Chinese characters. Method The cultural archetypes and the theories of big and small traditions are adopted to sort out the mythological beliefs in the former architectural forms of the big traditions and the ethical narrative system carried by the buildings in the small cultural traditional societies. In the architectural archetypes dominated by big and small cultural traditions, the thinking of “archetypes and ethics” is found to be a homologous gene, which confirms the universal significance of the spirit of Chinese Confucian ethics to the power of Chinese civilization flowing and inheriting and human morality. Conclusion The structure of Chinese characters has the function of “recording” and “interpreting”, and the mythological thinking of architectural form materials, understands the ultimate transformation of cultural archetypes in creation, and guides the value of the traditional architectural design of “bringing out goodness and symbiosis” in the contemporary era. To relieve the material pursuit of spiritual enjoyment at that moment, to promote cultural heritage and the role of social treatment, to build cultural identity and the spiritual transcendence of the existence value of space ethics and the overall social and cultural identity.

Is There a Future for the “Myth of Kosovo”?

The present paper aims at the exploration of the development of the political “myth of Kosovo” and its viability with respect to EU membership ambitions of Serbia. The battle of Kosovo Polje in 1389, presented as Serbian defeat, transformed itself into the founding political myth of modern Serbian nation in the 19th century and has continued to exist as such until nowadays. The “myth of Kosovo” could shift to the ideological-cultural basis of Serbian identity and religious-cultural practices in the case of successful EU integration efforts of Serbia. However, if Serbian-Kosovar dialogue fails or Serbia loses the perspective of EU membership or some crisis hits the European Union as such,“myth of Kosovo” could be instrumentalized by various Serbian actors in order to achieve their partial political aims.

Botticelli’s Minerva and the Centaur:Artistic and Metaphysical Conceits

Botticelli’s Minerva and the Centaur of 1482-1483,along with his other mythological paintings,the Primavera,the Birth of Venus,and Mars and Venus,remains an iconographical mystery.As such,it is particularly interesting to analyze them.Now at the Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence and National Gallery in London,these paintings,executed between 1480 and 1490,were commissioned with specific aesthetic and intellectual aims and were intended to be hung in private rooms for personal viewing.Botticelli’s mythological paintings reflect the Renaissance humanistic body of thought:the study of antiquity and Neoplatonic philosophy.This essay focuses on one aspect:an interpretation of the influence of antiquity and humanism in Botticelli’s Minerva and the Centaur,a conflation of Minerva pacifica and Minerva pudica.