Differences of Value Orientation between China and the Western World:
Comparing Gods and Deities in Chinese Ancient Mythology and Greek Mythology
Abstract
Among the world’s different branches of mythologies such as the Indian Mythology, the Norse Mythology, the Roman Mythology, the Greek Mythology, the Chinese Mythology, and etc., the Greek Mythology is the most outstanding one. As the most integrated one in system, Greek Mythology has been the main object to be studied by scholars due to its rich contents and its vivid characters. In China, the most untouched mythology which was not influenced by religions that were introduced into China such as Buddhism and Christianism to the largest degree, CAM which started at the beginning of Chinese society can truly reflects Chinese ancient ancestors’ original understanding and interpretation of the world together with their pattern of thought.
However, from the current existing researches that I have been searching for, it’s shocking to find that there is an inadequate study in this area, not to say the comparison between Greek Mythology and CAM. Therefore, this paper aims at researching the differences between Greek Mythology and CAM by comparing and analyzing gods, deities and heroes from the two branches of mythologies, which then leads to a further degree of thought: the differences of value orientation between China and the Western World the two mythology branches stand for.
After a brief review of the current studies of these two kinds of mythologies from Western World and China, the paper then will concentrate on the detail analyses of the main differences of value orientation between these two cultures by giving adequate examples from mythologies. And this main body of the paper is developed into four parts which contribute to the final conclusion that distinct differences of value orientation lie in divinity and humanity, collectivism and individualism, worship to morality and to ability together with sexual loyalty and openness. The paper ends with the conclusion of the above findings and the proposal that people should have a better understanding of value orientation when dealing with affairs in intercultural environment.
Key words: Greek Mythology, Chinese Ancient Mythology, ethos, value orientation, differences and distinctions
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