Abstract:

Mythology is the product of the primitive times, the crystallization of each nation’s exploring, understanding and dreaming of the nature and society. As the  representative works of eastern and western cultural spirit, Chinese and Greek mythology plays an important role in the research of the national culture. This articlel analyzes the cultural differences between Chinese and western culture through the image-shaping of god, the national spirit behind the mythology and the causes of the differences between Chinese and Greek mythology, so as to help us learn from each other in the future culture learning.

Keywords: Mythology; Chinese and Western Culture; Cultural Differences

摘要：

神话是原始时代的产物，是各民族对自然和社会进行探索、理解和幻想的结晶。中国神话和希腊神话作为东西方文化精神特质的代表在各民族文化研究中起着重要的作用。本文将通过神的形象塑造、中希神话所反映的民族精神以及造成中希神话差异的原因三方面来分析中西方文化的差异，从而有助于我们在以后的文化学习道路上能取长补短，相互借鉴。

关键词：神话传说；中西方文化；文化差异

1  Introduction
“The word “mythology” is derived from Greek. In Greek, the word “mythology” is used to represent the story about gods or the natural things dominated by gods.” (Feng Huazhan, 1982:1)
The mythology is the treasure of human culture on the path of development, with an irreplaceable position. Compared with the later literary form, it is a kind of involuntary creation. The mythology mostly comes from the original human imagination, but it is not subjective conjecture. It is based on reality, and beyond reality. Although sometimes imagination is both bizarre and absurd, on the basis of reality, it is logical, and deeply reflects the human belief, strength, will, desire and so on.
Since the mythology is human unconscious involuntary reaction, then heroes and gods in mythology fully demonstrate the ideal personality of human beings. Also the heroes and gods are human ancestors’ affirmation and praise for outstanding behavior and the reflection of common ideals cherished by mankind.
Marx once said “any mythology uses imagination and is with the help of imagination to conquer, dominate and visualize the forces of nature, which is the nature and social situation itself that has already been processed by an involuntary way of art through people’s fantasy”. From what Marx said, we can see that the mythology is actually the response to the nature and society. Also it is the ancient people’s collective oral creation, which they fantasize, artistically process and descibe the natural and social phenomenon they have been in contact with. And it shows the early human beings’ life, work and thought.