The above six categories are several myth systems that are widely circulated at present, and of course there are many myths that have not formed a system. For example, Mayan mythology, Persian mythology, Celtic mythology and so on.
In the early days of human civilization, myth was a very important artistic creation. Myth is usually recorded and circulated in poetic language, which is an important material for studying early human art and cultural life, and also a great source of human belief and literary creation in later generations.
Extended data:
First, the myth of ancient China
The myth of China reflects the primitive fantasy of the ancients about natural phenomena and social life, and the stories and legends expressed in the form of supernatural images and fantasies are "the natural and social forms themselves that people fantasize about in an unconscious artistic way".
Myths take gods as the leading role, including all kinds of natural gods and deified heroes. The plot of myth is generally manifested as change, divine power and magic. The meaning of myth is usually manifested as the explanation of some natural and social phenomenon; Some expressed our ancestors' desire to conquer nature and change society.
According to the classification of Chinese mythology expert Yuan Ke, it can be divided into three categories: myth, legend and fairy tale. Since the Jin Dynasty, there has been a category of "strange novels" in the history of China literature.
Second, ancient Greek mythology
(Greek: ε λ λ ν ι μ υ θ ο γ α) That is, all myths about ancient Greek gods, heroes, nature and the history of the universe, whether oral or written. The spiritual product of primitive clan society, the earliest literary form in Europe.
It came into being before the 8th century BC, and formed a basic scale on the basis of long-term oral communication by primitive Greeks. Later, it was recorded in Homer's epic, hesiod's genealogy, ancient Greek poetry, drama, history, philosophy and other works, and later generations arranged it into the present ancient Greek fairy tales, which were divided into two parts: the story of God and the legend of heroes.
Third, ancient Indian mythology.
The formation of Indian mythology is closely related to its own history. Around 3000 BC, civilization appeared in the Indus Valley. Around 2000 BC, a southward Aryan invaded India. After countless wars, their troops entered the Ganges River valley from the Indus River valley and enslaved the local aborigines. So far, the indigenous civilization in the Indus Valley has been destroyed and changed.
Fourth, ancient Egyptian mythology.
Egyptian mythology is also the religion of ancient Egypt. Refers to the gods and religious systems that ancient Egyptians believed in before Christianity and Islam spread. Because the beliefs of ancient Egyptians have experienced almost 3000 years of history and many major changes, the biggest difference between Egyptian mythology and Greek or Roman mythology is that most of the gods in Egyptian mythology are the heads of human animals.
Verb (abbreviation of verb) Nordic myth
Nordic myth is a unique myth system in Scandinavia, and its formation time is later than other major myth systems in the world. The oral spread history of Nordic mythology can be traced back to the 2nd century1-AD, which was first popular in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, and spread to Iceland and other places with a group of immigrants going north around the 7th century.
Geographical Nordic countries include Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland, but the so-called Nordic myth does not include Finland, because Finland has its own myth.
References:
Baidu Encyclopedia-World Myth System