20181220 Japanese legends

Japanese and Chinese legends

Chinese mythology has probably had an influence on Japanese mythology even in pre-historic times. 

Nevertheless, the similarities are not so strong that one could derive a direct relationship between Japanese and Chinese myths. 

In ancient times, however, Chinese myths and legends became part of the Japanese education canon, similar to the classical myths of antiquity in Europe. 

Among the most famous figures, which are taken up again and again in Japanese narrative art, include e.g.

Pangu (盘古), the first being between heaven and earth, often thought of as a human giant, from whose body the earth is created in its present 

Yao and Shun, two „ancient emperors“ of China, often referred to in one breath as the symbol of ideal rulers. 

These are two of the mythological Five Primal Emperors (五帝, wudi). 

Yao is said to be from 2333-2234 BC. Chr., Shun from 2233-2184 BC Have lived. 

Japanese rulers have sometimes been compared to these models.

The weaver and the cowherd: 

Known in Japan as the Tanabata legend (Chinese qixi 七夕), it is a Chinese legend of the love of a deity (the weaver) and a human (the cowherd), but in the long run not possible is. 

The desperate lovers are eventually transformed into the stars Altairund Wega, which are usually separated by a „river“ (the Milky Way) but approach each other once a year. 

On this day (according to the traditional calendar of the 7th day of the 7th month) traditional summer festivals take place in both China and Japan.

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