Abstract:Myths and stories are also called human fantasy prose works. They are folk literature, and they are collective verbal creations of people in ancient times. It includes stories of ghosts and gods (ghosts). The emergence of mythological stories represents the ancient people's struggle for nature and the pursuit of ideals. It is a kind of spiritual sustenance, human aspiration, and religious manifestation. It has far-reaching influence on later literature and art. Myths and tales are the primitive people’s understanding of the objective world. People are eager to understand nature and conquer nature. The various peoples respond to the problems encountered with seemingly absurd myths. Due to environmental and historical reasons, the myths and stories of various peoples also have their own characteristics. Myths have been handed down from generation to generation, affecting every generation. Looking at today, myths and legends have important implications for the study of history. This paper takes Chinese mythology and Greek mythology which is representative in Western society as the research object, collects a large number of Chinese myths and Greek myths, and compares and analyzes the differences in the origin, politics, morality, image and content of Chinese and Greek mythology. Study and discuss Adventure VS. Stability, Deity-oriented VS. Emperor-oriented in origin. In moral aspects Self-interest VS. Mean harmony, Sexual taboos VS. Sexual consciousness, Evil VS. Goodness, Appearance priority VS. Spirit priority. In terms of politics Upholding power and rationality VS. Respecting Dao and talents, Male-oriented VS. Female-oriented. In terms of content Systematicness VS. Arbitrariness, Humanity VS. Deity, Compliance VS. Revolt, Anthropomorphism VS. Therianthropy, Gods’ descendant VS. Induction and birth myth , and explore the geographical and historical reasons for the existence of differences. It is hoped that by exploring the contrast between Chinese and Western myths, English learners can better understand the differences between Chinese and Western cultures and improve their English learning and cross-cultural communication skills.

Key words: Chinese Mythology; Greek Mythology; Difference; Reason

摘要:神话故事又被称为人类幻想性散文作品，是民间文学的一种，是远古时代人民的集体口头创作。它包括鬼神的故事和神（鬼）化的英雄传说。神话故事的产生表现了古代人对自然的斗争和理想的追求，它是一种精神寄托、人类的向往和宗教的实化展现，对后世的文学艺术有深远的影响。神话故事是原始人类对客观世界的认识，人们迫切的想要认识自然，征服自然。各个民族用那些看似荒诞的神话对遇到的问题做出回答。受环境，历史原因，各个民族的神话故事也有着各自的特点。神话故事世代流传，影响着每一代人。在今天来看，神话传说对历史研究有着重要的意义。本文以中国神话和在西方社会极具代表性的希腊神话为研究对象，搜集大量的中国神话和希腊神话，对比分析中希神话在起源，政治，道德，形象和内容，四个方面的差异。研究讨论在起源方面的冒险性与稳定性、神系与帝系。在道德方面的利己主义与中庸和谐、尚性意识与两性禁忌、罪恶与善良、宿命论与意志论、重外表与重精神。在政治方面的崇力与崇德、男权与女权。在内容方面的系统性与任意性、人性与神性、顺从与反抗、人神同形与半人半神、神的后代与感生神话。并探析差异存在的地理和历史原因。希望通过探讨中西方神话故事的对比，使英语学习者更好的了解中西方文化的差异，提高学生英语学习和跨文化交流的能力。

关键词:中国神话；希腊神话；差异；原因

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1 Introduction-1

1.1 Research purpose-1

1.2 Research significance-1

2 Literature review-2

2.1 The source and dissemination of Chinese and western mythology-2

2.2 Relevant studies on western and chinese mythology abroad-3

2.3 Relevant studies on western and Chinese mythology at home-4

3 Study on the differences between Chinese and Western mythology-6

3.1 Origin-6

3.1.1 Adventure VS. Stability-6

3.1.2 Deity-oriented VS. Emperor-oriented-7

3.2 Morality-7

3.2.1 Self-interest VS. Mean harmony-7

3.2.2 Sexual taboos VS. Sexual consciousness-8

3.2.3 Evil VS. Goodness-8

3.2.4 Fatalism VS. Voluntarism-9

3.2.5 Appearance priority VS. Spirit priority-9

3.3 Politics-10

3.3.1 Upholding power and rationality VS. Respecting Dao and talents-10

3.3.2 Male-oriented VS. Female-oriented-10

3.4 Content and Image-11

3.4.1 Systematicness VS. Arbitrariness-11

3.4.2 Humanity VS. Deity-11

3.4.3 Compliance VS. Revolt-12

3.4.4 Anthropomorphism VS. Therianthropy-13

3.4.5 Gods’ descendant VS. Induction and birth myth-13

4 Underlying causes of the differences between Chinese and western mythologies-14

4.1 Geographical reasons-14

4.2 Historical reasons-14

5 Conclusion-15

References-15

Acknowledgments-17