Meghan Patterson

Journal

Introduction

            In this journal, I would like to discuss Chinese and American Mythology and superstitions.  First I would like to explain what mythology and superstition are and how they come into our culture.  I am also going to explain some of the mythology and superstitions that both Chinese and American have, and show that Chinese mythology is different from American mythology.  I do think that Chinese mythology and superstition is seen in American culture. 

            There are many different meanings for mythology.  Mythology is a study of myths.  Mythology is a collection of stories that tell us about that origin of a culture.  Myths show symbols, meaning, and values of a culture.  Superstition means "standing above or apart." "The history of superstition goes back to primitive man."  Over time, people thought about and created superstitions about whatever you can imagine.  Some consider telepathy a superstition and that "science is superstition of telepathy."  American mythology can be a story that has "emotional, cultural, moral or ethical to a notion."  American mythology may include a narrative that contributes to American value and belief.  Myths were common back in the time of Christopher Columbus.  Myths are stories that talk about traditions and legends.  Most people believe that most myths have supernatural forces and deities.  Many myths are just stories that are passed down from generation to generation orally.  Mythology figures deal with religions and mythology is usually linked to at least one religion.  Many people do not think "the tale surrounding the origin and development of religions like Christianity, Judaism, and Islam as literal accounts of events."  Instead they believe these figures are part of their belief systems.  Most people do believe that each religion does have body of myths that has added to their scriptures.

Work Cited:

http://artzia.com/history/mythology

http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/motspluriels/mp1901dpsuper.html

http://www.geocities.com/mizozarkrose/super.html

http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/americanmythology

http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/mythology

History of Chinese Mythology:

These Mythological stories were written down in the Wei and Jin Dynasties in (220-420).  The writers were influenced by "al chemist's ideas and Taoist and Buddhist superstitions."  The writers were interested in stories about gods and ghosts.  Many of the mythical stories were love stories and these loves stories spoke about how men, goddesses, fox faries, women or ghosts loved each other so much.  Gods, ghosts, foxes, and spirits are commonly described as living things with human qualities and human feelings."  Chinese mythical stories over time are told with full human feelings.  "Chinese describe gods like they describe man and they treat gods like they were human beings."  To do good deeds is to warn against sins.  In early times of the Qing Dynasty, there was an anthology of short mythical stories that were written in a classical style.  History and Chinese mythical stories go together.  Before recording history, the history was based on legend and then turn into mythology.

Work Cited:

http://www.chinavista.com/experience/myth/myth.html

http://www.crystalinks.com/chinamythology.html

Myths and Chinese Myths:

Myths are symbolic stories that have started out orally.  They have guided and inspired "humanity for thousands of years."  Myths have been in Celtic, Greek, Native American, and Chinese.  "Chinese mythology is as varied and multi-leveled as the country from which it springs."  China has many different cultural groups because they speak many different languages.  Many myths have been spread by pictographic script" which helped with the language barriers.  However not all the myths have been told orally.  Many of the Chinese mythologies have been based on "animism" which brings the land alive.  "Chinese mythology has been influenced by a fear of outsiders."  Some myths are influenced by religious faiths and philosophies and show conflict between them.  The story about the "monkey king" is a story about the conflict between "Taoists and Buddhists." 

      "Monkey king" is based on a true story about a famous Chinese monk named Xuan Zang who lived in the time 602-664.  He traveled on foot to what is now known has India bring Buddhism to China.  The monkey king journey deals with "Chinese fables, fairly tales, legends, superstitions, popular beliefs, and monster stories."  The monkey king is a rebellious creature that was born out of rock and that is how the story goes.  He even claims to be the king "over heaven, the seas, and the earth."  Buddha arranged for the monkey king to be the monk's disciple and bodyguard.  This is when the Yin and Yang show up in Chinese culture.  Yang means what you see visible by the sun and Yin means whatever is hard to see.  Yang also means light, male, positive, and material and Yin means dark, female, negative, and spiritual.

      Myths have important themes and they are "the story of creation, the beginning of the gods, and rebirth and renewal, as shown in the cycle of nature, and the afterlife.  The most important myth is the "stories of the creation of the earth and its people."  Some cultures believe god out of nothing created the universe.  Another myth about creation is that there was a war between the gods.  There is another myth about creation that creation was born for a "cosmic egg" that gods created.  In mythology god can take on many different forms.

      In ancient Chinese mythology it was said they believed there was ten suns in the sky during a ten-day week in China.  Di Jun was the father of the ten suns who sent an archer to frighten the suns with a magic bow and arrow.  But the archer whose name is Yin shot nine of the suns, only leaving one of the suns, which is the sun we see today.  Di Jun was very sad and angry that he loss nine of his children and he sent Yin out of heaven.  The other part of the myth is that Yin lived on earth as a mortal.

Work Cited:

http://www.livingmyths.com/index.htm

http://www.wku.edu/~yuanh/china/monkey.html

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/mythology/ten_chinese_suns.html&edu=elem

Chinese Superstition:

            Superstitions are a part of a culture and help people look into their ancestor's lives.  When having a baby, people should not use glue a person who uses glue will have a difficult birth.  Chinese people believe that if a pregnant lady hits an animal then that child will behave like that animal.  Another superstition is a person should never praise a newborn baby because evil sprits and ghosts will come. Before getting married people should pick out their wedding clothes and they should wear the colors white, red, or yellow.  If a person wear black, blue, or gray to the wedding it will bring bad luck to the couple.

            Going to funerals in the Chinese cultural, there are procedures that must be followed.  If a funeral goes wrong it will bring ill fortune and disaster.  If there are mirrors anywhere in the room, they must be hidden.  If a person sees the reflection of the coffin this means will bring a death in his or her family.  "A white cloth must be hung across the doorway of the house."  The youngest children or grandchildren "should not cut their hair for 49 days."  When a person leaves a wake, they should not go home at first because the ghost of the person that died will follow you home. 

            Chinese people have lucky and unlucky colors that are superstitions to them.  The color red means blood or life and it will bring wealth, happiness, and good luck.  The color black means death, evil, and bad luck.  The color white is the color of mother's milk and the color white also means purity and honesty.  Chinese people have lucky and unlucky numbers.  There lucky number is eight because it also means, "prosper."  There unlucky number is four because if sound like the Chinese word death and the number seven can also be death.  "The number one means loneliness."  The number nine means good because the word sound like the word "Sufficient."  Some more Chinese superstitions are when not to clip your toenails or fingernails.  If a person clips them at night it is bad luck and a ghost will visit that person.  If a person hears a dog howl all night long, this means there will be a death.  Things people should not do are to wear a moustache because it brings dad luck to that person.  Also a person should not point at the moon because that person might get their ear chopped off.

            The Chinese New year is keep track of by a calendar.  The Chinese calendar has both the "Gregorian" and a "lunar-solar calendrical system."  This system divided a year into twelve month, which turned out to be divided into thirty-nine and a half days equally.  The origin of the Chinese New Year is know as the Spring Festival because it beginning in the spring.  "The origin is too old to be traced" but there are several explanation that are still around.  One of the explanations is the word Nian that means "year" in modern Chinese.  Nian name was originally a name of a monster beast that preyed on people the night before New Year.  One of the legends says that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that could swallow many people with one bite.  Many people were scared of the monster.  An old man came one day and said he would try to talk to the monster about not killing any more people.  He went to Nian ask him to stop picking on people and start to fight the other beast of prey.  Nian started to prey on the other beasts and keep them from the people and their animals.  The legend goes that the old man disappeared on the back of the beast and it turned out that the old man was an immortal god.  After Nian left and the other beasts were scared in the woods, people were able to enjoy themselves again.  "Before the old man left, he told people to put up red paper decorations on their windows and doors at each year's end to scare away Nian in case it sneaked back again."  The beast fears the color red.  This story has been past down from generation to generation.

                        The New Year season goes from the "mid-twelfth month of the previous year to the middle of the New Year."  The whole month of the New Year is good time for businesses.  Chinese people will go out and spend their money on decorations, food, and clothing for the New Year.  The Chinese New Year is a celebration for family members and friends that bring peace and happiness.  "The eve of the New Year is very carefully observed."  The Chinese people have a big supper that is a feast that the whole family comes together.  They have a most popular course that they serve called "jiaozia," which is "dumplings boiled in water."  When dinner is over, the whole family sits up all night and has fun playing cards or board games, or watching a TV program that celebrates the special occasion.  All the lights in the house are supposed to be kept on all night.  The next morning very early the children greet their parents to receive their gifts or cash that are wrapped in red paper.  There is a tradition that the Chinese's families do and that it to greet their family and then their neighbors from door to door.  For several days after New Year's Day, people would visit each other to exchange gifts. 

Superstitions of the Chinese New Year are that the person must clean their entire house before New Year's Day and they start days before.  All cleaning equipment should be put away, such as, brooms, brushes, dustpans, and dusters.  People should not sweep or dust on New Year's Day because they fear they would sweep good fortune away but the floors can be swept after New Year's Day.  The person should start at the door of the room then the dust should be swept to the middle of the room.  The dust then should be placed in the corners and should not be taken out or thrown out until the fifth day.  There is a superstition about sweeping the dirt out over the threshold, that the person will sweep away their family.  Also if the person sweeps the dust and dirt out the front door, they think they will sweep away their families good fortune.

            Bring in the New Year, the Chinese people shot off firecracker on New Year's Eve to send out the old year.  The Chinese people paint their doors and windowpanes and they usually use red paint.  Every door in the house and every window should be open by midnight to allow the old year to get out.  New Year's is a good time for people to reconciliation and to stop holding on to grudges.  The Chinese people even have New Year's activities they must do.  Such as, if they owe any money to anyone, they should have it paid by this time.  No one should lend anyone anything on New Year's Day because that person will be lending all year around.  People should refrain from using bad or unlucky words.  Also people should never use negative terms, such as, the word four because it sounds like the word death.  People should never bring up the words death and dying or tell ghost stories on this day.  The Chinese people avoided talking about the old year and focused on the New Year and a new beginning. 

            Chinese people have a personal appearance and cleanliness that they follow on New Year's Day.  The Chinese people do not wash their hair on New Year's Day because they think they will wash away good luck all year around.  They also believe that people should wear the color red because it is a happy color.  They consider the color red to be sunny and to bring them a bright future.  The Chinese people think the way someone's appearance and attitude will help to set a tone for the rest of the New Year.  Another superstition that Chinese people have is before they leave their house they must call someone.  They also look at an "Almanac" to find out the best time and the direction they should go when leaving the house.  They consider greeting anyone in their bedroom to be unlucky so everyone including the sick "should get dressed and sit in the living room."  Chinese people believe on New Year's Day, people should not uses knives or scissors because they could cut off good fortune.  Even if there are some Chinese people today who do or do not believe in these traditions and customs they are still going on today.  The Chinese family believes that these customs and traditions give their families an identity even if the do or do not believe in them because they believe in their families. 

Chinese people believe that on New Year's Day, people should eat plenty of food and each food does something different to each person.  Chinese people think everyone should decorate their houses with flowers and with the color red to bring good fortune to them.

            The New Year is brought to an "anti-climax fifteen days away where the Festival of Lanterns set in."  The Festival of Lanterns has shows and folk dancing going on everywhere.  They have a special type of food called "Tang Yuan," which is another type of dumplings that is stuffed with either sweet or spicy fillings.  The Lantern Festival is the end of the New Year season and then life returns back to normal.  The Chinese New Years customs vary from place to place because people and places differ from one another.

Work Cited:

            http://www.tsinoy.com/roots/tsinoynga.cfm?ID-129

http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/china/taboos.html

http://www.thesitefights.com/dballgame/holiday/newyear/chinese/thing_to_do.html

The History of American mythology and superstition:

In American mythology there is Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Thanksgiving, music, and blues music.  Today's scientists say that we get sick through the air and physical contact.  On the other hand, our ancestors said some thing different.  Many people did not like hearing that their religions beliefs were said to be made-up like a myth.  Scriptures are not said to be mythology but some religions do have mythic elements.  Many modern religious figures do not have a problem with some religions text being considered mythic.

            Myths started with Christopher Columbus.  One myth is that Columbus discovered America and it is easy to make a hero out of a man.  He sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to prove that the world is around.  Columbus helped clear up an incorrect   myth of his time, it was concluded, "the nation he founded must be a nation of intellect and logic."  George Washington "has been mythologized" and he has stories about his life, which are being told.  People think that Washington is a just, wise, and a cultural hero.  One myth about Washington is the story about him chopping down his father's cherry tree.  Then when his angry father comes to him asking about the cherry tree, Washington says to him "I can not tell a lie."  Ever since this story was told, people know him as an honest man. 

            Thanksgiving has been said that it began with the Pilgrims in 1619.  The Pilgrim's had come to American to get away from religious persecution.  It was said that the Pilgrims were the first colonies that come to the "New World" but the first colonies to come to the "New World" were the French, Spanish, and English colonies.

Music and Blues Music are like myths because they tell stories.  Music is like narratives that have meaning and significance to an audience.  Blues music tells a narrative that deals with a singer's misfortunes.  Music tells a story and it does not really matter what kind of music.  Music and myths go together because they each are telling stories about people's lives.  Either they are true or not true.

American Superstitions

Many superstitions are culturally based and it seems to grow with our culture.  "Our superstitions say a lot about who we are, how we feel, and think about our world."  Superstitions are a belief that you can choose to agree or disagree with.

            A superstition in ancient Ireland was that a traveler that comes upon a woman with red hair and has to start his journey all over again.  There is a superstition that a goddess named Macha who had red hair put a curse on the man of Ireland for nine generations.  Another superstition is to not put your shoes on your bed because that means you will have a death in your family.  Another sign of death is if a wild bird gets into your house.  To keep death away from you, you must raise your feet, hold your breath, and close your eye when a hearse goes by.

            When I was a little girl I remember this superstition "step on a crack, break your mother's back."  I remember laughing at the superstition but also I remember trying not to step on the cracks, which makes you think that you do believe in the superstition.  Also when I was little I remember my family saying did you have an itchy ear because we were talking about you and also if I had a itchy nose my mom would say to me that I would kiss a fool.  Another American superstition is if your left hand itches then money will be coming your way.  If a black cat crosses your path, it means bad luck.  This superstition has been around for generations.

There are many different superstitions that have to do with the number 13 and the number 13 is considered to be evil in the Christian faith.  At the Last Supper there were thirteen people around the table and the thirteenth guest was the traitor whose name was Judas.  The name of the superstition is called "Tridecaphobig" witch means the fear of the number 13 and it is the most common superstition.  Even "Friday the thirteenth is considered the unluckiest day."  But if a person is born on Friday the thirteenth it is a lucky day for them.  There are many Friday superstitions.  One of the most famous stories is Adam and Eve and this story takes place on a Friday.  The Friday the 13^th superstition comes from "Friday October the 13^th, 1307."  What happed on this date was the Pope from the Church of Rome and the King of France were carrying out a secret death warrant on the "the knight Templar."  Before he was killed, he was "tortured and crucified" and this was considered "Black Friday."  Also another reason for the superstition for Friday the 13^th is called "Witches' Sabbath."  It was believed that on Friday's, twelve witches and the Devil would meet and it was said that evil was going on.  The number thirteen is not on building elevator control panels because of the superstition of the number thirteen.  "Sometimes you will see a 13^th floor in an office building, but even that is rare."  Even the thirteen floors are missing in building and regarding homes the number thirteen is also missing.  In Christianity the number thirteen brings death and misfortune.  The number twelve on the other hand, is a lucky number because it is our months of the year.  Also, the hours of the day which people think is a natural cycle.

There is a superstition about when to cut our hair and nails.  People think you can send one's disease to another by hair and nail clippings and also to "take away" illness.  Ancient folks did not care about sending their illness to another but wanted to cure themselves.  In 1866, people would shave the crown of their heads and would put the shaving in a bush for bird to carry away to their nest.  By doing this it would carry away a cough.  In 1590, a criminal trial was going on which had to do with a woman being accused of being a witch.  She took her sick brother's hair and nails clippings, wrapped them in a cloth and buried them in the ground to cure her brother illness. 

            There is even a superstition about when to cut your hair and nails.  If you cut your hair and nails on Monday, it is for good health.  If you cut them on Tuesday, it is for wealth and if you cut them on Wednesday, it is for news.  Thursday if you cut them you will get a new pair of shoes and if you cut them on Friday, it is for sorrow.  On Saturday if you cut them it is for true love tomorrow and on Sunday if you cut them, the "the devil will be with you all the week." 

            What age is the right age for cutting your hair and nails?  Some superstitions about this say that if an infant's finger or toenails are cut before they are twelve months old they will be thieves.  Some mothers would bit their baby's nails to keep them from growing up as thieves but to keep them honest.  The same with cutting the baby's hair as cutting their hair would bring bad luck, so people would bit the hair off with their teeth.  The superstition about cutting your hairs and nails on Friday or on Sunday will bring "evil" or the "Devil" has been around for a long time.

            Valentine's day is for love and lovers.  Some of the superstitions about Valentine's Day were not loving.  One of the original superstitions of Valentine's Day is that you draw your Valentine.  This help the person find their true love.  There has always been a superstition about the New Year's and bringing in the new millennium.  Starting in 1845, one New Year's Eve a housewife would rake the fire at night so that she could spread the ashes smooth over the floor with tongs.  She was hoping to see a track of a foot and if there was a footprint pointing towards the door that means a family member will die in that year.  Another superstition is to clean your homes spotless.  People must clean their houses from top to bottom.  Also people must sweep the garbage out the front door instead of putting it into a garbage can in the house.  This has to be done before midnight in order to get rid of the "past years' experiences."

            There is modern Mythology that is on television and in books.  Some examples of a strong mythological background are "Star Trek" and Tarzan."  Even though "Star Trek" and "Tarzan" are not mythology, they do have mythic themes.  Other examples of modern mythology are "The Silmarillion" written by J.R.R. Tolkien and "The Lord of The Rings."  Mythology is still alive today through urban legends and many other different ways.  We even see superstition in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" that Huck and Jim believe in.  Jim carries around a hairball because he thinks it brings good luck and it also tells fortunes.  When Huck kills a spider he knows it is bad luck and no one has to tell him.  Also Huck touches a rattle-snake skin and that brings him and Jim good luck.  These are the superstitions that Huck and Jim believe in and that help them on their journey and the superstitions can bring both good and bad luck.

            Mythology has been around for many years and I think it will be around for many more years.  It is still going on today because we need stories to tell and to entertain us.  I do not think that mythological stories will ever end because they are passed down from one generation to another generation.  Some of these mythological stories are traditions for families.

Work Cited:

http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/superstition/menu.htm

http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/superstition/friday_13th.htm

http://www.naplesnews.com/today/restate/al120401k.htm

http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/superstition/hairnails.htm

http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/american_mythology

http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/superstition/valentine.htm

http://www.globalpsychics.com/lp/superstition/newyears.htm

http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/mythology

Other American and Chinese Superstitions:

            There are many superstitions about cats and the powers they have.  People say that Cats can predict the weather and if the start to claw at the carpets and curtains it means wind is coming.  If the cat washes his ears a lot then there will be rain.  There is a myth about cats that says they influence the weather.  Some people think if cats wash their face and paws in the living room company will be coming.  People believe that if a cat looks out a widow all day long then rain will be coming.  If a person dream about a "Tortoise shell cat" it will bring luck in love and if a person dreams a "ginger cat" it will bring that person luck in money and business.  If a person dreams about a "black and white cat" then that person will have luck with children and if a person dreams about a "tabby cat" then that person will have luck in their home.  If a person dreams about a "multicolored cat" that person will have good luck making friends.  If a cat sleep with all four paws tucked under him that means bad weather is coming.  If a person finds a white hair on a black cat that means you will have good luck.

            If a person kicks a cat, they will get rheumatism in that leg.  If a person drowns a cat then that person will be a victim to drowning.  Some people believe if they got rid of a cat then the consequence would be a feline "hit man."  If a cat sneezes and if someone hears it than that means they will have good luck.  Some people think if they have a dream about a cat then that will bring bad luck to them.  Some fishermen's wives have kept black cats around the house to prevent something happening to their husband.

            Some people think if they see a white cat night is bad new to them.  Some people believe that if they see a one-eyed cat that they must spit on their thumb then they stamp it in the middle of their palm and then they make a wish.  The people who believe in this think their wish will come true. Some people believe that taking blood from various parts of a cat would cure all ailments.  Some early Christians believed that if a cat sits on a grave then that person soul is in the power of the devil.  Another belief is that if two cats are fighting near a person that is dying or on the grave after a funeral, that the cats are the Devil and an Angel fighting for the soul of that person.  There are some traits that people believe that cats have and they are "cleverness, unpredictability, healing and witchcraft.  In ancient times people believed that witches took the form of cats at night.  There is a folklore out there that said that if a witch becomes human then her black cat would not stay with her in the house.  In the Middle Ages the black cat was thought to be evil.  Cats have always been nocturnal and they roam around at night, there is a superstition that says cats are supernatural servant of witches.  It has been said that if a black cat walks into an ill person's room that person will die because of the supernatural powers that the cat has.  If the black cat crosses a person's path and does not harm that person then that person is protected by the devil and this is another superstition about black cats.  There is some truth to the saying "cat got your tongue," in ancient times, sometimes a criminal punishment was to cut out his tongue and it was feed to the king's pet.  In the Bible, domesticated cat are not mentioned.  There is an American superstition that when you move you have the cat go through the window and not the door because this will keep the cat from running away.  There is a legend that cats where created when "Noah's ark was infested with rats."  Noah had a lion sneeze and out came cats.  There are many superstitions about cats and some people that truly believe them.  I did not realize how many superstitions were out there about cats.

Work Cite:

http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/folklore.htm

Conclusion:

      I have found that both American and Chinese mythology starts out has being told orally.  I do think that Chinese mythology and superstition is seen in American culture.  There are many different meanings for mythology.  Mythology is a study of myths.  Mythology is a collection of stories that tell us about that origin of a culture.  Myths show symbols, meaning, and values of a culture.  American mythology can be a story that has "emotional, cultural, moral or ethical to a notion."  I have found that both Chinese and American myths are based on the same things.  Myths are stories that talk about traditions and legends.  Most people believe that most myths have supernatural forces and deities.  Chinese and American myths are just stories that are passed down from generation to generation orally.  History and Chinese mythical stories go together.  Before recording history, the history was based on legend and then turn into mythology.  Myths have been in Celtic, Greek, Native American, and Chinese.  China has many different cultural groups because they speak many different languages.  However not all the myths have been told orally.  Some of the myths were drawn to help with the language barrier.

      Chinese people have many superstitions that they believe in and so do American people.  There are many different superstitions that the Chinese and American people have and these stories will live forever.  I believe that the superstitions come from both cultures.  I think each culture has to have something that they believe in and to carry from generation to generation.  Mythology has been around for many years and will be around for a long time.  These mythological stories are traditions for some families.  I did not realize how much of these stories and superstition were a part of my life when I was little.  Superstitions were a big part of my "older" family members and I thought they were funny but the more I think about it, I realized that they were a part of me.  My great-grandmother had superstitions about a black cat crossing her path that would bring her bad luck.  My great-grandmother had to explain to me why she believe that a black cat would bring her bad luck and she told me it was because that is what she believe in.  I did not know that was a superstition until I was older.  Many people do not believe in superstitions but many people do believe in superstitions and so I think that even though some superstitions are funny to some, we do not want to make fun of people and their beliefs.  We all have different beliefs and we all need to respect each other.

      Mythology is still alive today through urban legends and many other different ways.  We see it in the books that we read in class today such as, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and "Monkey Bridge."  We even see mythology and superstitions on TV and people like these stories because they become a part of that story.  Books help children to live in a make-believe world and fight mystical creatures.  Stories help children with their imagination.  We need to keep these stories alive any way that we can because these stories are a part of us and are children should hear them.  Our children should be able to believe or not to believe in these stories and the way that they can do this is to keep telling these stories.  These stories can be told orally, through books, and TV, as long as they are told.  I had a good time learning about Chinese and American myths and superstitions.