ChineseMythology.notebook

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PanguCreatestheWorldInthebeginningtherewasdarknesseverywhere.Withinthedarknesstherewasanegg,andinsidetheeggsleptPangu,aspiritgod.Formanyyears,safelyinsidetheegg,Pangusleptandgrew.WhenPanguhadgrowntoagiganticsizehestretchedhishugearmsandlegsandbroketheegg.Thelighterpartsoftheeggshellfloatedupwardstomaketheheavensandtheheavierpartssankdownwards,tobecometheearth.Pangusawwhathadhappenedandhewashappy,buthewasafraidthatheavenandearthmightpushtogetheragain,soheplacedhimselfbetweenthem,hisheadhelduptheskyandhisfeetwereontheearth.Pangustartedtogrowagain,tenfeeteverydayfor18,000years.Thismadethedistancebetweenheavenandearthfurtherapart,untiltheywereabout30,000milesapart.Pangucontinuedtoholduptheskyforhundredsofyears.Pangufinallybecameveryoldandtiredandcouldnolongerholdupthesky,butbythentheskyandearthdidnotwanttobeheldtogetheranymore.Pangufellontheearthandhishugebodycoveredtheearthlikeacarpet.Hisskinformedrichsoil.Hissweatsprinkleddropsofrainanddewonthesoftearth.Thetangledhaironhisheadandbeardbecamebranchesoftreesandbushes.Thehaironhisarmsturnedintotinyleaves,vinesandbeautifulflowers.Histeethandbonesturnedintoshinymetalslikegold,silver,andcopperdownintotheearth.Theinsidesofhisbonesturnedintolovelyjadeincolorsoflavender,green,andwhite.Hisbloodturnedintoriversandlakes.Pangusvoicemadethesoundsofrollingthunderandbrightlightning.Hiseyesbecamethesunandmoon.Hisbreathturnedintoblowingwindsandfluffyclouds.Somepeoplesayheisstillresponsiblefortheweather,whichchangesaccordingtohismoods.WhenPangusworkwasfinallydonehehadmadeapristineworldthatsparkledwithbrightblues,beautifulgreens,deepbrowns,andpurewaters.AnswerthequestionsabouttheChinesefolktaleinyournotebook:

1. Whywouldaneggbeagoodsymbolforthebeginningoftheworld?2. WhywasPanguworriedwhenhesawtheearthandsky?3. WhydoyouthinkPanguwashappywhenhewasfinished?4. WhatdoesthisstorytellyouaboutChineseculture?

ChineseMythology.notebook

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TheFoolishOldManRemovestheMountainsTheFoolishOldManoftheNorthMountainwhowas90yearsoldlivedneartheTaihangandWangwuMountains.Thesemountainswereahundredthousandfeethigh.Hewasalwaysunhappythatthemountainsblockedhiswaytothesouthandhehadtowalkroundthemwheneverhewentoutorcameback.Hecalledthewholefamilytogethertotalkabouttheproblem.WhatwouldyousayifIsuggestthatallofusworkhardtolevelthetwomountains,soastoopenawaytoplacessouthofYuPrefectureandtheHanRiver?heaskedhisfamily.Manypeopleinthefamilyagreedwithhisidea.Hiwifewasntsosureaboutthisidea."Withyourstrength,"shesaid,"youcouldhardlyremoveasmallhill.WhatcouldyoudowiththeTaihangandWangwuMountains?Besidesthat,wherecouldyouputalltheearthandrocks?""WecouldcarrythemtotheshoresoftheBohaiSeaandnorthofYintu,"saidseveralpeopleinthefamily.Theoldman,helpedbyhissonandgrandsonwhocouldcarrythings,begantobreakrocksanddigearth.Thesevenyearoldsonneighborboyevencamerunninguptoofferhishelp.TheycarriedtherocksanddirttotheshoresoftheBohaiSea.Justonetriptotheseatookthemaverylongtimetheywouldleaveinwinterandcamebackinsummer.TherewasaWiseOldManattheRiverBendwhostoppedtheoldman.Helaughedandsaid,"Howfoolishyouare!Youareoldandfeeble.Youwillneverbeabletomovethismountain!""You'rewrong,"FoolishOldMansayswithasigh."Look,mysonscancontinuemyworkaftermydeath.Whenmysonsdie,mygrandchildrenwillcontinue.Sogenerationsaftergenerationswillcontinuetoworksothere'snoendandthemountainscan'tgrowhigher.Nowyouseewehaveenoughpowerandabilitytochangethepositionofthetwomountains.Aslongaswehaveconfidenceandpower,nobodyandnothingcanchangeourmind.DoyoustillsayIcantmovethemaway?"IntheMountainstherelivedaSpirit.WhentheMountainSpiritheardwhattheFoolishOldManwasplanningtodohewasafraidthattheFoolishOldMansfamilywouldruinhismountain.TheMountainSpiritrushedtothepalaceofthegodandsaid:MyMaster,theresanoldmandiggingmymountain.Thegodlaughedandsaid,Isthattheonlyreasonthatyouaresoafraid?TheMountainSpiritsaid,Buttheoldmanleadstheirfamilytodothiswork.Imafraidthatafterseveralhundredyears,mymountainwilldisappear.Thegodsaid,ButtheTaihangMountainandtheWangwuMountainalsomakegreattroubletothem.TheMountainSpiritsaid,TheOldManandhisfamilyareveryresourcefulandhardworking.Iftheycontinue,theywilldestroymymountain.Afterthinking,thegodmakesadecision.IwillorderthetwosonsofKua'ershitocarrythetwomountainsontheirbacksandputoneeastofShuoandtheothersouthofYong.Thenyourmountainswillbesafeandthehumanswillalsobehappy.Thatnightthedarkskythunderedandthewindroared.Noneofthepeoplecouldgooutoftheirhouse.Whentheywokeupthenextmorning,theyfoundthatthetwohugemountainsdisappeared.Afterthis,therewerenomoremountainsbetweenJizhouandtheHanRiver.(Questionsontheback)

Answerthequestionsaboutthefolktaleinyournotebook:1. WhatarethereasonsoftheMountainSpiritandtheFoolishOldManinwantingtheirway?2. HowdidtheFoolishOldMansperseverancegethimwhatheneeded?3. Whataresomeexamplesofperseverancethatyouhavedone?Explain.4. WhattypesofgoodcharactertraitsdoestheFoolishOldManhave?TheMountainSpirit?Thefamily?5. WhatmakestheMountainSpiritthinkthattheFoolishOldManwillsucceedinhisgoal?6. Howdomountainsmovetoday?

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TheMagicPaintbrushOnceuponatimeinthemountainsofChina,therewasayoungmancalledMaLiang.Hewasverypoorandworkedforarichmantotendhiscattle.Therichmanwasnotagoodpersonhestolefromthevillagersandabusedhisanimals.MaLianglikeddrawinganddrewpictureseverywhere.Onenight,hedreamedthatanoldmangavehimamagicpaintbrushandaskedhimtouseittohelppoorpeople.Whenhewokeup,hefoundthemagicpaintbrushonthefloorwhereheslept.Fromthatdayon,heusedthepaintbrushwheneverpeopleneededhelp.Whenhesawthatpeoplehadnowatertouseinthefields,hedrewariverandtherivercametolife.Peoplecouldbringwaterfromtherivertothefieldandsavealotoftimeandenergy.Whenhesawitwasdifficultforpeopletotilllands,MaLiangdrewacowandthecowcametolife.Peoplecouldusethecowtotilllandsveryeasily.Wheneverhesawthepeoplestroubles,MaLiangwouldusehismagicpaintbrushtohelp.Thenmanypeopleknewaboutthemagicpaintbrush.Afewdayslater,therichmanwhomMaLianghadworkedfor,heardthatthemagicpaintbrushcouldturneverythingitdrewtolife.HewasabadmanandhadanideatostealthepaintbrushfromtheMaLiang.Heknewthathecouldmakealotofmoneybyturningthingstolifeandkeepingthem,sohesentsomepeopletoMaLiang'shomeandtookhimtotheprison.HetookthemagicpaintbrushfromMaLiangandfeltveryhappy.Thenheinvitedalotofhisfriendstocometohishomeandshowedthemthemagicpaintbrush.Hedrewalotofpictures,buttheycouldnotbecomereal.HewasveryangryandaskedsomepeopletogetMaLiang.WhenMaLiangcame,hesaidtohim,"Ifyoudrawsomepicturesformeandturnthemtolife,Iwillsetyoufree."MaLiangknewthathewasabadmaninthevillage.Ofcoursehedidnotwanttohelphim,buthadanidea.Hesaidtothebadman,"Icanhelpyou,butyoumustkeepyourpromise."Thebadmanfeltveryhappyandsaid,"Iwantagoldenmountain.Iwillgotheretogathergold."MaLiangdrewaseafirst.Thebadmanwasangryandsaid,"Whydidyoudrawasea?Idonotwantthis.Iwantagoldenmountain.Drawitnow!ThenMaLiangdrewagoldenmountainwhichwasfarawayfromthesea.Thebadmansawthatandfeltveryhappy.Hesaid,"Drawabigshipquickly!Iwanttogotheretogathergold."TheMaLiangsmiledquietlyanddrewabigship.Thebadmanjumpedintotheshipfirstandalotofhisfamilyandfriendsjumpedintoo.Whentheshipsailedtothemiddleofthesea,theyoungmandrewalargewaveanditdestroyedtheshipandeveryoneonit.Afterthat,MaLianglivedhappilywithhisfamilyandkeptonhelpingpeopleinneed.Answerthefollowingquestionsaboutthefolktaleinyournotebook:

1. Drawsomethingyouwishwouldcometolife,thenwriteaboutwhytheywouldlikethatitemtobecomerealandwhattheywoulddowithit.2. WhatdoesthisfolktaletellyouaboutChineseculture?

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January13,2015

NuWaMendstheSkyAtonetimetheworldsplitopenwhenthefourcornersoftheskycollapsed.Theearthcouldnotsupporttheweightofeverythingonit,andtheskywasntabletocoverthatwhichwasunderit.Tomakemattersworse,aterriblefirebrokeoutthatcouldnotbeextinguished,andafiercefloodcouldnotbestopped.Theanimalswentwildandattackedthehumans,giantbirdsswoopingupontheoldandtheweak.

NuWacametotherescuebymeltingrocksoffivedifferentcolorstogetherandusingthemtomendthecracksleftintheskybythecollapseofitscorners.Shecutthelegsoffofagiantturtleandusedthemtopropupthefourcornersofthesky.Oneofthesavagebeaststhatwasattackingandkillingpeoplewasablackdragon,whichChinesemythssaythatNuWaslew.Afterthat,sheburnedthereedsoftheriverandusedtheirashestostemtheflood.

Withtheskymendedandthefourcornersonceagainsecured,thefloodstoppedandthewildbeastsdead,thepeoplewentontoliveinpeaceonthesquareearthunderthesky.Itwasatimeofparadiseandplenty,wildbeastsweretamed,andtheearthgavegenerouslyofitsbounty.

ThegooddeedsofNuWabenefitedbothHeavenandtheEarth,andhernamewaspassedfromgenerationtogeneration.Toshowhergratitude,NuWashoneherlightoneverycreation.Sheneverbraggedofhergooddeeds,anddidnotseekanyrewardshechosetoremainhumble,asisthewayoftheuniverse.Answerthefollowingquestionsaboutthemythinyournotebook:1. Whatisthepointofthemyth?2. WhatdoesthemythtellyouabouthowtheChinesevaluedthenaturalworld?

ChineseMythology.notebook

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January13,2015

WhatcanwelearnaboutAncientChineseCulture

fromthesemyths? )(conclusions

Theyusedthestories forReligiouspurposes

SimilartoEgyptusemythologytoexplaintheirworldRespectNatureStories haveaherosomeonedoinggoodforothers

RespectallinsocietyStorieshavemorals/teachlesson

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"Meng-Jiang Nyu"

Geography DailyLife Religion Society

* Men forced intophysical labor

* respect elders

* rarely traveled far from vilages

* Yellow River (lots of silt)

* Believe in many gods

* dusty roads,high grounds

* Omens and signstell people what to do and look for

* Obey emperor

* Great Wall was a dangerous project