Behind all mythologies lie basic ideas regarding the universe. To understand a local or localized mythology, it is necessary that we should know something regarding the world in which lived those who invented or perpetuated the myths.
The Chinese world was flat, and over it was the dome of the firmament supported by four pillars. These pillars were situated at the four cardinal points, and were each guarded by a sentinel deity. The deities exercised an influence on the world and on all living beings in it, and their influence was particularly strong during their seasons.
Like the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians the Chinese believed that their world was surrounded by [[228]]water. There are references in the texts to the “Four Seas”, and to what the Egyptians called the “Great Circle” (Okeanos).
The Babylonians believed the world was a mountain, and their temples were models of their world. Thus the temple of Enlil, as the world-god, was called E-Kur, which signifies “mountain house”. His consort Ninlil was also called Nin-Kharsag, “the lady of the mountain”.[38] The Babylonian and Egyptian temples were not only places of worship, but seats of learning, and they had workshops in which the dyers, metal-workers, &c., plied their sacred trades.
Chinese palaces and universities were in ancient times models of the world. One of the odes says of King Wu:
“In the capital of Hao he built his hall with its circlet of water. From the west to the east, from the south to the north, there was not a thought but did him homage.”[39]
This hall was a royal college, “built”, says Legge, “in the middle of a circle of water”. Colleges might also have semicircular pools in front of them, “as may now be seen in front of the temples of Confucius in the metropolitan cities of the provinces”.[40] Ceremonies were studied in these institutions. There were also grave-pools. In Singapore these grave-pools have had to be abolished because they were utilized for hatching purposes by mosquitoes.
Copyright H. G. Ponting. F.R.G.S.
THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN, PEKING