The difference between folktales, myths and legends

Myths and folktales are both fictional stories that spread among human groups, but there are some differences between them. A myth is a story created by one or more religious beliefs or cultural traditions that describe a supernatural or mysterious power and its relationship to humans. Mythology usually includes supernatural creatures, gods, ghosts, monsters, or mysterious forces. These characters usually have extraordinary abilities or purposes. The theme and content of myths are often related to religious or cultural traditions. They are often used for education, legends, or entertainment. Folktales are usually stories that are passed down among the people and told verbally. They are usually about human history, society, culture, or life. The theme and content of folktales were also more extensive. They could be adventure stories, myths, legends, fairy tales, fables, and so on. Folktales are usually not influenced by religious beliefs or cultural traditions. They are usually spread in the form of stories, so the content is more free and flexible. Myths and folktales are both fictional and imaginative, but their purposes and topics are different. Myths are usually used to express religious beliefs or cultural traditions, while folktales are used to tell stories about human history, society, culture, or life.

Both folktales and myths are important components of ancient Chinese culture. There are many similarities between them, but there are also some differences. Folktales were usually passed down by ordinary people without formal literary processing, so they were closer to reality and richer in life. The content of folktales usually involved people's daily life, social customs, natural phenomena, historical events, etc. It was real, vivid, and specific. Myths and legends were more abstract and supernatural cultural phenomena. They often did not rely on real historical events or real people. Instead, they constructed a fantasy world in the imaginary world that was different from the real world. The stories in myths and legends were usually related to natural elements such as the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, animals, and plants. They also expressed human emotions, thoughts, and beliefs through supernatural creatures such as gods, ghosts, and immortals. Although folktales and myths were different in content, form, and origin, they both reflected the profound thinking and rich imagination of ancient Chinese culture regarding human beings, nature, and beliefs.

Mythology and folktales were both types of stories, but their origins and methods of transmission were different. Mythology is usually considered a supernatural or surreal narrative that originated from ancient religious beliefs or cultural traditions and is often interpreted as a fable that conveyed certain philosophical or moral ideas. Folktales were narrations based on human experience and reality. They originated from folk cultural traditions and were widely spread and interpreted as a narrative that conveyed information about folk customs, history, legends, and cultural traditions. In addition, myths and folktales were different in terms of story content, story structure, story characters, and narrative methods. Mythological stories usually involve supernatural elements such as gods, monsters, mythological characters, etc. They usually have complex plots and structures that include multiple generations and multiple characters. On the other hand, folktales were usually more direct and simple. They usually involved practical aspects of human life such as war, marriage, childbirth, sacrifice, etc. They usually had simple plots and storylines with multiple characters. Although both fairy tales and folktales involve narration, their origins, methods of transmission, story content, story structure, and story characters are different, so they have different characteristics and values.

Legends and folktales are both important parts of traditional culture, but they have different origins and characteristics. Legends are usually derived from myths, religious stories, historical events, or other sources. They may have originated from ancient myths or religious stories that have evolved into modern legends after a certain development. Legends are often fictional, with many details and uncertainties, often with mysterious colors, and some legends even have religious significance. Folktales originated from the events, stories, and legends that people experienced in their daily lives. They had a more specific and real historical background and character relationships. Folktales were often more realistic and vivid, with many details and descriptions. They also often had certain regional characteristics and cultural backgrounds. However, due to the wide range of sources, the content of folktales is more complicated and may contain many different versions and legends. Generally speaking, legends and folktales are important parts of traditional culture, but they have different origins and characteristics.

Folk tales and legends are both important parts of Chinese culture, but there are also some differences between them. Folktales were usually stories passed down by the people. They were usually real or based on historical events, characters, local traditions, and other materials. Folktales are generally short and simple, with simple plots and characters. They often don't have too much drama and logic. They pay more attention to the fun of the story and express the feelings and values of the people. Legends, on the other hand, were more focused on epic narrative structures and dramaticism. They were often longer, more complicated, and richer than folk tales. Legends usually appeared in the form of myths and narrated the origins, history, culture, and characters of ancient humans. They usually involved nature, gods, heroes, love, and other topics, which also had more literary value. For example, the Legend of the White Snake was a typical folk tale, while Journey to the West was a typical legend. In the Legend of the White Snake, the love story between the White Snake and Xu Xian was told. Although the story involved the problem between the snake demon and the transvestite, its plot was relatively simple and paid more attention to expressing the beauty of love and human nature. And Journey to the West tells the story of Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie and Monk Sha protecting Tang Sanzang to go to the West to get Buddhist scriptures. This story has more drama and logic, but also involves nature, gods and monsters, Buddhism and other topics, which has more literary value.

Myths and legends were important elements in traditional culture, and they had their own unique characteristics and connections. Myths usually refer to stories passed down from ancient times. These stories contain supernatural or mysterious forces and usually describe the relationship between humans and supernatural beings such as gods, demons, and ghosts. Myths often contain mythical characters and events that are believed to be representatives of supernatural beings. Their existence and actions are often mysterious and unpredictable. The main purpose of myths was to express the fear and desire of humans to explore the unknown world and mysterious forces. Legends usually refer to stories in the ancient oral narrative art. These stories do not necessarily contain supernatural or mysterious forces, but usually involve human history, culture, geography, biology, and other aspects. The main feature of legends was that they were easy to understand and widely spread. They often passed the test of time and had universal social significance and cultural value. Legends usually include some legendary characters and events. These characters and events are regarded as historical figures or cultural symbols. Their existence and actions are often symbolic and story-like. Although myths and legends both involved supernatural or mysterious forces, their purpose, content, form, and methods of inheritance were very different. Myths mainly expressed the fear and desire to explore the unknown world and mysterious forces, while legends carried more information and significance about society, culture, history, and so on.

There were many differences between Chinese and foreign myths. The origin of Chinese mythology can be traced back to the ancient Chinese people's observation and experience of life, while the origin of Western mythology can be traced back to ancient Greece and ancient Rome. The theme and content of Chinese mythology are about nature, life and morality, while the theme and content of Western mythology are about gods, heroes and power struggles. 3. Different forms of expression: Chinese mythology is usually expressed in poetry, prose, and novels, while Western mythology is usually expressed in novels, plays, and movies. The main mythological characters in Chinese mythology include heaven and earth, mountains and rivers, vegetation, birds and animals, etc. The main mythological characters in Western mythology include Zeus, Hera, and Jesus. Chinese and foreign myths are different in origin, theme, form of expression and mythological characters, but they all reflect human beings 'exploration and imagination of nature and the universe, as well as their understanding and pursuit of morality, humanity and power.

There were many myths and legends in ancient China. Was there a difference between myths and legends? Myths and legends are both important elements in ancient Chinese culture. Although they have some similarities, there are also some obvious differences. A myth is usually a story of a supernatural or mysterious power or event. These stories are usually related to the origin of humans, natural gods, gods, or supernatural phenomena. Supernatural or mystical powers in myths are usually thought to be unexplainable by science, so they often have a vague or mysterious quality. The main purpose of mythology was to explore the nature of human beings and the universe and to try to reveal the meaning of human existence. Legends were stories based on historical events or facts to promote certain moral or spiritual values. Legends are usually related to historical events or real people, but the integrity and authenticity of the story may not be as good as myths. The main purpose of legends was to express certain moral or spiritual values such as love, justice, courage, loyalty, and so on, and to convey these values through stories. Although myths and legends have some similarities, myths are usually more mysterious and supernatural, while legends are more based on history and facts and pay more attention to expressing certain moral or spiritual values.

Myths, legends, and folktales are all important components of traditional culture. They have different meanings and forms of expression in different historical and cultural backgrounds. Myths were usually stories about supernatural or mysterious forces, often involving human exploration and understanding of nature and the universe. Supernatural forces in mythology are usually regarded as divine, and their existence and activities are described as having mysterious powers and unpredictable behavior. In myths, humans were often closely related to these supernatural forces such as gods, monsters, monsters, and so on. The main purpose of myths was to convey human thoughts and values, and at the same time, to provide a space for people's imagination. Legends were usually stories about historical figures or events. They had been processed and adapted to convey them in a more vivid and vivid way. The main purpose of legends was to promote a certain morality, ethics, or spirit, and at the same time, to provide a space for people to imagine. Legends could be expressed in various artistic forms such as poetry, novels, and operas. Folktales were usually stories about the lives, culture, history, or legends of the local people. They originated from people's life practices and oral traditions, and through continuous inheritance and development, they formed a unique collection of folktales. The main purpose of folktales was to express the local cultural traditions, historical background, and people's values and beliefs. At the same time, it also provided people with a reference to the real world. The form of folk tales was relatively simple and intuitive. They often expressed certain meanings or values in the form of stories. Myths, legends, and folktales all have their own unique forms and purposes, but they have different origins and cultural backgrounds, and also represent different cultural traditions and values.