ThisphototakenonDec.3,2024showsamarblesculptureofAphroditeattheNationalMuseumofChinainBeijing,capitalofChina.(Xinhua/JinLiangkuai)
byXinhuawriterShiYifei
BEIJING,Dec.10(Xinhua)--ForaslongasIcanremember,I'vebeencaptivatedbytheallureofmuseumsandinspiredbytherichtapestryofmythologytheyhouse.So,whentheNationalMuseumofChinarecentlyunveiledadazzlingcollectionofancientGreektreasures,IknewIhadtogo.
Meanderingthroughtheexhibition,onepiecebathedinahalooflightwasparticularlymesmerizing:amasterfullycraftedmarblesculptureofAphrodite,theGreekgoddessofloveandbeauty.
Shestandsonapedestal,exudingetherealgrace,herwavyhairelegantlypinnedupandhereyesseemingtopeerbeyondtime.Inherhand,sheclaspsthegoldenapplefromHomer'sepics,asymbolofunparalleledbeauty.
LittledidIknowthatthisdivineworkofart,createdtwomillenniaago,wouldaccompanymehome--albeitasafridgemagnet!Themementowassculptedsometiculouslyandvividlythatit'snothinglessthanaminiaturemasterpiece.
Itwasnoeasytasksecuringsomethingtotakehomewithme:AseaofvisitorshadalreadyformedaqueueatthegiftshopwhenIarrived,alleagerlywaitingforachancetotakehomeasouvenirinspiredbythegodsandgoddessesofancientmythology.Scentedcandles,fridgemagnets,silkscarvesandotheraccessories--younameit.Itwasasifthegodsthemselveshadsuddenlybecomeretailicons.
Themuseumhasproudlyannouncedthatfivemonthsofmeticulousplanningwentintothedesignofover50culturalproductsinspiredbytheartworksondisplayaswellastheirtimelesstales.
Itwaswithanamusedlookthatastaffmembertoldme,“Just10daysaftertheexhibitionopened,morethan10designshadalreadysoldout.Itseemseventhegodscan'tkeepupwithdemand!“
ThetourtakesmebacktoacourseonancientGreekmythologyItookattheuniversity.Whileroamingthedivinerealmsoftheseotherworldlybeings,myclassmatesandI,asChinesestudentsmajoringinEnglishliterature,werefascinatedtodiscoverstrikingparallelsbetweenChineseandGreekmythology.
Nyuwa,theChinesegoddesswhomoldshumanity,findshercounterpartinPrometheus,theGreekTitanwhofashionshumansfromearthandendowsthemwithlife.YueLao,thegodwhocontrolslovers'destinies,mirrorsEros,theGodofLove.AndHouYi,theheroicarcherwhoshootsdownninesuns,echoesthelegendaryfeatsofHeracles.
WhetherbymerecoincidenceoraccordingtoCarlJung'sconceptofthe“collectiveunconscious,“theresonancebetweenthesetwogreatcivilizationsintheEastandtheWestspeakstosomethingintrinsicinhumannature.Despitevastculturaldifferences,humanitysharesafundamentalneedtounderstandtheworldandourplacewithinit.Themesofloveandbeauty,aswellassacrificeforthegreatergood,arecommonthreadsthatweavethroughthesetales.
Interestingly,ancientChineseandGreekphilosophiesalsosharesomeintriguingparallels.Platoextolledthepursuitofwisdomasahighformoflove,aconceptthatfindssimilaritiesinChinesethought.Zhuangzi,forexample,marveledatthesilentbeautyofnature,saying,“Theheavensandtheearthhavegreatbeauty,yetsaynothing.“AndLaoTzudescribed“supremegoodness“asbeinglikewater--flexible,nurturingandunassuming.
Theseideasrevealasharedviewthattruewisdomisthepursuitofharmonyandhumility--qualitiesthattranscendculturalboundaries.
Althoughthesemythsarethousandsofyearsold,theirrelevanceendures.ThetaleofChang'e'sflighttothemoon,oneofthemosticonicmythsinChinesefolklore,hastakenonnewmeaninginthemodernera,especiallyinlightofChina'stremendousachievementsinspaceexploration.
Similarly,“theswordofDamocles,“afamoussymbolfromGreekmythology,wasreferencedjustlastweekwhentheChineseAmbassadortotheUnitedStatesXieFengremarkedthatthetradewarinitiatedbytheUnitedStateshadbecomeaswordofDamocleshangingoverAmericancompanies.
Eventheword“museum“couldtraceitsrootstotheancientGreek“Mouseion,“asacredspacedevotedtotheMuses--thosedivinegoddesseswhoinspiredcreativity,art,andknowledgeinGreekmythology.
Thesemythsarefarfrommererelicsofthepast;theyremainvibrantsymbolsandmetaphorsincontemporarydiscourse.Asonevisitorwroteintheexhibitionguestbook,“Onecanseeasfarintothefutureasonecanintothepast.“