Letter from China: Taking home a piece of Greek mythology

This photo taken on Dec. 3, 2024 shows a marble sculpture of Aphrodite at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

by Xinhua writer Shi Yifei

BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- For as long as I can remember, I've been captivated by the allure of museums and inspired by the rich tapestry of mythology they house. So, when the National Museum of China recently unveiled a dazzling collection of ancient Greek treasures, I knew I had to go.

Meandering through the exhibition, one piece bathed in a halo of light was particularly mesmerizing: a masterfully crafted marble sculpture of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty.

She stands on a pedestal, exuding ethereal grace, her wavy hair elegantly pinned up and her eyes seeming to peer beyond time. In her hand, she clasps the golden apple from Homer's epics, a symbol of unparalleled beauty.

Little did I know that this divine work of art, created two millennia ago, would accompany me home -- albeit as a fridge magnet! The memento was sculpted so meticulously and vividly that it's nothing less than a miniature masterpiece.

It was no easy task securing something to take home with me: A sea of visitors had already formed a queue at the gift shop when I arrived, all eagerly waiting for a chance to take home a souvenir inspired by the gods and goddesses of ancient mythology. Scented candles, fridge magnets, silk scarves and other accessories -- you name it. It was as if the gods themselves had suddenly become retail icons.

The museum has proudly announced that five months of meticulous planning went into the design of over 50 cultural products inspired by the artworks on display as well as their timeless tales.

It was with an amused look that a staff member told me, "Just 10 days after the exhibition opened, more than 10 designs had already sold out. It seems even the gods can't keep up with demand!"

The tour takes me back to a course on ancient Greek mythology I took at the university. While roaming the divine realms of these otherworldly beings, my classmates and I, as Chinese students majoring in English literature, were fascinated to discover striking parallels between Chinese and Greek mythology.

Nyuwa, the Chinese goddess who molds humanity, finds her counterpart in Prometheus, the Greek Titan who fashions humans from earth and endows them with life. Yue Lao, the god who controls lovers' destinies, mirrors Eros, the God of Love. And Hou Yi, the heroic archer who shoots down nine suns, echoes the legendary feats of Heracles.

Whether by mere coincidence or according to Carl Jung's concept of the "collective unconscious," the resonance between these two great civilizations in the East and the West speaks to something intrinsic in human nature. Despite vast cultural differences, humanity shares a fundamental need to understand the world and our place within it. Themes of love and beauty, as well as sacrifice for the greater good, are common threads that weave through these tales.

Interestingly, ancient Chinese and Greek philosophies also share some intriguing parallels. Plato extolled the pursuit of wisdom as a high form of love, a concept that finds similarities in Chinese thought. Zhuangzi, for example, marveled at the silent beauty of nature, saying, "The heavens and the earth have great beauty, yet say nothing." And Lao Tzu described "supreme goodness" as being like water -- flexible, nurturing and unassuming.

These ideas reveal a shared view that true wisdom is the pursuit of harmony and humility -- qualities that transcend cultural boundaries.

Although these myths are thousands of years old, their relevance endures. The tale of Chang'e's flight to the moon, one of the most iconic myths in Chinese folklore, has taken on new meaning in the modern era, especially in light of China's tremendous achievements in space exploration.

Similarly, "the sword of Damocles," a famous symbol from Greek mythology, was referenced just last week when the Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng remarked that the trade war initiated by the United States had become a sword of Damocles hanging over American companies.

Even the word "museum" could trace its roots to the ancient Greek "Mouseion," a sacred space devoted to the Muses -- those divine goddesses who inspired creativity, art, and knowledge in Greek mythology.

These myths are far from mere relics of the past; they remain vibrant symbols and metaphors in contemporary discourse. As one visitor wrote in the exhibition guestbook, "One can see as far into the future as one can into the past." ■