Scholar Proposes 'Third Mythology' Beyond Western and Chinese Frameworks

Along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain, graffiti left by travelers from around the world can be found everywhere. Among them, particularly striking are images of half-human, half-beast figures combining human and animal forms. The fact that people from different cultural backgrounds drew similar images demonstrates that a common archetype exists in the deep layers of human imagination. This scene, mentioned by Professor Emeritus Chung Jae-seo of Ewha Womans University in "The Third Mythology," illustrates that myths are not stories confined to specific regions but products of imagination that have transcended time and culture.

Although myths are narratives formed through cultural exchange, the study of mythology has developed under the dual hegemony of the West and China, the author points out. Western mythology studies have used Greek mythology as the "standard" for interpreting other cultures, creating invisible hierarchies in the process. The perspective that emerged from this is Orientalism. China countered by systematizing and rewriting its own mythology, but simultaneously reinforced its Sinocentric viewpoint. Meanwhile, Korean and other East Asian cultures have remained on the periphery of mainstream discourse.

Professor Chung, who introduced the concept of "East Asian imagination" by producing Korea's first Korean translation of "Shanhaijing" (Classic of Mountains and Seas) in 1985, has compiled 40 years of research in this book. He critiques both Orientalism and Sinocentrism while proposing a "third perspective." He reexamines the Western assumption that Chinese mythology lacks creation myths or systematic structure, and criticizes both Yellow River civilization-centrism and Central Plains cultural supremacy. His proposal is to view East Asian mythology not through the opposing framework of "China versus periphery," but as a cultural space formed together through long exchanges.

The book presents this critical awareness with various arguments in the introduction and Parts 1-3, then analyzes rich examples from Western and Chinese mythology in Parts 4-5. In particular, through a fresh reading of "Shanhaijing," he emphasizes that ancient Chinese culture did not emerge from a single root but was formed through exchanges with various surrounding cultures. "Shanhaijing," which depicts various foreign lands and peoples as strange beings, shows that its origins are not limited to today's unified China but were created through convergence with numerous peripheral cultures of the past.

How ancient imagination revives in contemporary culture is also an intriguing aspect. Using Disney's animated film "Frozen" and the Japanese animation "Spirited Away" as examples, he explains how the narrative structures of modern popular culture connect with mythological elements. The subverted mother-daughter narrative and processions of gods and spirits are variations on ancient mythological motifs. His analysis of the transformation of Xiwangmu, a Chinese goddess adopted in Korean culture since the Three Kingdoms period, and traces of Chinese mythology remaining in the scriptures of Jeungsando, a Korean new religion, also draws attention.

"The Third Mythology" raises the need for a new approach to mythology beyond Orientalism and Sinocentrism. In an era of images and content, the ability to read mythology is directly linked to cultural competitiveness. At this time of K-content's golden age, the call to reread East Asian mythology free from Western or Chinese standards is worth contemplating. 35,000 won.