Aesthetic value of myth-making in modern Chinese literature

Abstract: Humans have the instinct to search for roots and origins. Being a spiritual product and cultural source at the dawn of humanity, mythology has become a nourishing ground for artworks of the next generations due to its symbolism and rich implicit cultural content. In the early 20th century new trend of “re-mythologization” emerged in Europe which immediately captured the field of literature all over the world. This article highlights the issue of mythology as an essential creative material for modern literature, presents an analysis of the European mythology influence on modern Chinese literature and summarizes the aesthetic value of using myths in modern Chinese literature from different perspectives.