The Western Bible is a religious, historical, cultural and mythological book that has been written for more than 1,600 years and has been translated into more than 2,000 languages, making it the most widely circulated book in human history. The Chinese Classic of Mountains and Seas is also an encyclopedia that records ancient geography, culture, folklore and mythology, and has the reputation of "the ancient mythological house". Also the foundation of the mythological system, what are the similarities and differences between the Bible and the Classic of Mountains and Seas?
Let's take the Garden of Eden as an example. As we all know, the Garden of Eden is not only the garden of the gods, but also the origin and ideal paradise of mankind. But many people do not know that the Garden of Eden recorded in the Bible, also in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, is called "Emperor's Pingpu", also known as "Kunlun Hanging Garden". It is the garden of Emperor Jun, and the home of ancient gods such as Kun Wu and the Queen Mother of the West. There are many similarities between the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" and the Garden of Eden.
1. The geographical location of the Garden of Eden and the "Kunlun Hanging Garden"
The Old Testament of the Bible records that The Lord created the human man Adam and The Lord, in his own image, and created Eve from Adam's ribs. In order to house these two human ancestors, Jehovah built the Garden of Heaven, the Garden of Eden, in Eden in the East. The so-called "Eden" refers to a place with abundant water and grass and a pleasant climate.
The "Western Mountain Classic" of the Classic of Mountains and Seas records that in kunlun mountain, a sacred mountain in the west of China, there is a garden suspended in the air. This is the garden of the God Emperor Jun, guarded by the Divine Beast Yingzhao. Regarding the specific location of Kunlun Mountain, some scholars believe that it is in Xinjiang, and some scholars believe that it is in Qinghai. In short, the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" and the Garden of Eden are very close.
2. The Garden of Eden and the environment of the "Kunlun Hanging Garden"
The Bible records that Jehovah planted many sacred trees in the Garden of Eden to feed Adam and Eve. Among these sacred trees, there are both the trees of life and the trees of good and evil, as well as the "forbidden fruit." The ground of the Garden of Eden was filled with gold, agate and pearls. In addition, the Garden of Eden is home to a variety of exotic animals, including the famous ancient snake.
The "Hai Nei Xi Jing" of the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" records that there are many sacred trees near Kunlun Mountain, among which there are "immortal trees", and the trees bear "immortal fruits". The Huainan Zi records that the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" has Yao ponds, wisdom trees, pearl trees, ruyi trees and jade trees, as well as strange birds and beasts such as phoenix birds, partridges, three-legged crows and dragons.
3. The Garden of Eden and the gods of the "Kunlun Hanging Garden"
The Garden of Eden was inhabited by four gods. The Old Testament of the Bible records that Adam and Eve were the first inhabitants of the Garden of Eden, and Jehovah came here from time to time. In the New Testament, Satan's predecessor, the ancient serpent, was also housed in the Garden of Eden. In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, the gods and men inhabited by the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" are also four. The Celestial God Emperor Jun sometimes resides here, and the Queen Mother of the West, Lu Wu and Yingzhao have been guarding this place for a long time.
From the above three aspects, it can be seen that the Garden of Eden recorded in the Bible and the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas are very similar. If you infer that the Garden of Eden and the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" are the same place, is it not a bit whimsical? After all, the mythological systems of the Bible and the Classic of Mountains and Seas are different, and the two places are thousands of miles apart. However, Yuan Ke, an expert in the study of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, believes that the two are the same place.
Yuan Ke proposed in "Ancient Chinese Mythology" that the mythological concepts of early human beings were the same. Whether it is the Garden of Eden recorded in the Bible, the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" recorded in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, and the "Kingdom of Heaven" in Indian mythology, they all refer to the "ideal paradise" of the human spiritual world.
In this sense, the Garden of Eden and the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" are the same place.
Personally, I believe that in addition to the explanations of experts, there may be two reasons why there are many coincidences between the Bible and the Classic of Mountains and Seas. The first is the geographical environment. The east of China is the ocean, so I fantasize that the "Kunlun Hanging Garden" is in the west. The Hebrews knew the West better and fantasized that the Garden of Eden was in the East. The second is the origin of mankind. What's so strange if all humans came from Africa, and there are some of the same memories in the course of tens of thousands of years of migration?