ABSTRACT
Houyi was a Herculean hero in ancient Chinese mythology and also appears in the Huai Nan Zi: In this legend, Houyi accomplishes a total of seven exploits. The story of this battle, recounted in many classical Chinese works, is echoed by that of another conflict, which, according to mythology, took place between Gonggong and Chuanxu. The fragments of legends discovered in classical Chinese works reveal that the mythology of ancient China was extremely rich and colourful, though this slave-based society has left very few documents, with the exceptions of oracles inscribed on tortoise shells. Qu Yuan, the great poet of the fourth century BC, based a great deal of his work on mythology, and his daring imagination enabled him to produce some wonderful pieces. The origins of the Chinese novel, too, lie in ancient mythology. It is also possible to observe the influence of mythology in modern Chinese works of art and literature.
