Myths, the oldest form of literature, are timeless in their appeal. These marvelous cultural treasures are also shining stars in the world of philately. This collection features postage stamps released in recent years depicting Eastern and Western myths.

• I: Introduction
• II: Stories about the Formation of the Universe
• III: Legends about Supernatural Beings
• IV. Stories of Love between Gods and Mortals

I: Introduction

Drawing on unique, imaginative, and interesting plots to capture people's interest, myths often involve paranormal experiences. Verisimilitude isn't important. Generally speaking, myths come in three types: (1) stories about the formation of the universe (including the making of the world, the changing of the four seasons, and the beginnings of humanity); (2) legends about supernatural beings; and (3) stories about the interaction among gods, demons, and people.

II: Stories about the Formation of the Universe

In prehistoric times, at the dawn of human civilization, people held a lot of curiosity about how the universe and the many beings within it were created. Lacking scientific evidence, they relied on their fertile imaginations, creating beautiful myths to explain various natural phenomena and to express their awe for heaven, earth, ghosts and gods.

2.1 The Hero that Created the World–Pan Gu

According to this myth, eons ago the universe was just a gaseous egg called Hundun. A giant named Pan Gu slept there for 18,000 years. Upon waking, he stretched his limbs and broke the egg, creating heaven and earth.

Pan Gu loved the world he created. When he died, he transformed his flesh into the sun, moon, stars, rainbows, mountains, waters, and minerals. These made the universe more colorful and diverse.

2.2 The Mother Goddess of Mankind–Nu Wa

Nu Wa was a goddess from the Heaven of Nine Levels who had a beautiful face and a snake-like tail. Upon accidentally entering the world Pangu created, she found it , despite its stunning landscapes, a lonely place. Consequently, she created mud dolls fashioned after herself. Feeling that her tail was inconvenient, she made legs for the dolls instead so they could stand and walk. Then she animated them, creating living humans with thoughts and emotions.

2.3 Primitive Inventions

Surviving in the vast expanses of nature was a great challenge to ancient humans. These stamps show how our ancestors overcame great difficulties and invented all manner of devices to better their lives.

2.4 New Zealand Myths

The Maori moved to New Zealand in several waves from the 10th to 14th centuries. There they created unique myths that interpreted the archipelago's environment and natural products.

2.5 Biblical Myths

In ancient times, Noah, a Hebrew patriarch, built an ark and led his family to escape the Flood, enabling the perpetuation of the human race. Consequently, Noah is viewed as the progenitor of mankind.

III: Legends about Supernatural Beings 3.1 Door Gods Shen Shu and Yu Lu

Since people enter and exit structures through doors and gates, our ancestors believed that invisible guardians should be stationed there. At first, door gods existed only in people's imaginations. They lacked both physical images and names. Then, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, people realized that two mythic immortals, the brothers Shen Shu and Yu Lu, were perfectly suited to serve as door gods since they protected people by capturing ghosts and feeding them to tigers.

Qin Shubao and Weichi Jingde

Once, when ill, the Tang Dynasty Emperor Taizong kept hearing ghosts threatening to take his life in his sleep. Back then, Qin Shubao and Weichi Jingde were two generals guarding the frontier. Seeing how powerful and virile they were, the emperor's courtiers asked them to guard the door as he slept. As expected, they scared off the ghosts. Yet it was impossible for them to guard the emperor's door forever, so the emperor requested that their portraits be hung on the palace door instead. When the people learned of what had transpired, they followed suit and added the two to the lineup of door gods.

3.2 The Four Celestial Gods: Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xi

Legend has it that there were many deities under the Jade Emperor in the heavenly domain, each of whom took responsibility for a clearly defined function of the earthly domain. Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xi were the four celestial gods in charge of mortals' good fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness.

3.3 The Gods of Earth, Wealth, and the Kitchen

It is said that Emperor Yao's agriculture minister Houji taught people how to farm and was much loved. In gratitude, later generations made him the guardian of the land and crops–the Fude Zhengshen or Tudi gong.

There are many legends about the God of Wealth. Zhao Gongming is well-known as the “martial god of wealth.” Mounting a black tiger and holding a bamboo steel whip, Zhao was originally a character from the classical Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods. Jiang Ziya killed Zhao but respected his valor, so when Jiang was ordered to canonize gods, he conferred on Zhao the title “Golden Dragon Ruyi God–the Genuine God of the Profound Dragon Tiger Altar.” Zhao has four assistant gods, who are, respectively, in charge of attracting treasures, collecting treasures, attracting wealth, and profitability. People call him the “Marshal of the Profound Altar” or the “Money God.”

The Kitchen God has existed since the Han Dynasty, but his origins are uncertain. Some point to Suirenshi, since legend has it that he taught people how to start a fire and cook. Others say it should be Huang di, who invented the stove. And there are many other, mostly tragic, origin stories about the Kitchen God. There is no one set image of this god, but he is typically depicted as bearded.

3.4 Guanyin

With the permission of the Yaochi Jinmu, the bodhisattva of compassion Avalokiteśvara incarnated as a girl named Miaoshan in a country called Xinglin, aiming to assist those seeking salvation. After persevering through all kinds of adversity, she finally attained enlightenment and received the title the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy Namo Guanshiyin Pusa. She is commonly known as Guanshiyin or Guanyin. She has many manifestations: The White Robed Guanyin, for instance, is in charge of fertility, whereas the Purple Bamboo Guanyin protects fishermen. Guanyin is mostly depicted holding a willow branch and a vase, suggesting that she dips the branch in the vase's water to enlighten all living beings.

3.5 Mazu

During the Song Dynasty, there was an amazing girl from Fujian, Lin Moliang, who was highly intelligent and a model of filial piety. In her youth, a spiritual being taught her magic to expel evil and save people from misfortune. At the age of 28, she ascended to heaven. She often manifests herself to save people from misfortune, especially sailors and fishermen. She received many titles from Song, Ming and Qing dynasty emperors, including Tianhou (Empress of Heaven), Tianshang Shengmu (Holy Mother in Heaven), and Tianfei (Imperial Concubine of Heaven). Among the people, she is known as Mazu. Ma is a respectful form that southern Fujianese use to refer to female elders.

3.6 Zhong Kui

Born during Tang Dynasty (618–906), Zhong Kui, though talented in both civil and military affairs, was said to be scarily ugly, possessing a leopard-like head and saucer-like eyes. When Emperor Dezong of Tang Dynasty ascended the throne, he held an imperial exam to enlist ministers with the greatest talent. Zhong Kui scored highest, but the emperor hesitated on giving Zhong Kui a job upon seeing how ugly he was. The prime minister Lu Qi advised him not to. Zhong went into a rage and gave Lu a good whipping before he killed himself. Filled with regret, the emperor punished Lu and conferred upon Zhong the posthumous title “Demon Hunter,” ordering a burial befitting a champion of the exam. The legend of Zhong Kui hunting demons is known far and wide, and people often hang his portrait during the Dragon Boat Festival to dispel evil.

3.7 The hero who shot down the suns and the goddess who flew to the moon

Once upon a time, 10 suns lived in Yanggu (Sun Valley) by the shores of East China Sea. They took turns rising in the sky to give light and warmth to the people. One day, they appeared in the sky all at once. They scorched the earth and made the world a living hell. The great archer Houyi tried to persuade them to go back to the valley, but they wouldn't listen. To save the people, Houyi shot down nine of them. The suns' father Diku was very angry and demoted Houyi and his wife Chang'e to the human world. Later, feeling homesick, Chang'e ate a pill of immortality that Houyi had acquired and flew back to her palace on the moon.

IV. Stories of Love between Gods and Mortals 4.1 The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid

According to legend, there was once a young man in Hexi whose parents were long gone and only had an old ox for a companion. The other villagers called him the Cowherd. The old ox was very intelligent. One day, it dragged the Cowherd to the river, where he saw seven fairies playing in the water. The cattle told him to hide one of the fairies' clothes on the riverbank and wait. When the youngest fairy (the Weaving Maid) could not find her clothes, she agreed to marry the Cowherd. After they got married, the Weaving Maid neglected her work of weaving heavenly cloth. Her negligence angered the emperor of heaven, who ordered her to return to the court. Ever since, she has only been able to cross the “Magpie Bridge” across the Milky Way to see the Cowherd once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.

4.2 Legend of the White Snake

A scholar rescued a badly injured white snake and released it in the mountains. After cultivating itself for a thousand years, the white snake transformed into a beautiful woman named Bai Suzhen. When she came down from the mountains to look for her savior, she subdued a green snake named Xiao Qing. Later, they came across Xu Xian, the incarnation of her savior, by West Lake. With Xiao Qing's help, Bai was able to marry Xu. A Buddhist monk named Fahai saw through the snake's disguise and sought to break up this human-snake marriage. To save her marriage, the white snake dueled the monk with magic. Ultimately, the snake lost and was imprisoned under the Leifeng Pagoda.