Talk:Chinese creation myth

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To the original creators of this article:

I humbly apologize for such an extensive rewrite of your work. I want you to know I did not do this lightly.

The fact is, I have followed this topic for some time, and have seen people copy (and recopy) this myth without looking at the big picture.

As you can see from the update and references, we do web readers a disservice to list again (and again, and again) this very popular myth without some context.

Thanks for understanding. mamgeorge 22:57, 13 October 2006 (UTC)

You tried to laugh at the relative-late appearing creationsim in china?I don't see the links between the span of Chinese History and the appearance of creationism.History is to record the human activities not the creationism.Unless you can give the conclusion for the link between the appearance of Creationism and span of History,donn't try to mention it.--Ksyrie 00:22, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

I think you may mix up the History and folk lore of Origin belief.The Vikings may had their origin belief very old,but on the other hand,their history records are very few and limited.I didn't see the necessary to talk about History in Creationism.--Ksyrie 00:30, 12 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Rename to Mythos??

The article doesn't describe "creationism", which is a belief that world was created by one God, in disaccord (and sometimes outright explicit conflict) with any scientific theory of the beginning of Universe or in some cases, lack thereof (s.a.f.ex. Steady State). The article describes a mythos, a creation story in itself, that can be regarded as 1. literal, 2. symbolic, a. in accordance with science, b. in disaccord. Creationism is 1.+a. with a set of angry adherents fighting science with unscientific arguments. Said: Rursus ☺ ★ 14:00, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, the name of the article is the final remnant of someone's misguided attempt to position the Chinese creation myth as a species of creationism. It was much worse previously. The entire article was assigned to the Creationism portal!

Bathrobe 14:03, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

I completely agree. From the title one expects a Chinese version of Young Earth Creationism, but the article is simply (if stubily) discussing Chinese mythology with no suggestion that, for instance, it's trying to displace evolution in high school textbooks in China! --Plumbago 14:45, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

It's I who created this page,I am not very clear about the meaning of creationism which was presented in the page of creationism,which simply states the theory of beginning of humankind.And for the difference between creation myth and creationism are not so well distinguished,so maintain the current title may be a good idea.--Ksyrie 16:56, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Furthermore,Nüwa and Pangu are all deities in chinese mythology.If you define God as the appearances in the Bible or other European folklore,the chinese creationism maynot be qualified,but when you refer the creationims as the deity or other supernatural power who create the humanbeing,chinese creationim is well qualified.--Ksyrie 17:05, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

The terms creation myth and creationism are very well distinguished in normal usage. Many cultures have creation myths, and had them long before the ideology of creationism came along. The Wikipedia article on 'creationism' doesn't give a very satisfactory definition. Try Websters: "a doctrine or theory holding that matter, the various forms of life, and the world were created by God out of nothing and usually in the way described in Genesis -- compare EVOLUTION". That is, creationism is a doctrine that places creation stories (and particularly the Christian creation story, and Jewish or Muslim creation stories) against the theory of scientific evolution. As the Wikipedia article states, "When scientific research produces conclusions which contradict a creationist interpretation of scripture, the strict creationist approach is to reject that research's conclusions, its underlying scientific theories, or its methodology." The Wikipedia article tries to imply that 'creationism' also extends to origin beliefs in general, but in this case it's Wikipedia that is at odds with ordinary usage.

In fact, a quick look at the history of the article on Creationism reveals what the problem is. Originally, the note before the article read: This article deals only with the concept of creationism as found in the Abrahamic religions. Please refer to Origin beliefs for other stories of creation. Later this was changed to: This article is about the Abrahamic belief; creationism can also refer to origin beliefs in general. Then someone 'improved' this to: "Creationism" can also refer to origin beliefs in general. These changes broadened the scope of the term "creationism" to any kind of origin belief, which actually sounds rather New Age. In fact, creationism is all about the Abrahamic tradition and its insistence on the literal truth of the creation stories in that tradition. This kind of friendly editing is one of the small problems that Wikipedia faces.

If China has a group of people or movement that advocates scrapping evolution in favour of the doctrine or theory that Pangu or Nuwa created the earth, then that information belongs in an article on 'Chinese creationism'. Otherwise, the Chinese creation myth really should go under a different title.

Bathrobe 01:14, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Your explanation is excellent,so why bother write something on the article to give a distinguished separation between the Creationism and Origin belief?With such paragraph,no one will make any mistake to blur the orginal belief and creationism.--Ksyrie 02:50, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, I am considering making some small changes to the Creationism article. You may have noticed, however, that it is a very controversial article, so any changes would have to be carefully considered!

Bathrobe 04:42, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Actually, there is a more complete description of Chinese creation theories under Creation within belief systems than there is under Chinese creationism. Should the information be transferred across?

Bathrobe 04:56, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

I will suggest to merge Creation within belief systems and Origin belief,the two differed to a very little degree.--Ksyrie 19:22, 7 June 2007 (UTC)

Go ahead! The two articles are confusingly named.

Bathrobe 00:01, 8 June 2007 (UTC)

I've made the merger suggestion myself.

Bathrobe 09:05, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

I would like to propose that this page should be moved to Chinese creation myth or Chinese creation story. "Creationism" simply doesn't come into it. Bathrobe 09:20, 9 October 2007 (UTC)

I agree. Use "creationism" is wrong in this context. Creationism is a belief system clearly with Christian connotation. Here describe a myth or some stories about these myth. The article should be renamed.--WikiCantona 09:58, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

It was getting kind of ridiculous with the article misnamed as "Chinese creationism" and nobody even bothering to move it. So I moved it. I don't think it should be regarded as a problem. Bathrobe (talk) 11:57, 28 January 2008 (UTC)