IndexIntroductionImmortality in Chinese mythologyImmortality in Japanese mythologyImmortality in Korean mythologyImmortality in Irish/Celtic mythologyComparison and contrast between immortality in Asian mythology and Irish mythologyPersonal reflectionConclusionIntroductionImmortality is a very common theme in mythology from around the world. The concept of immortality is a common theme in humanity as well, as it is something that humans have been trying to achieve for thousands of years. Humans have often turned to religion as a place where they can achieve this immortality in the afterlife. In this article I will focus on immortality in Chinese mythology, Japanese mythology, Korean mythology, and Celtic/Irish mythology, then compare and contrast Asian and Irish mythology. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Immortality in Chinese Mythology This theme of immortality is common in Chinese mythology and is best recognized in the group of eighth immortals. Each of the eight immortals has the power to destroy evil or bestow life. These eight figures are identified as Han Chang - (Chung-li of the Han Dynasty), whose full name is Chung-li Ch'üan, Lü Tung-pin, Li Tieh-kuail (Li with the Iron Crutch), Ts' ao Kuo-chiu (Ts'ao, the emperor's brother-in-law), Ho Hsien-ku (Ho, the immortal girl), Han Hsiang-tzul, Chang Kuo-lao (Chang Kuo, the man of age), and Lan Ts' ai-ho. It is known that these eight immortals were mainly born in the Tang or Shang Dynasty. These eight immortals are seen as brave men by the general populace because they cured them of illnesses and diseases, fought against oppression, and taught them how to reach higher levels spiritually. These eight immortals are said to live on five islands in the Bahai Sea, which is located just off the east coast of China. The eight immortals are almost always depicted together and not separately. Even today, the Eight Immortals are very popular in Chinese culture and are a common presence in modern art. Once a year, ceremonies are held to perform rituals to the eight immortals to bring good luck. Peaches are also a common symbol of immortality in Chinese mythology. Peaches are often consumed by immortals because they have the ability to guarantee longevity to those who eat them. Peaches of Immortality can be a symbol of the desire for a long and healthy life, not necessarily immortality. Peaches were a common sight in ancient Chinese art. Off the east coast of China there are said to be these magical islands protected by divine spirits. The first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221–207 BC) decided to locate this island when news reached him that many people in the remote West had recently died from an unknown epidemic. On this island it was discovered that there was a magical herb given to them by the sea god. Immortality in Japanese Mythology In Japanese mythology, the term Sennin is used to describe immortals. The Sennin are best known for living in the mountainous regions of Japan. In Japanese myths, Rennin are capable of several magical tricks that include flying above an animal in the sky. There are believed to be around a thousand Sennin, but there are only a few who are often mentioned and depicted in myths. Sennin usually appear in the dreams of humans. Rennins is a very popular character name in Japanese anime media. There are five Sennin popular and known to the Japanese. The first of the five is Chokaro who traveled the world but realized there was a problemtransportation due to the time taken. Choker had a huge pumpkin that he blew into, and out came a mule that was supposed to be the solution to the transportation problem. The second is Gama, Gama is a benign sage who has vast knowledge of pills and medicines. Gama is most often seen with a toad. The third most Sennin is called Seiobo, who in Chinese mythology is also called the "Queen Mother of the West". The Queen Mother of the West grows a garden of peach trees that bloom only every few thousand years, consuming these peaches will give a person immortality. Next is Tekkai, Tekkai is best depicted as the unfortunate immortal in Japanese mythology. This is because he left his body when he went to visit his master; Mount Hua, and when he returned, his body had been cremated and buried, which then caused him to take refuge in another recently deceased body, which turned out to be that of a shameful beggar. Tekkai is often depicted in Japanese mythology as walking with a crooked stick. The last one is Tobosaku, Tobodsaku is known to be the evil Sennin in Japanese mythology who stole not just one, but three peaches from Seibo's garden, so he could gain immortality. Tobosaku is often depicted in Japanese myths as an old man with a peach in his hand. Immortality in Korean mythology When it comes to the topic of immortality in Korean mythology, the best known are the Dokkaebi, legendary creatures from Korean folklore and mythology. Dokkaebi, also known as Korean Goblins, are nature spirits that have remarkable powers and abilities that are used to interact with humans by playing tricks on humans or helping humans. Dokkaebi have vast supernatural powers as they can sometimes bring good agricultural success and defend against evil spirits. Every year, rituals are held throughout Korea to appeal to Dokkaebi to bring good harvests and good luck to humans. Most Korean myths that mention Dokkaebi, talk about them punishing humans due to their evil deeds. Dokkaebi can temporarily transform into other living beings to reward or play tricks on humans. There are different types of Dokkaebi. For example, there is the "Go" Dokkaebi who is best known for mastering the art of carrying out acts of violence with weapons. Then there are the Gae Dokkaebi, considered the darkest/evil Dokkaebi who do their best to attract evil spirits to bring bad luck to humans. Then there are the Gaksi Dokkaebi, who are the ones who sometimes play tricks on humans but are better known for interacting with humans by pulling them towards them. Immortality in Irish/Celtic Mythology Many well-known myths in Ireland involve leprechauns and St. Patrick. St. Patrick is best known for banishing all snakes from Ireland. Not only is St. Patrick known for chasing away snakes, but he is also known for driving away all poisonous things from Ireland. As in many other mythologies around the world, in Irish mythology achieving immortality has always been a goal of humans, whether through magical methods or religion. The hearty hop and malt drink, a favorite of the ancient Irish, who also fermented honey into mead, had ritual significance as a symbol of immortality. The consumption of this fermented honey is depicted in a famous Irish myth called the “Tribe of the Gods” where these Gods gained immortality by drinking this honey. The tribe of gods also known as “Tuath(a) De Danann in Irish Gaelic and are thought to represent the major deities of ancient Ireland. The apple was considered a symbol of immortality in Irish myths. In Irish myths, fairies were considered immortal. Fairies were believed to be from another world, or maybe it seems like itthat they were because of the difference between the time of our world and theirs. Fairyland is described as a place without death or pain, where even fairy battles have no deadly consequences. Fairy battles were a common sight in Irish myths as they were more like sporting events due to their immortality. Fairies are considered immortal figures who interacted with their human counterparts. Furthermore, fairies were depicted in myths as playing tricks on humans. The concept of the “Otherworld” is a common notion in Celtic/Irish mythology. The “Otherworld” is where the immortal fairies are found and only twice a year do the walls between the “Otherworld” and our world divide where the fairies can interact with humans. In Celtic/Irish myths, the dragon is considered another theme of immortality. Dragons are best known for being from a world parallel to the physical world. There are two variations of dragons depicted in Celtic myths. There is the standard winged version with four legs that most people are familiar with and there is a sea serpent which is depicted as a giant serpent without wings or a huge serpent with wings, but no legs. The dragon was the guardian of other worlds and the guardian of the secrets and treasures of the universe. They were often depicted side by side with the Celtic gods. As creatures that protect the Earth and all living things, Celtic dragons are considered the most powerful of all Celtic symbols. Compare and Contrast Between Immortality, Asian Mythology, and Irish Mythology A similarity in both Asian mythology and Irish mythology is the ingestion of food or pills to achieve immortality. This is present in the Asian mythology with the peaches that I explained before, but it is also present in the Chang E myth that we read in class. Yi the Archer, Chang E's husband, obtained this immortality pill from the Emperor as a reward for shooting down 9 out of 10 suns in the sky. Chang E then stole this immortality pill, consumed it but because there was so much of it it floated to the moon and never returned. As mentioned above, peaches were a symbol of immortality, but another symbol of immortality in Asian mythology was the Miaoshan myth. Miaoshan received an immortality pill after being saved by the earth god Tiger after her parents attempted to kill her. This way of ingesting something to gain immortality is very similar to the myth of fermented honey from Irish mythology, which I talked about earlier. The method of ingesting something to achieve immortality is commonly depicted in the myths of various cultures around the world. Another similarity between Irish and Asian myths is the use of mythical animals/creatures to symbolize immortality. This is best demonstrated with the Dokkaebi and the Celtic Dragon. With both Dokkaebi and Dragons, these mythical creatures brought out fear among his opponents, these two creatures are both very large and intimidating creatures. Both of these figures appear in modern art and expression in both their respective cultures. In Asian mythology, with the Dokkaebi and the Eight Immortals, we see that rituals are usually held every year for these mystical figures of immorality. In Celtic/Irish mythology no type of ritual was performed to appeal to these symbols of immortality. It seems that in Western culture, rituals are not as common in Eastern cultures such as Asian and Muslim. Another contrast between Asian mythology and Celtic-Irish mythology is the common presence of metamorphosis/shape-shifting within symbols of immortality in Japanese and Korean mythology. The Sennin named Tekkai was capable of transforming into another body and the Dokkaebi were known for this.