Summary
A type of “civilizational myth,” political myths were fictitious stories that featured a pantheon of gods, which were created by people with specific political tendencies for certain political objectives. The stories made use of the religious ideologies, as well as myths and legends, of that society’s culture and traditions.1 Political myths were also the strategic manifestations of a dynasty’s founding and administration, and the suitable use of religious resources and power.2 They were one of the fundamental political symbols of imperial legitimacy in Chinese history.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Rumor in the Early Chinese Empires , pp. 245 - 275Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021