Charting Mythology: Socio-political Metageography in Chinese Myths
My project explores the intersection between mythology, geography, and media to study the formation of collective identity and worldview in Chinese history. I examine the characteristics, evolution, and functions of mythology in ancient Chinese societies to investigate its relationship with historical reality. I analyze contemporary geographical records and cartographical practices to study the influence of mythological beliefs in shaping a geographical imagination of the world. I examine the role of this mythical metageography in modern media to demonstrate that mythology engages in a continuous and mutually-influential relationship with reality to inform culture, collective identities, and conceptions of the world.