Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional virtues - Compare the different understanding and shaping of the image of "hero" between Chinese and western literature.

Compare the different understanding and shaping of the image of "hero" between Chinese and western literature.

Unlike western heroes who pay too much attention to individual talents, China's heroes not only pay attention to talents, but also pay more attention to "morality". First of all, China's sages or heroes first possessed "having both ability and political integrity". Since it is "having both ability and political integrity", "virtue" should precede "talent". For example, in the ancient Yellow Emperor, "At the beginning of the Yellow Emperor, it was not easy to fight and cut". Only by loving the people like children can the Yellow Emperor "encircle and destroy the four emperors" and "combine ghosts and gods in Xi" to kill Chiyou; Only the selfless spirit of "no entry into every family" can create the sacred position of Dayu God in the eyes of Chinese people; Even later, Yue Fei, a hero of the Tang and Song Dynasties, was persecuted repeatedly, but he still "faithfully served the country" and took "going straight to Huanglong" as his responsibility. Therefore, China's gods and heroes are actually more like saints. Oriental heroes should shoulder more responsibilities, in the current words, to safeguard national unity, maintain social stability, and protect people's property and personal safety from infringement; Under these great responsibilities, personal desires are often suppressed or even sacrificed. It can be seen that as an oriental hero, the most important thing is to have noble qualities and be able to seek happiness for the whole world. The so-called "worry about the world first, and enjoy the world later" is worthy of respect.

Secondly, China heroes also attach importance to the realization of individual talents, that is, not only "virtue" but also "talent". China's hero's personal talent refers more to his "literary talent". To be a hero, a hero must first be convinced of his own talents: the Yellow Emperor leveled the four emperors and destroyed Chiyou, and Dayu became a master of mountains and rivers. Later, Yue Wumu became famous and shocked the Northern Liao Dynasty. However, unlike western heroes, China heroes don't pay attention to the satisfaction of personal desires, or more accurately, China heroes can't pay attention to the satisfaction of personal money, rights or sensuality, otherwise the heroes will cease to exist. In China culture, the difference between hero and lean is very obvious. People who do not pay attention to or even ignore the collective consciousness, pursue personal enjoyment excessively or blindly, and are influential in politics, military affairs or public opinion are only "lean" in the highest title.