Table of ContentsIntroductionImmortality in Chinese MythologyImmortality in Japanese MythologyImmortality in Korean MythologyImmortality in Irish/Celtic MythologyCompare and Contrast Immortality Asian Mythology and Irish MythologyPersonal ReflectionConclusionIntroduction Immortality is a very common theme in mythology across the world. The notion of immortality is also a common theme among humanity, as it is something 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, and then compare and contrast Asian and Irish mythologies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Immortality in Chinese Mythology This theme of immortality is common in Chinese mythology and is best recognized in the Eighth Immortals group. Each of the eight immortals has the power to destroy evil or give life. These eight characters are identified as Han Chung - (Chung-li of the Han Dynasty), whose full name is Chung-li Ch'üan, Lü Tung-pin, Li Tieh-kuail (Li of the Iron Crutch), Ts ' ao Kuo-chiu (Ts'ao, the emperor's brother-in-law), Ho Hsien-ku (Ho, the immortal maiden), Han Hsiang-tzul, Chang Kuo-lao (Chang Kuo, the adult man ) and Lan Ts'ai-ho. It is known that these eight immortals were mostly born in the Tang or Shang dynasty. These eight immortals are considered men of courage by the general populace, as they healed them of illnesses, fought against oppression, and taught them to reach greater spiritual heights. These eight immortals are said to live on five islands in the Bahai Sea, located just off the east coast of China. The eight immortals are almost always depicted together and not separated. To this day, 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 fortune. Peaches are also a common symbol of immortality in Chinese mythology. Peaches are often eaten by immortals because they have the ability to grant longevity to whoever eats them. Peaches of immortality may be a symbol of wishing for a long and healthy life, not necessarily immortality. Peaches were common in ancient Chinese art. Off the east coast of China 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 a report reached him that many people in the remote western regions had recently died from an epidemic unknown. On this island, a magical herb was discovered which had been given to them by the god of the sea. 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 various magic tricks, including flying above an animal in the sky. It is estimated that there are around a thousand Sennin in existence, but only a few are often mentioned and depicted in myths. Sennin usually appear in humans' dreams. Rennins are 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 problem with transportation due to the time it took. Choker had blown into a large pumpkin, 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 extensive knowledge of pills and medicines. Gama is most often seen with a toad. The third most Sennin is called Seiobo, who is also named "Queen Mother of the West" in Chinese mythology. The Queen Mother of the West cultivates a garden of peach trees that only bloom every few thousand years. Consuming these peaches will give a person immortality. Next comes Tekkai, Tekkai is best described as the unlucky immortal in Japanese mythology. This is because he left his body behind when he went to visit his master; Mount Hua, and upon his return his body had been cremated and buried, which then led him to take refuge in another recently deceased body, which turned out to be that of a shamed beggar. Tekkai is often depicted in Japanese mythology, walking with a crooked staff. The last one is Tobosaku, Tobodsaku is known for being 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 most often depicted in Japanese myths as an old man with a peach in his hand. Immortality in Korean Mythology When we talk about the theme 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 with remarkable powers and abilities that are used to interact with humans by playing tricks or helping them. Dokkaebi possess vast supernatural powers as they can sometimes bring good agricultural results and defend against evil spirits. Rituals are held throughout Korea every year to call upon Dokkaebi to bring good harvests and good fortune to humans. The majority of Korean myths that mention Dokkaebi are about punishing humans for their bad 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 "Go" Dokkaebi who is best known for being a master in the art of committing acts of violence with weapons. Next come the Gae Dokkaebi, who are considered the darkest and most evil Dokkaebi who do their best to attract evil spirits to bring bad luck to human beings. Then there are the Gaksi Dokkaebi, who sometimes play tricks on humans but are most known for interacting with humans by attracting them to him. Immortality in Irish/Celtic Mythology Many well-known myths in Ireland involve leprechauns and Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick is notably known for banishing all snakes from Ireland. Not only is Saint Patrick known for banishing snakes, but he is also known for banishing all things venomous from Ireland. Like many other mythologies around the world, in Irish mythology, achieving immortality has always been a goal of humans, whether through magical means or religion. The hearty hops and malt drink, a favorite of the ancient Irish, who also fermented honey to make mead, had ritual significance as a symbol of immortality. ThereConsumption of this fermented honey is represented in a famous Irish myth called “Tribe of the Gods” where these gods obtained immortality by drinking this honey. The tribe of gods also known as 'Tuath(a) De Danann in Irish Gaelic and are believed to represent the principal 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 perhaps appear to be because of the difference between the times of our world and theirs. Fairyland is described as a place without death or pain, where even fairy battles have no mortal consequences. Fairy battles were common in Irish myths, resembling more like sporting events due to their immortality. Fairies are considered immortal figures who interact with their human counterparts. Additionally, fairies were depicted in myths playing tricks on humans. The concept of the “Other World” is a common notion in Celtic/Irish mythology. The “Other World” This is where the immortal fairies are found and only twice a year the walls between the “Other World” and our world collapse where the fairies can interact with humans. In Celtic/Irish myths, the dragon is seen as another theme of immortality. Dragon dragons are best known for belonging to a world parallel to the physical world. There are two variations of dragons depicted in Celtic myths. There is the standard four-legged winged version that most people are familiar with and there is a sea serpent that is depicted as either a giant wingless snake or a huge snake with wings but no legs. The dragon was the guardian of other worlds and the keeper of the secrets and treasures of the universe. They were often depicted alongside Celtic gods. As creatures that protect the Earth and all living things, Celtic dragons are considered the most powerful of all Celtic symbols. Comparing and contrasting immortality between Asian mythology and Irish mythology. A similarity between Asian mythology and Irish mythology is the ingestion of food or pills to achieve immortality. This is present in Asian mythology with the peaches that I explained previously, but 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 since it was so much, it floated to the moon and never returned. As mentioned before, peaches were a symbol of immortality, but another symbol of immortality in Asian mythology was the Miaoshan myth. Miaoshan was given an immortality pill after being saved by the Earth Tiger God after her parents tried to kill her. This way of ingesting something to obtain 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 described in the myths of various cultures around the world. Another similarity between Irish myths and Asian myths is the use of mythical animals/creatures to symbolize immortality. This is best illustrated with the Dokkaebi and the Celtic Dragon. Along with Dokkaebi and Dragons, these mythical creatures have struck fear into his opponents, these two creatures are both very large and intimidating creatures. These two figures.