1. Reference 1
I have learned many fascinating and captivating mythological stories, but the one I like the most is The God of Heaven. Reading that story, I cannot help but think and restrain my emotions. The story tells that in the period when the sky and the earth were still chaotic and dark, there was a giant god. The god lifted the sky, dug the earth, carved stones, and built a column to support the sky. When the sky and the earth were divided, the god immediately destroyed the column. After completing the work, the god flew back to the sky to let other gods continue building the world. Oh! I admire the colossal figure of the god so much because I am short and frail. I have seen tall and big people, but no one like the god. I wish, if I had a body and hands like the god, I would be an excellent football player, kicking the ball into the opponent's goal with just one step. How interesting it would be! Moreover, I greatly admire the god. The god possesses many good qualities that I do not have. First of all, the god loves all creatures. Without love, the god would not have bothered to lift the sky, then diligently dug the earth, and built the column to support the sky. In doing these tasks, the god not only expresses love for all creatures but also demonstrates determination, diligence, and patience. After completing the work, the god does not wait for all creatures to repay, quietly flying back to the sky, leaving the remaining tasks for other gods to continue building a better world for all creatures. I think there is no one in the world with such good qualities as the god. The story of The God of Heaven is a mythology that I like, helping me understand the ancient people's beliefs about the formation of the sky and earth.

2. Reference 3
In Chinese folklore, there is a myth about the Goddess Nüwa, revered by the people as the most worshipped deity, considered the water ancestor for creating humans and forming the world. She is traditionally portrayed as a goddess with a human head and a snake's body. Her most famous story is about her crafting stones to mend the sky and molding earth to create humans. According to Chinese mythology, Nüwa has various names, such as Nüwa Shi, Nü Hi Shi, Oa Hoang, or Nüwa Nương Nương. She is the supreme ancient goddess and holds the highest reverence among the deities in Chinese mythology. Notably, Nüwa became one of the Three August Ones and Five Emperors. She also tops the list of the Three August Ones and is the wife of Fuxi. In the myth, with the appearance of this world, there were already plants, animals, and natural phenomena like balanced weather. However, Nüwa always felt that something was missing, something she couldn't figure out. While pondering, she looked down at the water under the Yellow River, where she saw her own reflection. From that moment, she knew that she needed to create something for this world - someone like herself. She used the mud from the Yellow River to shape a human figure based on her own appearance, then used her magical powers to turn that mud into a real person. Initially proud and excited about creating humans, she diligently molded mud every day and performed magic to create many more human beings. However, she couldn't keep molding indefinitely to form the entire human race alone. So, she came up with another way: she sculpted a male figure and breathed life into that statue. Nüwa then granted them the reproductive organs to reproduce and populate the world. However, she found herself having to distribute all humans worldwide. Therefore, she took a reed from the mud under the Yellow River, causing it to burst open everywhere and thus forming humans worldwide. The story of Nüwa creating humans explains the origin of humanity with many spiritual and fantastical details, providing significant artistic value to readers. It reflects the simple worldview of ancient people. The tale of Nüwa creating humans has been passed down through many generations and continues to exert a significant influence on the ideologies of many countries in the region.

3. Reference 2
Exploring the origins of humanity, natural phenomena, culture, and more has taken various forms, and mythology is one of the places where these narratives find a home. The story of the Sky Pillar deity is a myth that I find remarkable, leaving me with profound lessons. The tale unfolds in a time when the sky and earth were in chaos and darkness, and a colossal deity emerged. Initially, the heavens and earth clung together, but then the Sky Pillar deity simultaneously excavated and piled up stones, and the stone column grew taller, pushing the sky vault endlessly towards the azure clouds. From that moment, the heavens and earth were divided. I am truly impressed by the vivid depiction of the deity's appearance—long legs striding from one region to another, from one mountain peak to the next. This detail successfully captures the extraordinary, magical power of the Sky Pillar deity, a power that shaped the present skies and earth. Additionally, one can perceive the compassion the Sky Pillar deity bestowed, as without that affection, the deity wouldn't have labored to single-handedly construct the pillar supporting the sky. It's not only about love but also about perseverance, determination, and patience. It encapsulates all the reasons why I want to share my thoughts on the mythology of the Sky Pillar deity.

4. Reference 5
Since ancient times, humans have harbored a desire to understand the origins of things in life. With limited means for verification or exploration, they transformed their curiosity into tales. Through their imagination, people crafted captivating myths, and one such tale is the story of the Goddess of Rice. In the narrative, the Rice Goddess, daughter of the Jade Emperor, teaches people the art of cultivating rice for sustenance. The portrayal of this deity is intriguing, imbuing her with human-like emotions, making the divine more relatable to humanity. Through the actions of the goddess, we also witness her profound love for humanity, bestowing the best upon them. With fantastical and surreal details, the Rice Goddess exhibits extraordinary powers—controlling nature and possessing extensive knowledge beyond human reach. The character of the goddess is both familiar and exceptional, standing out prominently. The origin of the rice plant is attributed to the goddess, initially crawling back home on its own, requiring no effort from humans. However, after humans made a mistake, they had to harvest the rice, a task more strenuous than before. Through this, people cleverly express their reverence for the primary source of sustenance that has nourished them. The status of the rice grain, unlike today, was anthropomorphized, becoming noble and even acquiring its own personality.
What adds depth to the narrative is the human error and the subsequent punishment. Paradoxically, this accentuates the timeless advice for humans to work diligently through generations. Only through labor do they truly appreciate what they have and what they create. This valuable lesson not only explains the origin of the rice plant but also serves as a guidance for the present generation.

5. Reference 4
The Goddess of Rice is a Vietnamese myth explaining the birth of rice grains and cultural practices in various regions. Beyond unraveling the origin of rice, the story carries the unique artistic values of Vietnam's ethnic groups. The narrative surrounding the Rice Goddess is simple yet captivating. It recounts how the goddess, initially the daughter of the Jade Emperor, descended to the mortal realm to aid humanity. She performed magic to make the land fertile, teaching people how to plow and cultivate rice. Later, she even taught rice grains how to find their way home. However, one day, a young woman, engrossed in play, forgot to tidy up before the rice grains returned. This angered the goddess, who no longer allowed rice to crawl home but compelled humans to harvest and 'invite' the rice to their abode. The story's creativity aims to explain the origin of the rice plant and the human activity of harvesting. Through imaginative storytelling, ancient people elevated the image of the rice plant, giving it a noble status rather than a purely 'natural' essence. This indirect approach served to honor the value of rice from ancient times. Moreover, the portrayal of the Rice Goddess was carefully crafted, with attention to both origin and character. Her love for humanity, providing sustenance and warmth, is evident. However, human failings disappoint her, leading to divine wrath. The goddess is depicted with human-like emotions but possesses extraordinary powers coveted by ancient people. The narrative employs artistic techniques to make the Goddess of Rice stand out and feel closer to the people. It is an intricate tapestry that weaves together the origin of rice, the reverence of people for this vital sustenance, and the admiration of deities, reflecting the timeless aspiration to harness the great power of humanity. In conclusion, the Goddess of Rice successfully employs both art and compelling storytelling to convey its intended theme.

6. Reference 7
Every myth brings intriguing insights that we ought to explore. The Wind God myth is no exception. If you've delved into tales of the Sky God, Thunder God, or Lightning God, the realm of such stories will be familiar. The Wind God takes on an eccentric form, lacking a distinct head. This deity commands gentle breezes and fierce storms, lasting or fleeting, all according to the Jade Emperor's command. The moments when the Wind God collaborates with the Rain God, and at times even with the Lightning God, mark the most formidable occurrences. Occasionally, the deity descends to the mortal realm, venturing out during the nighttime.
However, the god has a mischievous child. One day, while the deity is away, the playful child, at home, seizes the father's fan, creating gusts of wind for amusement. Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, a person endures famine, unable to find sustenance. The unintended consequences lead to suffering among the people below. The Jade Emperor, informed of this tale, demands an explanation from the Wind God. Truthfully admitting the misbehavior of the mischievous child, the Wind God faces an unpardonable offense. Consequently, the god's offspring is banished to the mortal realm to tend to the lost crops of the suffering individual. The folklore artist masterfully chose vivid and imaginative elements to narrate the story. Through surreal and lively details, the depiction of the two deities resonates successfully with readers, transporting them to an ancient world where people grappled with natural phenomena. The story artfully illustrates the challenges faced by people of yore when confronted with the mysteries of nature.

7. Reference 6
Within Vietnam's mythology of cosmic creation and the animal kingdom, there exists a tale narrating the 'Wind Deity.' Drawing insights from observed phenomena, the folk authors ingeniously crafted fantastical details: the mischievous child of the Thunder God, playing with the father's fan to create winds, inadvertently causing a man's rice bowl to tumble into the pond. As a consequence, the Jade Emperor punished the Wind God's offspring. The child was cast down to Earth to herd cattle for the rice-deprived individual. Shortly thereafter, the Jade Emperor transformed the Wind Deity's child into a bamboo grove to announce wind-related news to the world. The purpose of this imaginative detail is to explain pre-storm winds and how folk authors recognized natural phenomena through bamboo groves. Simultaneously, it reveals the folk authors' experience in using bamboo leaves for curing cattle ailments.

