Derk Bodde Discusses the process of "Euhemerization" and Presents Some Anecdotes in Which Confucius Discusses Ancient Beings

One of the most interesting aspects of Chinese mythology is that the myths are often closely intertwined with actual Chinese history. The Greek writer Euhemerus defined euhemerization as the process of historical figures becomes accepted as gods over time. In Chinese mythology, the process is often the opposite. The gods and other supernatural beings found in myths become accepted as historical figures over time. This process is called reverse euhemerization. Close studies of traditional history reveal that many of the prominent figures from the period before the Zhou Dynasty (1122 B.C. to 256 B.C) were not actual human beings. …