刑天者，炎帝之臣也，本為巨人族，性剛烈，勇冠三軍。昔炎帝與黃帝戰於阪泉，敗而合盟，刑天不服，以為「帝室屈辱，當復舊疆」，乃率部叛，據常羊之山，樹反旗。帝聞之，嘆曰：「刑天勇而無謀，必致禍亂。」乃親征，陳師常羊。刑天操干戚（干，盾也；戚，斧也）以出，瞋目怒吼，聲震山谷。帝問曰：「汝何敢逆天命？」刑天答曰：「吾但知力戰，不知天命！」遂揮戚劈陣，干蔽矢石，往來衝突，殺數十人。戰三日，刑天力竭，帝令應龍擒之。刑天猶罵不絕口，帝怒，斬其首，葬於常羊山之巔。然其志不滅，乃以乳為目，以臍為口，操干戚而舞，盤旋於山阿，欲復戰。故天下謂之「刑天舞干戚，猛志固常在」。其部眾感其忠勇，或降或散，然其剛烈之氣，傳於後世。昔屈原作《國殤》，嘆其「首身離兮心不懲」，蓋贊其志也。雖為逆臣，然其不屈之節，亦足以驚天地、泣鬼神，故神話載之，令勇者慕焉。刑天者，炎帝之臣也，本为巨人族，性刚烈，勇冠三军。昔炎帝与黄帝战于阪泉，败而合盟，刑天不服，以为“帝室屈辱，当复旧疆”，乃率部叛，据常羊之山，树反旗。帝闻之，叹曰：“刑天勇而无谋，必致祸乱。”乃亲征，陈师常羊。刑天操干戚（干，盾也；戚，斧也）以出，瞋目怒吼，声震山谷。帝问曰：“汝何敢逆天命？”刑天答曰：“吾但知力战，不知天命！”遂挥戚劈阵，干蔽矢石，往来冲突，杀数十人。战三日，刑天力竭，帝令应龙擒之。刑天犹骂不绝口，帝怒，斩其首，葬于常羊山之巅。然其志不灭，乃以乳为目，以脐为口，操干戚而舞，盘旋于山阿，欲复战。故天下谓之“刑天舞干戚，猛志固常在”。其部众感其忠勇，或降或散，然其刚烈之气，传于后世。昔屈原作《国殇》，叹其“首身离兮心不惩”，盖赞其志也。虽为逆臣，然其不屈之节，亦足以惊天地、泣鬼神，故神话载之，令勇者慕焉。
刑天舞干戚
刑天，是炎帝手下的大臣，原本属于巨人族，性情刚烈，勇猛在全军中无人能及。从前炎帝与黄帝在阪泉交战，战败后与黄帝结盟，刑天对此不服，认为“帝王宗室遭受屈辱，应当收复旧日疆土”，于是率领部众发动叛乱，占据常羊山，竖起反叛的旗帜。黄帝听说这件事后，叹息道：“刑天勇猛却缺乏谋略，必定会招致祸乱。”于是亲自率军出征，在常羊山布阵。刑天手持干戚（干，指盾牌；戚，指大斧）出战，瞪大眼睛怒吼，声音震动山谷。黄帝问道：“你怎敢违背天命？”刑天回答：“我只知道奋力作战，不知道什么是天命！”说完便挥舞大斧冲锋陷阵，用盾牌抵挡箭石，在阵中往来冲杀，斩杀了数十人。双方交战三天，刑天使尽全力后疲惫不堪，黄帝命令应龙将他擒获。刑天依然骂声不断，黄帝大怒，砍下了他的头颅，把头颅埋葬在常羊山的山顶。但刑天的志向并未磨灭，他便以乳头当作眼睛，以肚脐当作嘴巴，继续手持干戚挥舞作战，在山弯之间盘旋，想要再次战斗。因此天下人都说“刑天挥舞干戚作战，勇猛的志向永远存在”。刑天的部众感念他的忠诚与勇猛，有的归降，有的溃散，但他刚烈的气概，流传到了后世。从前屈原创作《国殇》，感叹“身首异处啊壮志仍不变”，大概就是在赞颂刑天的志向。刑天虽然是叛逆之臣，但他那不屈不挠的气节，也足以使天地震惊、使鬼神哭泣，因此神话中记载了他的事迹，让勇敢的人对他心生仰慕。
Xingtian Dancing with Shield and Axe
Xingtian was a minister under Yan Di (the Flame Emperor). Originally from the giant tribe, he was fiery-tempered and unmatched in bravery among the entire army. Once, Yan Di fought Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor) at Banquan; after being defeated, Yan Di formed an alliance with Huang Di. Xingtian refused to accept this, arguing, "The royal clan has suffered humiliation, and we should recapture our former territories." Thus, he led his followers in a rebellion, occupied Changyang Mountain, and raised the flag of rebellion.When Huang Di heard about this, he sighed and said, "Xingtian is brave but lacks strategy; he will surely bring disaster upon himself." So he personally led his army on an expedition and deployed his troops at Changyang Mountain. Xingtian went into battle holding a ganqi (gan refers to a shield; qi refers to a large axe). He glared with wide eyes and roared, his voice shaking the valleys. Huang Di asked, "How dare you go against the will of Heaven?" Xingtian replied, "I only know to fight with all my might—I know nothing about the will of Heaven!" With that, he swung his axe and charged into the enemy lines, using his shield to block arrows and stones. He fought back and forth in the formation, killing dozens of soldiers.The two sides fought for three days. After exhausting all his strength, Xingtian was worn out. Huang Di ordered the Divine Dragon Yinglong to capture him. Xingtian still hurled insults continuously. Enraged, Huang Di cut off his head and buried it on the top of Changyang Mountain. Yet Xingtian’s ambition was not extinguished. He used his nipples as eyes and his belly button as a mouth, continued to wave his shield and axe to fight, and circled among the mountain bends, eager to fight again. Therefore, people all over the world said, "Xingtian dances with his shield and axe—his brave ambition endures forever."Xingtian’s followers, grateful for his loyalty and bravery, either surrendered or scattered, but his fiery spirit was passed down to later generations. Once, Qu Yuan wrote Guo Shang (Elegy for the Fallen Soldiers), lamenting, "Body and head separated, yet lofty aspirations remain unchanged"—this was probably praising Xingtian’s ambition. Although Xingtian was a rebellious minister, his unyielding integrity was enough to shock heaven and earth and make ghosts and gods weep. Hence, his story was recorded in myths, making brave people admire him.
干戚长舞志不灭 铁血丹心铸民魂——刑天舞干戚传说的精神价值与文化自信内核
“刑天舞干戚”的传说，以悲壮刚烈的叙事姿态，成为中华创世神话中彰显抗争精神的独特篇章，它不仅为中华民族世界观、人生观、价值观的建构注入了不屈的血性力量，更成为丰富民族文化自信精神内涵的重要源泉。从世界观来看，刑天的抗争打破了“天命至上”的单一叙事，塑造了中华民族“敬天而不畏天”的认知底色。面对黄帝所代表的“天命”权威，刑天喊出“我只知道奋力作战，不知道什么是天命”的宣言，以肉身搏天命的姿态，彰显出先民对既定秩序的质疑与抗争意识。这种不盲从权威、敢于为信念奋起的精神，让“人”的主观能动性在天地秩序的框架中拥有了独特的价值，奠定了中华民族既敬畏规律又不甘屈服的世界观基石。在人生观层面，刑天“身首异处仍舞干戚”的壮举，诠释了“志存高远、至死不渝”的人生追求。他为坚守心中信念，即便被斩去头颅，仍以乳为目、以脐为口，执着挥舞干戚继续战斗。这种“虽九死其犹未悔”的执着与刚毅，为中华民族树立了“为信念献身、为理想坚守”的人生标杆，让“不屈不挠、至死方休”的精神气节融入民族血脉，激励着后世之人在困境中坚守初心、奋勇前行。于价值观维度，刑天传说凝练出“重志重节、不以成败论英雄”的价值内核。刑天虽被定义为“叛逆之臣”，但他忠诚勇猛、至死不屈的气节，并未因战败而被抹杀，反而赢得了后世的敬仰与赞颂。这种超越胜负、尊崇气节的价值取向，塑造了中华民族“重风骨、贵坚守”的道德评判标准，让“气节高于成败”的理念深入人心，成为维系民族精神品格的重要纽带。在文化自信的建构中，刑天传说更有着不可替代的独特意义。其一，它以极具张力的神话叙事，展现了上古时代部落纷争背景下个体精神的光辉，印证了中华神话文化的多元性与丰富性，为中华民族的精神图谱增添了刚毅血性的底色；其二，刑天所承载的抗争精神与坚守气节，历经数千年依然能引发共鸣，从屈原《国殇》的赞颂到后世对勇者的推崇，彰显出中华优秀传统文化超越时空的强大生命力；其三，刑天的形象早已超越“叛逆者”的标签，成为中华民族不屈抗争精神的象征符号，为我们在新时代直面挑战、攻坚克难提供了精神支撑，让民族文化自信拥有了更坚韧的精神底气。常羊山的干戚之声虽已远去，刑天的不屈之志却永照千秋。这则古老传说以其悲壮的精神力量，丰富着中华民族的精神品格，为我们在新时代坚定文化自信、砥砺前行注入了不竭的血性动力。
Eternal Aspirations in the Clang of Shield and Axe, A Nation's Soul Forged in Loyalty and Fortitude — The Spiritual Value and Cultural Confidence Core of the Myth of Xingtian Dancing with Shield and Axe
The myth of "Xingtian dancing with shield and axe", presented in a solemn and stirring narrative, stands as a distinctive chapter in Chinese creation myths that embodies the spirit of resistance. It not only infuses the construction of the Chinese nation’s world outlook, outlook on life and values with an indomitable and valiant power, but also serves as an important source for enriching the spiritual connotation of national cultural confidence.From the perspective of world outlook, Xingtian’s resistance breaks the simplistic narrative of "the supremacy of celestial mandate", shaping the cognitive foundation of the Chinese nation characterized by "revering heaven yet not fearing it". Confronted with the authority of "celestial mandate" represented by the Yellow Emperor, Xingtian proclaimed, "I only know to fight courageously; I know not what celestial mandate is". His act of pitting his mortal body against the celestial mandate demonstrates the ancient ancestors’ consciousness of questioning and resisting the established order. This spirit of not blindly submitting to authority and daring to rise up for one’s beliefs endows human subjective initiative with unique value within the framework of heaven-earth order, laying the cornerstone of the Chinese nation’s world outlook that respects laws yet refuses to yield.At the level of outlook on life, Xingtian’s magnificent feat of "continuing to wield shield and axe even after being beheaded" interprets the life pursuit of "aspiring for lofty ideals and remaining unyielding until death". To uphold his convictions, he still brandished his weapons and fought on, using his nipples as eyes and his navel as a mouth, even after his head was cut off. This perseverance and fortitude of "never regretting even if facing death a thousand times" set a life benchmark of "devoting oneself to beliefs and upholding ideals" for the Chinese nation, embedding the spiritual integrity of "persevering unyieldingly until the end" into the national blood, and inspiring later generations to uphold their original aspiration and forge ahead bravely amid hardships.In the dimension of values, the myth of Xingtian condenses the value core of "cherishing aspirations and integrity, and not judging heroes by success or failure". Though labeled a "rebel minister", Xingtian’s loyalty, valor and unyielding integrity were not overshadowed by his defeat; on the contrary, they won him admiration and praise from later generations. This value orientation that transcends victory and defeat and honors integrity has shaped the Chinese nation’s moral criterion of "valuing moral integrity and perseverance", rooting the concept of "integrity outweighing success or failure" deeply in people’s minds, and becoming an important bond that sustains the nation’s spiritual character.In the construction of cultural confidence, the myth of Xingtian holds irreplaceable unique significance. First, through its highly dramatic mythological narrative, it showcases the radiance of individual spirit against the backdrop of tribal conflicts in ancient times, confirming the diversity and richness of Chinese mythological culture, and adding a valiant and resolute hue to the spiritual map of the Chinese nation. Second, the spirit of resistance and integrity embodied by Xingtian still resonates with people after thousands of years—from Qu Yuan’s eulogy in The Lament of the Dead to the admiration for brave souls in later ages, all demonstrate the powerful timeless vitality of excellent traditional Chinese culture. Third, Xingtian’s image has long transcended the label of "rebel" and become a symbolic icon of the Chinese nation’s indomitable spirit of resistance, providing spiritual support for us to face challenges and overcome difficulties in the new era, and endowing national cultural confidence with more tenacious spiritual strength.
