Classical heroes of every civilization have specific traits in common. For their audiences, they must be larger than life. They must be courageous and confront their obstacles no matter the cost. The major difference between classical Chinese heroes and those of other cultural backgrounds is that Chinese heroes generally do not rely upon the gods or other preternatural forces to come to their aid or to account for their greatness.

Achilles is one of the most celebrated heroes from ancient Greek mythology because of his courage and strength. He is most known for his slaying of Hector, hero of the Trojans. He was born of the goddess Thetis, and according to myth, was made immortal either through being dipped in the river Styx or by having his immortality burned out (given how many stories in Greek mythology require fire in order to achieve immortality, I lean towards the later). Achilles was destined to be the greatest hero of the Trojan War, but also to die there. Ultimately, Achilles was killed when shot by Paris, guided by Apollo, in the heel.

In contrast, Xiang Yu was celebrated in Chinese lore as a man of incredible strength and courage. Xiang Yu’s strength uprooted mountains, according to historian Sima Qian. Best known for overthrowing the Qin dynasty and establishing himself as the Hegemon King of Western Chu, Xiang Yu is a historical figure as well as a literary one. He was described as kind and generous, but his flaws were all too human. He was arrogant and jealous of others who were capable. He didn’t put his trust in anyone else. Xiang Yu had all the courage a single man could have, but he was short-sighted and failed to promote talent. In the end, Xiang Yu blamed his shortcomings on the gods, but in the Chinese literary tradition this was considered laughable. His shortcomings were his own. In a fight against Han forces, his men were defeated until he was the last one standing, he killed over 100 men before slitting his own throat at the age of 30, in the year 202 BC. In this way, Liu Bang united the land and established the Han dynasty. Xiang Yu was honored as a hero, and his family was spared.

While both eroe s were celebrated for their might and military conquests, Achilles’ story is marked by the involvement of the gods from it’s very start. He is born of a goddess, has prophesies told about him, is sheltered and guided by gods and goddesses, and is eventually slain through the assistance of a god. Xiang Yu, however, is absolutely human and is prone to human failures. While his strength and abilities are the stuff of legends, there is no divine involvement in his story. Indeed, the only mention of the gods in his story is when he seeks to cast blame for his shortcomings.

The heroes of classical civilizations are larger than life. They possess strength and skills beyond that of other men. But while in Greek myth the heroes are closely associated with the gods, in Chinese tradition classical heroes are self-made. They have the strengths and foibles inherent in humanity, and these traits are not influenced by the gods.Classical heroes of every civilization have specific traits in common. For their audiences, they must be larger than life. They must be courageous and confront their obstacles no matter the cost. The major difference between classical Chinese heroes and those of other cultural backgrounds is that Chinese heroes generally do not rely upon the gods or other preternatural forces to come to their aid or to account for their greatness.

Achilles is one of the most celebrated heroes from ancient Greek mythology because of his courage and strength. He is most known for his slaying of Hector, hero of the Trojans. He was born of the goddess Thetis, and according to myth, was made immortal either through being dipped in the river Styx or by having his immortality burned out (given how many stories in Greek mythology require fire in order to achieve immortality, I lean towards the later). Achilles was destined to be the greatest hero of the Trojan War, but also to die there. Ultimately, Achilles was killed when shot by Paris, guided by Apollo, in the heel.

In contrast, Xiang Yu was celebrated in Chinese lore as a man of incredible strength and courage. Xiang Yu’s strength uprooted mountains, according to historian Sima Qian. Best known for overthrowing the Qin dynasty and establishing himself as the Hegemon King of Western Chu, Xiang Yu is a historical figure as well as a literary one. He was described as kind and generous, but his flaws were all too human. He was arrogant and jealous of others who were capable. He didn’t put his trust in anyone else. Xiang Yu had all the courage a single man could have, but he was short-sighted and failed to promote talent. In the end, Xiang Yu blamed his shortcomings on the gods, but in the Chinese literary tradition this was considered laughable. His shortcomings were his own. In a fight against Han forces, his men were defeated until he was the last one standing, he killed over 100 men before slitting his own throat at the age of 30, in the year 202 BC. In this way, Liu Bang united the land and established the Han dynasty. Xiang Yu was honored as a hero, and his family was spared.

While both heroes were celebrated for their might and military conquests, Achilles’ story is marked by the involvement of the gods from it’s very start. He is born of a goddess, has prophesies told about him, is sheltered and guided by gods and goddesses, and is eventually slain through the assistance of a god. Xiang Yu, however, is absolutely human and is prone to human failures. While his strength and abilities are the stuff of legends, there is no divine involvement in his story. Indeed, the only mention of the gods in his story is when he seeks to cast blame for his shortcomings.

The heroes of classical civilizations are larger than life. They possess strength and skills beyond that of other men. But while in Greek myth the heroes are closely associated with the gods, in Chinese tradition classical heroes are self-made. They have the strengths and foibles inherent in humanity, and these traits are not influenced by the gods.