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The Mystery of the North: Why did people in ancient times regard the north as the most important direction?
The north has been a direction full of mystery and reverence since ancient times. In the process of exploration and navigation, humans regard north as the most important direction. What is the meaning behind this?
In most cultures and languages, north is not only a geographical direction, but also has symbolic meaning, often associated with strength, stability and calmness.
Northern Etymology
The concept of the North is rooted in ancient culture and language. For example, the English word "north" comes from the Old High German word "nord", which can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European *ner-, meaning "left; bottom". Apparently, when one faces the rising sun, north would be considered the left side. This is also reflected in the naming of the other directions, as they are sometimes directly related to the position of the sun.
In ancient Greek culture, the "north wind" was regarded as a deified force. This understanding was linked to "north" and "wind" in ancient Greek. Even in some languages, the north can represent certain metaphysical meanings. For example, in Lezgian, "kefer" can mean both "unbelief" and "north," indicating the cultural diversity of the northern region.
The significance of navigation and maps
In navigation, north is often considered the reference direction. By convention, north is usually marked at the top of the map, and when using a compass, the heading is set to 0° or 360°. This concept not only continues in cartography, but also penetrates into our daily life and thinking.
The cycle of constellations visible in the night sky highlights North's direct association with "up," making it an even more important direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
When ancient astronomers observed the night sky, the North Star became the key to navigation, but the Southern Hemisphere lacked such an obvious constellation to serve as a guide. Therefore, in the course of our history, the North has gradually acquired a more important position.
The North in Culture
In most Western cultures, the north is often seen as synonymous with cold because most high latitudes are located in the Northern Hemisphere, such as the Arctic Circle, which passes through many countries. Behind these cold landscapes lie the challenges of human exploration and survival.
The North has become a cultural symbol, often associated with the courage to explore and the pursuit of new territories.
The Subordinate Relationship between East and West
Compared to the dominance of the North, the definitions of East and West are relative, with East being defined as "the direction where the sun rises" and West being "the direction where the sun sets." This seemingly simple definition reflects the relationship between humans and nature, which changes with geographic location, especially outside the equator.
In this context, the North is more than just a geographical location; it symbolizes stability and guidance. However, map orientations in different cultures also show that the south is seen as directly above, especially in Chinese and Islamic cultures. These differences are worth our further consideration.
ConclusionFinally, we can't help but ask, with the process of globalization, why are our ideas and culture still influenced by the North? Does this represent some deeper cultural value that has yet to be discovered?
