Fire in Iranian and Vietnamese Mythology: A Comparative Study

Fire is one of the most important and mysterious elements of the universe, and it can be said that the human civilization began with its discovery. The myths from different ethnic groups show how man discovered fire and what its significance and status was. The important place of fire in the myths of Iran and Vietnam and the similarity of some rituals of the two countries in which fire is sanctified and worshiped, show that there are common cultural aspects between the two nations. The purpose of this study is to better understand the myths of Iran and Vietnam, especially the myths related to fire. Using the descriptive-comparative method, in the present article, an attempt has been made to study some myths of the two countries and the narratives related to the element of fire. According to the classification of myths related to gods and rituals and the discovery of fire, the results of the study show cultural similarities between the two countries, as Fire Dancing Festival in Vietnam is similar to the Chaharshanbe Suri and the Azargan festival in Iran. Also, in the myths of the two countries, fire symbolizes victory over the enemy and hell symbolizes the punishment of sinners. The difference between the mythological narratives of Iran and Vietnam is more about the gods and how to discover fire.