Publishing in the Mythological Studies Journal

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We’re thrilled to announce the upcoming publication of Crucibles of the Earth: Underworld Journeys in Chinese and Western Mythology by Emma O'Connor and Jaclyn Ke-Yin Kalkhurst, edited by Kira Kull and Jasmyne Gilbert, in the Mythological Studies Journal. This insightful work explores the similarities and differences between Chinese and Western traditions of mythic descents into the underworld, uncovering profound insights into the human psyche. In Western narratives like Aeneas’s journey in Virgil’s Aeneid and Dante’s Inferno, the underworld is depicted as a realm of judgment and eternal consequence. By contrast, Chinese mythology—shaped by Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism—presents the underworld as a space of karmic purification, where souls are guided toward reincarnation. Through these contrasting views, the authors reveal common motifs, such as water as a boundary between worlds, levels or chambers where transformation occurs, and the trials that lead to renewal for those who pass through.

Rooted in Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, Carl Jung’s process of individuation, and James Hillman’s Archetypal Psychology, Crucibles of the Earth shows how these mythic descents mirror our own struggles, using archetypal patterns to reframe suffering as a path to insight and renewal. This study of the underworld journey resonates with the universal human experience, illustrating how growth often arises from life’s darkest moments. Look for this exciting publication soon in the Mythological Studies Journal.

Keep a look out for the published journal!

Jaclyn