中国少数民族艺术起源神话大致有四种代表性类型:一,艺术是由神所启示或恩赐的,即"神启说"/"神赐说";二,艺术是由于纪念祖先或感恩祖先而生发的,即"纪念祖先说"/"感恩说";三,艺术具有神奇的力量,帮助人实现人不能达成的愿望或欲求,即"神力说";四,艺术是人用来向神灵赎罪的方式或祭祀的方式,即"赎罪说"/"祭祀说"。少数民族艺术起源神话的美学意义在于:它们揭示了艺术起源的神秘性和神圣性,从而肯定艺术本身携带着自起源而来的神秘而神圣的美。
Tales of ethnic arts origin fall into four categories as follows. Firstly, arts come from God's revelation or God's grace. Secondly, arts stem from commemoration and thanksgiving for ancestors. Thirdly, arts have the magical power to help people realize a wish or desire otherwise impossible. Fourthly, arts serve as a way of atonement or a way of sacrifice to God. Aesthetic meaning of tales of ethnic arts origin lies in that they reveal the mysterious and sacred feature Of the origin of arts, which lends testimony to the sacred beauty of arts from oriain.