本文廣泛運用兩岸學者研究神話的成果，並參考西方學者如 Ernst Cassirer、Carl Gustav Jung、Joseph Campbell、Mircea Eliade等之神話理論，旨在說明紅樓夢與女媧神話的關係。作者曹雪芹為何取用女媧神話而加以改造與延伸？此神話對紅樓夢的深層結構產生何種影響？尤其與賈寶玉的生命歷程有何重大關係？又此神話結構如何呈現紅樓夢的主題意念？文章一開始先討論紅樓夢為寫實抑造虛的問題，說明紅樓夢的神話部份雖然所佔篇幅不長，於全書卻居關鍵之地位。第一節女媧神話的意涵，說明女媧的「大母神」性格，其具創生、修復大地的能力與慈悲、博愛之精神，賈寶玉是否即女媧之子？其與女媧之關係又是如何？第二節石頭與美玉，作者為何以石頭所化成的美玉作為此書主角？玉具有何種神話意涵與作用？賈寶玉「佩玉」「失玉」是否可從神話意義來把握？第三節陰陽同體，由女媧的雌雄同體說到陰陽同體在賈寶玉生命歷程中的意義與價值，陰陽同體若由陰性主導是否即和諧？陰陽同體如果落在父權社會中則陰陽會顯得矛盾而有衝突？

　　　　　In this paper, we are going to discuss the relationships between Red Chamber Dream and the myth of the Great Goddess Nu-Wa on the basis of the theories of Ernst Cassirer, Carl Gustav Jung, Joseph Cambell and Mircea Eliade and the research results of the scholars from Mainland China and Taiwan. Why did Cao Xue-Cin, the author of Red Chamber Dream, choose the myth of the Great Goddess Nu-Wa as the model to begin his story? What kind of influence did the myth have on the deep structure of Red Chamber Dream? Was there anything to do with Jia Bao-yu’s life story? How did the myth present the theme of Red Chamber Dream? At the very beginning, we try to point out that the mythological part, though not on a wide canvass, is the keynote of the novel. In Section l, we try to explain the Great Mother character of the Goddess Nu-Wa who has a magic power to create and restore the world. Is Jia Bao-yu the son of the Goddess Nu-Wa? In Section 2, we talk about the subtle connections between stone and jade. Why did the author choose the jade turned from stone as the hero of the novel? Are there any special mythological meanings and functions in jade? In Section 3, we are going to discuss the topic of hermaphroditism-the hermaphroditic nature in the Goddess Nu-Wa and in Jia Bao-yu.