Folklore Studies and Its History: Selected Works of Zhong Jingwen

Author: Editor-in-Chief: Ji Xianlin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-10-01
Features:
Fragment: Secondly, folk art is a form of art that is purely mediated by flowing language, known as "oral tradition art." Conversely, literary art is largely mediated by relatively fixed written language, known as "book-based art." Broadly speaking, language and writing are both symbols for expressing human thoughts and emotions, essentially two sides of the same thing. However, at certain points, they inevitably have a certain degree of distance. As a result, art that uses them as its medium is naturally influenced by many factors—showing differences between them. Take an example: in folk art, one frequently observed technique is the clever use of homophones with different meanings (this technique is known as "punning." This is indeed common in ballads, such as the folk songs of the Six Dynasties and the mountain songs of various parts of southern China today. In fact, its scope of application is not limited to this aspect). Yet, this is rarely seen in literary art. Why is that? Clearly, it is because folk art uses a "language where sound plays a more important role" as its medium.
Furthermore, particularly important is the difference in their functions. The functions generally expressed by art (literary art) are mostly not applicable to folk art. Conversely, most of the functions possessed by folk art cannot be found in literary art. For example, folk art is often closely linked with the essential material means of the masses (hunting, fishing, farming, etc.), and it has even become a part of the composition of such means. In other words, here, it serves as a humble yet important tool for the masses to sustain their livelihood. It is quite different from what is generally considered high-level spiritual expressions or comforts.
The points mentioned above are only a part of the many reasons. However, based on these, we have already sufficiently clarified the special nature of folk art that distinguishes it from general literary art. Objects possessing this special nature naturally call for the establishment of an independent scientific discipline. Otherwise, research on it cannot reach possible higher levels. Of course, we do not oppose studying folk art and literary art together as a single research subject and establishing a systematic science—literary science (general literary science). But to make the study of folk art more precise and systematic, we unhesitatingly demand the establishment of an independent science for this research. This is similar to the study of art: while it is acceptable to combine painting, music, architecture, and literary art as a single subject and establish a comprehensive art science (Kunst-wissenschaft), it is also necessary to establish independent systematic sciences for these uniquely defined objects—such as the science of painting, musicology, architectural science, and literary science.
Now, let us shift to another aspect of examination—the social conditions for establishing such a science.