Twentieth Century Chinese Folklore Classics · Legends and Stories Volume

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-03-01
Features: This book is a classic volume of Chinese folklore studies from the 20th century. It collects research on folk tales from China between 1901 and 2000, including discussions by renowned scholars such as Zhou Zuoren, Gu Jiegang, and Ji Xianlin. The book is comprehensive, well-documented, and highly scientific and historical, offering significant help in systematically understanding the major achievements of 20th-century Chinese folklore studies and re-examining the century-long journey of Chinese folklore studies. The I Ching says, "To name is to classify, to generalize is to draw parallels." Thus, among the six literary forms of The Book of Songs, bi (metaphor) and xing (allusion) are predominant. Jin Xi uses analogy to illustrate virtue, gui and zhang to represent the refined people, mingling cicadas to teach, and writing to express calls. Washing clothes is used to symbolize sorrow, and rolling up scrolls to depict the firmness of the state. Hemp robes are compared to snow, and dancing to two chariots. Some use analogy, some use comparison, and one example can illustrate three, revealing the past to understand the future. Chu poetry followed its waves, and Han fu continued its tradition. At the end of the Zhou dynasty, the Hundred Schools of Thought flourished. Mengzi created the argument of the owl, and Chunyu set the analogy of the great bird, with hidden meanings flourishing. Mencius spoke of nature, taking the analogy of flowing water. Gongsun discussed names, observing the white horse. Thus, those who describe things with words and analyze reasoning can elaborate on their discussions, while those who advise through irony can present the situation. Compared to the of The Book of Songs, this is not just the beginning of a river but the gushing of ice and springs, like gold and jade in harmony. It is not only beneficial to literature but also helps to clarify principles. The Book of Documents says: A gentleman knows the difficulty and beauty of learning, and then can generalize. Only by generalizing can one become a teacher. Therefore, those who establish words must generalize before their words reach their purpose. Those who understand words must generalize before their reasoning becomes clear. Wenzi listened to ancient music and felt drowsy, showing how difficult it is to understand serious language; Song Yu wrote of great words and had his audience listen again, showing how easily humorous language affects people. Meaning arises from cunning, and a single word can resolve a case; words born from wit can make one a teacher. In ancient records, such cases are numerous, but compiling them into a book has never been heard of before. During the Ming Wanli era, Xu Taiyuan of Xuanzhou compiled Yulin in 120 volumes, cutting no fat but collecting every trivial word. Broad but lacking essence, laborious but yielding little. It is sufficient for copyists to aid writing but not for readers to study. With the rise of translation studies, superficial scholars praise Aesop as the sole master and follow Zhuangzi as the guide. The poor forget their own pearls, and Dongshi imitates others' frowns, which is a shame for literature and a missing classic in the art world. Thus, I took it upon myself to compile and title it Chinese Allegories. Covering all schools of thought and summarizing four generations, it should have what it should and lack nothing. Like gazing at a multicolored jewel, there are views of yellow and green turning; like riding a horse up a mountain, there is the momentum of peaks on both sides. Its uses are vast! As for returning to society to seek help from Chu allusions, or calling for grain from a dry well, or Song Yi begging for food in Lu, singing jade pendants while calling for Genggui, or Zang Wen writing wrongly on a sheepskin, or Zhuang Ji using the dragon's tail as an excuse. These are riddles, unrelated to allusions, with different meanings, so they are omitted! The purpose of this compilation is as follows. The Hundred Schools of Thought and the Hundred Schools of Philosophy have many allegories. This volume first records those from the Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties that are both meaningful and widely known as the first collection. The sequel will follow. In the sixth year of the Republic of China, the month of Zhongqiu in the year Dingji, Wuxi Sun Yuxiu inscribed. The story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is one of the most popular Chinese folk legends. Its popularity is not accidental. It strongly praises the pure love between a young man and a young woman, no matter the feudal marriage system or death, cannot separate them. Liang Shanbo died in sorrow, but Zhu Yingtai was not carried off by the Ma family. After her prayers, Liang Shanbo's tomb suddenly cracked open in a thunderstorm, and she jumped inside. In some regions, the legend has an additional ending: Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai later turned into a pair of blue butterflies or a rainbow in the sky. Such endings are naturally romantic. Yet, this is a positive romanticism. It makes this love tragedy not only fit the reality of ancient times but also carry a strong hope and an optimistic spirit.