A Brief Introduction to Chinese Folk Literature (Revised and Enlarged Edition)

Author: Duan Baolin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-07-07
Features: Folk literature is a form of literature that arises and circulates among the masses. In a class-based society, folk literature is created and disseminated by the broad masses of the people (primarily the working class). Folk literature is a living art of oral language created and transmitted by the masses. We can define folk literature as the oral creation and verbal transmission of language art by the masses (primarily the working class). It is both an spontaneous expression of people's lives, thoughts, and emotions, as well as a summary of their knowledge of science, religion, and other aspects of life. It is also a manifestation of their aesthetic concepts and artistic tastes. Folk literature has a distinct characteristic: it is literature created and disseminated directly by the masses themselves. It is a collective creation passed down through generations, and therefore, in any case, its selection and direction are in the hands of the broad masses. It is a direct reflection of their lives, psychology, will, ideals, and tastes, and is often closely tied to their material needs, customs, rituals, and beliefs. It is also a means of argumentation and self-entertainment.
The oral method is the fundamental way in which folk literature is created and disseminated. Over long historical development, it has formed its own set of genres, including myths, legends, stories, songs, proverbs, riddles, epics, narrative poems, folk dramas, and parts of narrative literature. … Collectivity and orality are its essential characteristics. Folk literature can be broadly divided into three levels in terms of genre:
1. Core level: Songs, myths, legends, and stories
2. Intermediate level: Proverbs, riddles, and folk dramas
3. Peripheral level: Folk narrative literature, epics, and narrative poems.