Folk Literature Tutorial (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Liu Shouhua
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-02-01
Features: Beyond adhering to the historical and cultural perspectives of Marxism, Folk Literature Tutorial emphasizes the following:
Starting from the pluralistic yet unified framework of Chinese culture, it highlights the contributions of multiple ethnic groups, especially ethnic minorities, to Chinese folk literature; while valuing the international achievements of the discipline, it focuses on showcasing the new accomplishments of modern Chinese folk literature, particularly those from the 1980s and 1990s; it examines the foundational knowledge and theories of the discipline through the broad lens of modern culture, endowing it with the character of a modern humanities discipline. In short, it strives for "newness," "depth," and "practicality": enriching the latest developments in domestic and international folk literature studies (e.g., the "Three Great Collections of Folk Literature"), deepening theoretical rigor, and enhancing teaching applicability and social practice to meet the needs of multi-level teaching, primarily for undergraduates in Chinese language departments.
The above requirements are essentially the long-term goals for the development of folk literature textbooks, not something that can be fully achieved in the short term. Subject to various subjective and objective constraints, the writing of this textbook can only be seen as a step toward this goal. To compile a folk literature textbook that truly embodies the character of modern cultural scholarship, continuous effort is still required.
This college-level humanities textbook, Folk Literature Tutorial, was compiled over two years through a collaboration between the Folk Literature Research Institute of the School of Liberal Arts at Central China Normal University and the Press of Central China Normal University. The Department of Folk Literature at Central China Normal University had previously published two folk literature textbooks under Liu Shouhua's editorial leadership—An Introduction to Folk Literature in Ten Lectures and An Introduction to Folk Literature (co-edited with the participation of institutions such as Hunan Normal University)—both of which achieved positive results in teaching practice. The latter was even awarded the First Prize in the Third National College Textbook Award, organized by the Ministry of Education in 1995.
With the advancement of the times and the development of science and culture, textbooks urgently need updating. In the 21st century, as material living conditions improve, cultural life will become even more vibrant. As the economy moves toward global integration, culture will grow increasingly diverse. Amidst the growing challenges posed by the negative effects of modern life, the rustic and fresh charm of traditional culture will become even more precious. Folk literature is one of the most profound yet relatively underdeveloped fields in human and national cultures. In many modern economically and culturally developed countries and regions, folk literature remains an important discipline in modern humanities, showing promising prospects.
The compilation of this new college-level folk literature textbook is based on the above background and philosophy, as part of an effort to adapt the discipline to the "Three Orientations" (service to the nation, the world, and the future). For this reason, in addition to adhering to the historical and cultural perspectives of Marxism, the textbook emphasizes the following: starting from the pluralistic yet unified framework of Chinese culture, it highlights the contributions of multiple ethnic groups, especially ethnic minorities, to Chinese folk literature; while valuing the international achievements of the discipline, it focuses on showcasing the new accomplishments of modern Chinese folk literature, particularly those from the 1980s and 1990s; it examines the foundational knowledge and theories of the discipline through the broad lens of modern culture, endowing it with the character of a modern humanities discipline. In short, it strives for "newness," "depth," and "practicality": enriching the latest developments in domestic and international folk literature studies (e.g., the "Three Great Collections of Folk Literature"), deepening theoretical rigor, and enhancing teaching applicability and social practice to meet the needs of multi-level teaching, primarily for undergraduates in Chinese language departments.
The above requirements are essentially the long-term goals for the development of folk literature textbooks, not something that can be fully achieved in the short term. Subject to various subjective and objective constraints, the writing of this textbook can only be seen as a step toward this goal. To compile a folk literature textbook that truly embodies the character of modern cultural scholarship, continuous effort is still required.