Introduction to Oriental Folk Literature - Oriental Culture Series (4 volumes in total)

Author: Zhang Yu'an
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: This monograph is composed of four volumes, written by 25 experts. It employs theories of folk literature, folklore, and literary history to preliminarily organize the primary sources of folk literature from Eastern countries. It elaborates on the content, form, and developmental characteristics of folk literature from dozens of Eastern countries, clearly outlining the panorama of Eastern folk literature and showcasing the genealogical relationships between the folk literatures of different Eastern nations. The chapters cover: an overview of the historical and cultural context of the respective countries, a classification discussion of various genres of folk literature, an overview of the collection, organization, and research of folk literature, and the status of folk literature in literary and cultural history. The interpretation of national folk literature is generally divided into folk narrative literature, folk songs, folk theater, and ballads, with a focus on folk narrative literature. Through representative works of folk literature, the ethnic characteristics of the nation's folk literature are analyzed. The introduction to the collection, organization, and research of national folk literature emphasizes both historical research and the latest research findings, while also addressing current issues in the field.