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 fluid 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 a medium is naturally influenced by many factors—leading to visible differences. Take an example: in folk art, one frequently observed technique is the skillful use of homophones with different meanings (this technique is known as "punning." This is indeed common in ballads, such as those from the Six Dynasties period and contemporary folk songs across southern China. In fact, its scope of application is not limited to this aspect). Yet, this is rarely seen in literary art. Why is that? Obviously, it is because folk art uses a "language where sound plays a more significant role" as its medium.
Furthermore, particularly important is the difference in their functions. The functions generally expressed by art (literary art) mostly cannot be applied to folk art. Conversely, most of the functions possessed by folk art are also absent in literary art. For example, folk art is often closely linked to the essential material means of the masses (hunting, fishing, farming, etc.), to the extent that it has become a part 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 understood the unique nature of folk art compared to general literary art. Objects possessing such unique properties naturally demand the establishment of an independent scientific discipline. Otherwise, research on it cannot reach higher possibilities. Of course, we do not oppose studying folk art and literary art together as a research subject and establishing a systematic science—literary science (general literary science). But to make research on folk art more precise and systematic, we unhesitatingly insist on establishing a separate scientific discipline for such research. This is similar to the study of art: while it is acceptable to combine painting, music, architecture, and literary art as subjects and establish a comprehensive art science (Kunst-wissenschaft), it is also necessary to establish independent systematic sciences for these uniquely defined and specialized 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.