Four Chinese Folk Legends
_Throughout Chinese history, there are many great lengends revealing the
agricultural society.
_They existed in oral tradition long before any writen compilation.
_Some have been presented in a number of major Chinese operas, films and
television series.
_Among them, the most famous ones are:
Lady Meng Jiang
Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai
The Weaving-girl and the Cowherd
Legend of the White-snake
孟姜女
Lady Meng
Jiang
Traditional Beliefs:
1.The role of a woman: before marriage, after
marriage
2.The role of a man: an ordinary man, an
emperor
3.The mythical number: 3
4.The magic animals: swallow, crow, fish
5.The Great Wall
Key Figures:
1.Lady Mengjiang
2.Emperor Shihuang
梁山伯与祝英台
Butterfly Lovers:
Liang Shanbo
and Zhu Yingtai
Chinese Romeo
and Juliet
Traditional beliefs:
1.Sworn brothers
2.Annual village fair
3.Arranged marriage
4.A matchmaker
5.The magic animals: mandarin ducks, goose
Buddhist impact:
1.Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy
2.Reincarnation
Key Figures:
1.Liang Shanbo
2.Zhu Yingtai
牛郎织女
Altair and Vega:
The Weaving-girl
and the Cowherd
Traditional Beliefs:
1.An ideal family with two children: a boy and a
daughter 好
2.A balanced family: husband, outside, woman,
inside
3.Family rule: divide family property
4.The 7th day of the 7th lunar month: Chinese
Valentine’s Day
Taoist impact:
1.The Queen Mother of the Western Heaven
2.Mortals vs. immortals
白蛇传
Legend of the White-snake
Chinese Festivals:
1.Pure Brightness Festival
2.Dragon Boat Festival
Key Figures:
1.Xu Xian
2.Bai Niangzi
3.Xiao Qing
4.Fa Hai in a crab
5.Yue Lao
Famous Places:
1.The West Lake
2.The Broken Bridge
3.Jinshan Temple, Leifeng Pagoda
Folk customs:
One month celebration
Thank you!
Lei Ma
Chinese Deputy Director
The William and Mary Confucius
Institute
lma@wm.edu