Big Tradition and Chinese Mythological Studies (eBook)

This book focuses on reinterpreting mythical China from the perspective of the cultural theory of big tradition. It is divided into two parts: the first explains the theoretical development and features of the Chinese version of big tradition, identifying the differences between the Eastern and Western cultural traditions (big tradition and great tradition). The second part then reinterprets the core values and mythical ideas of Chinese civilization and traditional culture from the perspective of big tradition.

Jiansheng Hu, Doctor of Literature, is an Associate Professor at the School of Humanities at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He was selected as one of the Wen Xin Scholars, is Secretary General of the Society of Literary Anthropology, and is a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Literature at Duke University and the Institute of Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His main research interests are literary anthropology and mythological studies. He is the author of Studies on Fu Style in Song Dynasty: Power and Form; Wei-jin Demeanor and Chinese Culture Genes, and has published more than 40 academic papers. He has presided over National Social Science Foundation Projects and Ministry of Education Humanities and Social Science Foundation Projects.

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This book focuses on reinterpreting mythical China from the perspective of the cultural theory of big tradition. It is divided into two parts: the first explains the theoretical development and features of the Chinese version of big tradition, identifying the differences between the Eastern and Western cultural traditions (big tradition and great tradition). The second part then reinterprets the core values and mythical ideas of Chinese civilization and traditional culture from the perspective of big tradition.Moving beyond the small tradition of text centrism and using new methods and materials, the book reveals the original meaning and the cultural coding function of big tradition during the preliterate period. Drawing on integrated evidence from literature handed down from ancient times, oral and intangible cultural heritage, tangible culture, cross-cultures, image culture and unearthed documents, the book interprets Chinese cultural traditions and spiritual values from local, archaeological, experiential and survival perspectives, to help readers better understand the mythical codes and genes of early Chinese culture.