| Fox is an intelligent animal. In the course of history, the fox form a rich cultural phenomenon.In China, the fox is not only a major role in folk tales,but also the protagonist of the literary works.Fox story is the largest number and the the highest quality of chinese spirit story.This dissertation analyzes the origins of fox spirit, the historical evolution of fox story, the main types of fox story,the worship of fox spirit and the cultural implications of fox story.The dissertation comprehensively interpretates the fox spirit story from multiple perspectives of folk literature, ancient literature, folklore, cultural anthropology and etc.The author believes that,the fox becoming fox pirit is mostly related the feature that the fox is suspicious and cunning of,and the connection of the fox and the human being.The fox showes a different face In different historical periods.The fox was still mainly a natural animal in people’s eyes in the pre-Qin period.In the Han Dynasty,.the fox began to connect with personnel good and bad,auspicious sign and disaster-abnormity.In the Wei, Jin and Six Dynasties, Fox could be turned into a man.At the same time, the works of fox story was born.In Tang Dynasty,people worshiped fox as if the fox is a God who can protection the family. Fox story of this period was very prosperous,"taiping guangji" included the story of fox more than70articles. In Song Dynasty, the divinity of fox enhanced furtherly. The number of fox story drastically reduced and the image fo the fox spirit was widely vilified.In the Qing Dynasty, the worship of the fox reached reached its apogee. Fox story appeared in large numbers,and "liaozhai zhiyi"marked the peak of the fox story.The story of the fox spirit could be classified eight main story types.that is fox learned, fox haunting, fox gratitude, fox complained, fox glamour,love Between human and fox, fox gallant and etc.This provides great convenience for us to grasp the essence of the ancient story of fox spirit.Cultural meaning of the fox spirit story is very rich.Through carefully reading the story fox spirit, we can find that the image of the fox spirit is closely related to barbarian, prostitutes, ghosts, displaced persons, officials.The fox spirit symbolizes the western barbarian in the early stage especially in the Tang Dynasty.Both are similar in many respects such as physical appearance, clothing, hairstyles, customs, surnames, character, beliefs, career. This phenomenon is related to the background of the exchang between Tang Dynasty and Western areas.These stories reflect the marginal identity of the barbarian in the Tang Dynasty.Both Fox spirit and prostitutes are similar in the lust and charming. From the Tang Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, the concept that the fox spirit is Prostitute is increasingly apparent.The relationship between the fox spirit and the ghost is also very close. Both of them lives in the grave and comes out at night In the concept of the ancients,In the fox spirit story of late stage.,the fox spirit sometimes been given the role of displaced persons.who is considered to be the source of social unrest.The story of the fox spirit and the officials, showing cooperation, conflict and compromise between officials and the local community.The fox lie in between human and thing,between the darkness and lightness, For the Chinese,the fox has long been "betwixt" and between".This is the margin of Arnole van Gennep and liminality of Turner.Liminal situation and roles tend to be conceived as dangerous and inanspicious.They are likened to marginal group,such as barbarian, prostitutes and displaced persons.Fox spirits signifies outsider who were usually perceived as dangerous and marginal and were difficult to control by the official. These groups represent the socially suppressed voices,culturally repressed desires and politically proscribed forces in Chinses society. |
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