A Comparative Study Of The Myths And Legends Of The Emperors Of The Altai Languages

Based on the theories and methods of comparative literature,comparative mythology and comparative tales,the study discusses the relationship between the emperors’ myths and legends of northern peoples of Altai language family and the counterparts of relevant nationalities or regions in order to explores their evolution and find out their primitive forms and features.The dissertation consists of the introduction part,four main chapters and the conclusion section.The introduction part discusses the comparability of these emperors’ myths and legends of various nationalities of Altai language family and the research feasibility in addition to the theories and methods of comparative study,relevant research overview and so on.The first chapter is about the comparative research on the emperors’ myths and legends of inductive birth.In these legends,women in ancient times got pregnant and gave birth by touching or feeling an animal,a plant or an inanimate object instead of having direct contact with the opposite.A comparative analysis is mainly conducted between the emperors’myths and legends of light-inductive type and animal-inductive type and the counterparts of relevant nationalities and countries to discuss their evolution and primitive features.Chapter two makes a comparative study on the myths and legends about these emperors’bizarre birth.Based on motif types,such myths and legends of Altai language family have three categories,namely,"rib-birth myth","fetish-birth myth " and "oviparity myth".In addition,careful analysis and comparison is made between these and their counterparts in relevant nationalities and countries,and their similarity and differences.In conclusion,in order to emphasize their divine origin,between the myths and legends about these emperors’bizarre birth have a common story line of "motif of rib-birth","motif of fetish-birth " and"motif of oviparity".Chapter three makes a comparative study on the myths about these emperors’ surprising marriage.In this chapter,the collected texts are categorized into three types,i.e.tales of swan-virgin,tales of bear-spouse,and tales of wolf-spouse.The comparison of motif plot is made to discuss the similarities and differences of these myths and legends and their causes and evolutionary regularities.The Mongol plateau and the northern belt,which is believed to have been the breeding ground of the altai peoples,have long been worshipped swans,bears and wolves,also,the totem worship and mythological legends associated with these animals.In these sacred animal myths,the motif of "human and animal mating" is combined with other motifs which was related to the founding myths of the emperor,the combination makes a new fairy tale.Chapter four is the cultural interpretation about these emperors’ myths and legends.In this chapter,the cultural connotation of these emperors’ myths and legends is analyzed and interpreted from the perspective of light-inductive myth motif,oviparity myth motif and the myth motif of human-animal marriage.Through the cultural interpretation of some mythological.motifs in these national myths and legends,we sum up,Some ethnic groups in Altai lived in ancient times to worship the light and heat of the sun and the moon,And the worship of animals plants and the totem worship of animals and plants closely related to their environment,Some worship and belief also extend to every field of society.The foundation of this worship and belief is mostly related to the primitive thinking of the Related Nationalities of the Altai language and the theory that all things have a soul.This kind of beliefs and ideas related to Shamanism,such as animal and plant worship,animal and plant totem worship and so on,have been applied to the myth motif of the related nationalities,this motif has been implanted into various genres such as myths,legends,folk tales,heroic epics,and so on,and has been handed down to the presentThe conclusion section makes a summary about the whole dissertation,extracts and purifies the main viewpoints.In conclusion,due to the historical interaction,belonging to the same language attributes and similar religious beliefs and other reasons,The mythological legends of the kings of the Altai language family have similar motifs;There are individual changes in the commonness of the emperors and legends in the Altai language families,In the process of developing the political power,it combines the historical and political views of the rulers,some add to the monarch’s life,not in the nation to establish a regime of mythology inheriting ancestor myth motif down;different types of composite relations,the prerequisite is:not only conform to the narrative mode of the imperial legend,but also conform to the relevant ethnic and regional historical,cultural and religious beliefs.