Studies of the epicsw of southern China

Preface by Lang Ying
Preface by Mark Bender
Translator's Foreword
Profile of the Author
Introduction

Chapter One Forms
I£®Typical Earlier Forms£ºSacrificial Rites
¢ò£®Forms in Production and Wars
¢ó£® Forms in Rites of Passages
¢ô£® Motives and the Transcendence of Formal Functions

Chapter Two Origin
I£® Internal Drive£º¡°Desire to Conquer¡± and¡°Desire to
Identify¡±
¢ò£® From Totems to Early Ancestors£¬ from Sacrificial Articles to Epics
¢ó£® From God-worshipping to Power Worshipping£¬ from Sacredness to Earthiness
¢ô£® From Dissemination to Reorganization£¬ from Diverse Editions to Established Editions

Chapter Three Epic Struggles and Conflicts
I£®Chaos£¬ the Creation of the W orld£¬and the Origins of H umans
II£®Creation£¬Innovation£¬and Early Traces
¢ó£®Plunder£¬Protest£¬ and Tribal Migration
¢ô£®Promoting Virtue£¬Punishing Evil£¬ and Ethnic Unity

Chapter Four Narrative Themes
I£® The Theme of Magical Conception in the Epics of Panhu
II£® The Theme of Floods in Epics about Fuxi and N¨¹wa
¢ó£® The Theme of Transformation in Epics about Pangu
¢ô£® Themes of Shooting Down Suns and Fighting Against Thunder
V£® The Theme of the Test in Epic Narratives
¢öI£®Themes of Separation and Reunion in Epic N arratives

Chapter Five Images
I£® Intelligent Animals and H uman-Animal Hybrids
II£®Gods and Early A ncestors with the Features of Clan Leaders
¢ó£®Heroes Fighting Against Nature
¢ô£®Heroes in Tribal Conquests
V£®The Rise of Feudal Lords as Heroes

Chapter Six Art
I£®Original Artistic Factors£ºVividness£¬Emotion£¬and
Imagination
¢ò£®Symbols and Metaphors
¢ó£® Narration and Structure
¢ô£®Description and Languages

Chapter Seven Culture
I£®Cultural Characteristics and Cultural Spirit
¢ò£®Priests and Singers£º Taught by Teachers and"Blessed by the Gods

Chapter Eight Comparison
I£®A Microculture Within a Macroculture£ºA General Resemblance
with Minor Differences
¢ò£® Cultural Differences Across the Epic Traditions
¢ó£®A Comparison Between Lan'ga Xihe and the Indian
Ramayana

Chapter Nine Sequel
I£®Human Nature£¬Archetypes£¬ and Permanent Glory
¢ò£®The Reappearance of Primordial Images
¢ó£®The Resurgence of Primitive Narration

Chapter Ten Interdisciplinary Value
I£® Budding Historiography
¢ò£®Budding Philosophy
¢ó£®Budding Ethics
¢ô£®Budding Science of Religion
V£®Budding Natural Science

Chapter Eleven The Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
Afterword
Series Acknowledgements