INTRODUCTION

Legend As Foil

Background

During the research of 4 popular chinese legends, we found that Legend always changes. These historical origins and continuous transformation of collective stories carry different meanings corss generations. The changes in attitudes and social norms across different time periods are reflected in the way such legends are interpreted, and eventually, influencing changes in plot points in such legends to uphold similar social expectations and values.

Project Intension

Legends are always changing. When tracing the development process of four popular Chinese mythologies, “manipulation” is evidenced from changing plot points to suit contemporary sentiments during the time of their reproduction. This project postulates that, legends can be regarded as a foil for capturing culture shifts.