중국 문헌의 인어 이야기를 통해 본 경계의 다중성 (Multiplicity of Borders Seen through the Mermaid/Merman Tales in China)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 중국어문학연구회
· 수록지 정보 : 중국어문학논집 / 93호 / 357 ~ 376페이지
· 저자명 : 홍윤희, 김주희

초록

Mermaids or mermen can be understood as the mythical or legendary creatures that exist between two worlds, in other words, the “inter-beings” of human and fish, or of earth and sea. Imagination surrounding these creatures on the borders inevitably entails multiplicity and cannot be fixed by one form. Yet, ever since Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid became a popular fairytale around the world, the image of mermaid with the upper body of a beautiful female and the tail of a fish has been established as an archetype of mermaid or merman. However, various types of mermaid and merman appear in folklores and myths worldwide, that vary in their gender, appearance, character, ability, and so forth, which is also true of the case in China. Merfolk can take on the forms of male or female, half-human and half-fish, or just a regular human. They can also be the creatures that could transform freely between human and fish. They could also be viewed as the symbol of good fortune or an ominous being. Hence, in order to understand the mermaids and mermen that exist in diverse forms throughout China, one must refer to the multifarious forms of merfolk, which surpass the stereotype of mermaid established by the Western fairytale.
This article first presents the diagnosis of the existing discussions surrounding the mermaid/merman folklores and mythology in China—in particular, what should be overcome about those views by comparing them with the discussions of the West. The subsequent step would be to shed light on the multiplicity of the narratives that deal with the question of borders by unfolding analyses of them through comparison and juxtaposition of the mermaids and mermen of China with the similar types that exist elsewhere in the world.

영어초록

Mermaids or mermen can be understood as the mythical or legendary creatures that exist between two worlds, in other words, the “inter-beings” of human and fish, or of earth and sea. Imagination surrounding these creatures on the borders inevitably entails multiplicity and cannot be fixed by one form. Yet, ever since Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid became a popular fairytale around the world, the image of mermaid with the upper body of a beautiful female and the tail of a fish has been established as an archetype of mermaid or merman. However, various types of mermaid and merman appear in folklores and myths worldwide, that vary in their gender, appearance, character, ability, and so forth, which is also true of the case in China. Merfolk can take on the forms of male or female, half-human and half-fish, or just a regular human. They can also be the creatures that could transform freely between human and fish. They could also be viewed as the symbol of good fortune or an ominous being. Hence, in order to understand the mermaids and mermen that exist in diverse forms throughout China, one must refer to the multifarious forms of merfolk, which surpass the stereotype of mermaid established by the Western fairytale.
This article first presents the diagnosis of the existing discussions surrounding the mermaid/merman folklores and mythology in China—in particular, what should be overcome about those views by comparing them with the discussions of the West. The subsequent step would be to shed light on the multiplicity of the narratives that deal with the question of borders by unfolding analyses of them through comparison and juxtaposition of the mermaids and mermen of China with the similar types that exist elsewhere in the world.

참고자료

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