Abstract:
Research on the Female Images in Myths Legends and Ballads in Buyei Ethnic Group. The primary objectives were to study the process of constructing the Female Images and analyze the Female Images in Myths Legends and Ballads in Buyei Ethnic Group. Employing a qualitative approach, specifically documentary research, the study analyzed a comprehensive corpus of 26 volumes of Buyei folk literature. The theoretical framework encompassed Textual Analysis, Image Theory, and Feminist Literary Criticism, facilitating a nuanced exploration of the subject matter. The research findings were articulated through descriptive analysis. It was revealed that the construction of female images within Buyei myths, legends, and ballads is intricately woven through literary devices, characterized by five archetypes: the goddess, mother, heroine, wife, and maiden. The process of image construction highlighted the high regard accorded to women, while simultaneously exposing the patriarchal discourse that has historically influenced the portrayal of women within the Buyei ethnic group. There are two main female images in Myths Legends and Ballads in Buyei Ethnic Group, as the image of ideal women in legends and tales and the image of women's negotiation through Ballads. The image of women in Myths Legends and Ballads is not only a traditional gender norm, a stereotype influenced by folklore, but also a reflection of the negotiation of idealized images and gender roles. Ballads are a space where women define their image through their role in nation-building under the conditions of women's equality movement in China. Literature creates a mechanism that draws women to help in nation-building and changing the social context. The important suggestion from this study is that relevant agencies can use the results of the above study as a guideline to promote the study of ethnic literature critically to open up more space for literary studies. Myths Legends and Ballads should be studied on the basis of humanism to reflect the emotions and feelings of women as individuals.