Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s1.t8: Indian Folk Literature

Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c10.s1.t8

Language
English

Indian Folk Literature

v2.c10.s1.t8.1

India is a nation with a marvelous imagination, a nation of excellent storytelling and has a time-honoured tradition of folk literature. India is also a nation with a variety of ethnic groups, languages and religions, and is prolific in folk literature of regional dialects as well as religions.

v2.c10.s1.t8.2

**Tradition** The *Vedas*, among the oldest sacred texts, are a collection of ancient Indian folklore but have been mistakenly excluded as such by some people, since they were compiled very long ago and have been deified by Hindus. As a matter of fact, they are the beginning of Indian folk literature. Following them, the *Brahmanas* also contain a great number of folk tales, which, however, had been transformed and provided with more turns and twists. The two epics, *Ramayana* and *Mahabharata*, have a treasure of ancient Indian folk literature, and their framework of stories belong to folk literature and are inter-woven with many myths, fables and tales. Almost contemporaneous with these two epics, the *Puranas* arose and focused on ancient myths and legends. The *Jataka*, compiled several centuries before Christ, contains over 500 fables and some tales about the great sage. Like *Jataka*,

v2.c10.s1.t8.3

*‘Selected stories from Kathasaritsagara’* (*Gushihai xuan*), front cover

v2.c10.s1.t8.4

the *Panchatantra* is also a collection of fables, the earliest text might have appeared in the 2^nd or 3^rd century, and the existing Sanskrit text was compiled in the 12^th century. The *Hitopadesa* was written on the basis of the *Panchatantra* from about 10^th-14^th century and has been separately disseminated in east India. The *Brihatkatha* is a rich and splendid collection of tales written in everyday language, and someone even compare it to the two epics. Its date of its creation is not known and may be very close to that of the *Panchatantra*. It was lost in the 11^th century, and now there are three adapted versions in India and Nepal, with *Kathasaritsagara* being the most popular. It is a Sanskrit text adapted in Kashmir in the 11^th century and only about 1/35 of the Brihatkatha. Popular Sanskrit tale collections also include *Vetālapañcaviṁśatika*, *Siṁhāsana Dvātriṁśikā* and *Sukasaptati*, which all put emphasis over moral teaching. Dravida in the south of India had its own folk literature long ago. For instance, there are “five major epics” and “five minor epics” written in Tamil and the ‘*Ramayana*’ has also been translated and adapted in Tamil. After the 13ᵗʰ century, local dialects rose and were used to translate and adapt Sanskrit works and to produce a prolific amount of their own works of folk literature. Besides, Muslims brought Arabian and Persian works into India and further enriched Indian folk literature.

v2.c10.s1.t8.5

**Classification:** From the perspective of folklore, Indian folk literature includes a full range of myths, epics, tales, ballads, riddles, proverbs, folk dramas and folk dances with rich contents for each category. By religion, Indian mythology can be divided into Hindu mythology which include Vedic mythology, epic mythology, Purana mythology and the likes; Buddhist mythology include legends of the Buddha’s life and tales recorded in Buddhist sutras; Jain mythology, which narrates the life of 63 major figures, including Mahavira and other 23 Tirthankaras, 12 Cakravartis, 9 Narayanas (or Vasudevas), 9 Pratinarayanas and 9 Baladevas; and, the Islamic mythology, including tales in the *Koran*, ballads, riddles, proverbs, folk dramas and folk dances mostly developed and spread after 13ᵗʰ century, and their collection, compilation and study did not begin until modern times.

v2.c10.s1.t8.6

**Influence:** Indian folk literature has a worldwide influence. In mid 19ᵗʰ century, a passion for Indian folk literature was aroused among western scholars. Through the study of Indian mythology, they promoted the birth and development of historical comparative linguistics and comparative literature. Someone even attempted to find the origin of the world’s folk tales in Indian folk literature, and think that most folk tales began in India and then moved to other parts of the world. For instance, some tales in *Jataka* and *Panchatantra*, are told in various parts of the world, especially in Asia, and tales in the *Ramayana* are also well told in Asia. Indian folk literature also has a considerable impact on China. With the entry of Buddhism, many Indian myths, legends and folk tales were brought into China and widely told in central China as well as in Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Yunnan and other places.

v2.c10.s1.t8.7

(Xue Keqiao)

Linked texts (13)