The Study On The Folk Songs Of Bayu In Cultural Anthropology

This thesis studies the folk songs of Bayu in Chongqing (Chongqing is a municipality of China). This study uses the methods of comprehensive research and comparative research, the methods of field investigation of anthropology and document-reading, the cross-disciplinary methods using foundational theory of Linguistics , Aesthetic Anthropology, Educational Anthropology and Social Anthropology, to explore the aesthetic ideas and social functions of Bayu folk songs . The study tries to seek out the deep relationship between Bayu folk songs and the Bayu culture. During the globalized change of society from being traditional to modern, it searches for solutions to the continuation of the traditional culture of folk songs. The study puts forward constructive views and suggestions on the protection and development of the national oral and non-material culture, and discusses the role of the national oral and non-material culture in the harmonious society of China.The thesis consists of seven parts. The introduction of the each part is as follows:Chapter One and Two introduces the ideological background, meaningfulness and research methods on Bayu folk songs. It explains the cultural phenomena of Bayu folk songs from three perspectives: first, the development of the survey on the international and domestic cultural anthropology; second, folk songs and literature; third, folk songs and Aesthetic Anthropology.Chapter Three is the focused analysis of the cultural foundations of Bayu folk songs. It introduces shortly the geographical, economic and political environments of the Bayu area, origins of the Ba race and the cultural characteristics, and thereby explains the cultural environment of Bayu folk songs.Chapter Four and Five summarize the information of field investigation and documents about Bayu folk songs, and uses the researcher's knowledge and understanding of theories of Linguistics, Aesthetic Anthropology, Educational Anthropology and Social Anthropology, to explore the linguistic features, aesthetic ideas and social functions of Bayu folk songs .Chapter Six analyzes shortly how the indigenous forms of Bayu folk songs face the crises of survival and continuation in modern society in time of globalisation.Chapter Seven uses the method of comparative research and combines the current situations of Bayu folk song culture and relevant measures, to suggest policies of protecting and developing the national oral and non-material culture of Bayu folk songs.