The Female Emotions and Images in Northern Shaanxi Folk Songs

Abstract

Northern Shaanxi Folk Songs are an indispensable part of the lives of Northern Shaanxi people. To date, more than 8000 Northern Shaanxi folk songs have been collected and recorded from various sources such as old newspapers and folk song collections, inheritors of folk songs, etc. These document the love, emotions, and attitudes of Northern Shaanxi people toward life. Women are the central figures in songs shaped by a society where they were considered inferior to men and constrained by strict feudal norms. This study analyzes anthologized lyrics to explore the female images and emotions expressed in Northern Shaanxi folk songs. This research focuses on Northern Shaanxi Folk Songs and employs a combined method of qualitative analysis (through narrative and discourse analysis of the song lyrics) and semi-structured interviews. I argue that love plays a dominant role in northern Shaanxi women’s lives. However, regarding these women’s devotion to the revolutionary cause, they are qualified with the Chinese saying that women can hold up half of the sky. The image of women in Northern Shaanxi folk songs is positive. The songs provide valuable resource materials for understanding women in Northern Shaanxi Province and the land these people live in.