Ritual’s Legitimacy and the Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Myth
By exploring how myths and mythical elements are deconstructed and reconstructed in recent 20 years to testify the legitimacy of temple fairs, the author reflects on the deficiencies of Myth and Ritual School, and suggests to look into the relationship between myth and ritual in a “dynamically interacting process.” The paper finds the strategies of utilizing myth to get the legitimacy during the “folk culture revival tide” in recent 20 years are varied, and the process of getting legitimacy is full of interaction and negotiation of various powers. Yet “the folk” is not homogeneous toward the legitimacy of temple fair. The paper also calls on research on myth in contemporary society.
Key words: myth; deconstruction and reconstruction; ritual; legitimacy; dynamically interacting process; strategy