Contemporary Innovations in Traditional Mythological Narratives

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-487-7_20How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Traditional Myths and Legends; Contemporary Innovations; The Little Imps of Langlang Mountain

Abstract

This study examines the contemporary innovation of traditional Chinese mythological narratives in animation. Taking Langlang Mountain: The Little Monster as a case, it illustrates how marginalised figures are repositioned as o narrative subjects, thereby challenging the hero-centred epic mode. The analysis focuses on three dimensions: narratively, the film employs strategies of character subjectivisation and identity displacement; visually, it integrates ink-painting textures with digital imagery to construct a quotidian yet heterogeneous aesthetic; and in reception, audience responses reveal strong identification with the struggles of minor characters, interpreting them as metaphors of social hierarchy and lived reality. By linking narrative transformation, aesthetic practice, and audience resonance, the paper highlights how de-epicised, grassroots storytelling reconfigures the cultural value of myth in the present. These findings suggest that contemporary Chinese animated films are shifting from reproducing heroic myths towards articulating collective emotions and marginal experiences, offering fresh insights into both national style and cross-cultural communication.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Lin Wang
AU  - Kun Liu
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/11/10
TI  - Contemporary Innovations in Traditional Mythological Narratives
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Digital Technology and Educational Psychology (DTEP 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 218
EP  - 224
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-487-7_20
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-487-7_20
ID  - Wang2025
ER  -