THE DUALITY OF GOOD AND EVIL IN CHINESE FOLKLORE CHARACTERS: TYPOLOGY, CULTURAL FOUNDATIONS, AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS WITH THE IMAGE OF BABA YAGA

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of ethical duality in female characters of Chinese folklore. The aim of the study is to identify the typology, cultural and historical foundations, and narrative functions of the images of the Mother of Spirits, fox spirits, Meng Po, and the Goddess of Drought, as well as to conduct a comparative analysis with the image of Baba Yaga in the Russian folkloric tradition. The methodological framework of the research includes comparative-typological analysis, contextual interpretation, and systematization of folkloric and mythological sources. The study analyzes the formation and evolution of four typological groups of Chinese female characters characterized by ethical ambiguity across various textual and regional traditions. It is demonstrated that the duality of these images is rooted in the religious and philosophical syncretism of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism and is oriented toward the ideas of ethical transformation, karmic retribution, and the maintenance of cosmic balance. The comparative analysis shows that in the Chinese tradition ethical ambivalence is primarily associated with the internal transformation of the character, whereas in the image of Baba Yaga it has a functional nature and is determined by the behavior of the hero. The results of the study may be applied in comparative folklore studies, cultural studies, and in teaching Chinese culture.