ZOOMORPHIC SYMBOLISM IN THE NOVELS “AND QUIET FLOWS THE DON” BY M.A. SHOLOKHOV AND “WHITE DEER PLAIN” BY CHEN ZHONGSHI

Abstract

The article provides a comparative analysis of zoomorphic symbols in the novels of M.A. Sholokhov “And Quiet Flows the Don” and Chen Zhongshi “White Deer Plain”. The main focus is on the images of the “horse” and “deer”, which are key symbols reflecting the cultural codes of the Cossack steppe and Chinese Confucianism. Using comparative historical, cultural-historical and mythopoeic methods, the study reveals how zoomorphic images embody the archetypal features of the main characters – Grigory Melekhov and Bai Jiaxuan – and their connection with traditional values in the context of social upheaval. Based on the analysis of the symbolic images of the “horse” and “deer”, the characteristics of the steppe culture of the Cossacks and the Confucian culture of China are revealed. For the first time, parallels between Russian and Chinese literary zoomorphology have been drawn, which expands the prospects for intercultural research.