Program overview
Folklore might sound like a subject about 'old relics,' but it's actually very down-to-earth—it focuses on cultural traditions, festivals, oral literature, folk beliefs, and handicrafts in ordinary people's lives. Simply put, it studies how people live, celebrate holidays, and tell stories. In Chinese universities, folklore is usually housed under sociology or anthropology departments. At the graduate level, you'll dive into core courses like fieldwork methods, ethnographic writing, and intangible cultural heritage preservation. For instance, Beijing Normal University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Shandong University have strong folklore traditions, especially in Chinese folk culture research. If you're interested in traditional culture, enjoy chatting with people and recording stories, or want to understand why different places have different customs, this major is a great fit.