Metaphorical Discourse in Chinese Oral Epics: A Cognitive-Pragmatic Approach to Cultural Narratives

Furthermore, the study discusses cross-epic variations and seeks to contribute to international metaphor studies by sharing perspectives from Chinese oral traditions, while addressing broader debates on cultural heritage and narrative studies. This book offers an interdisciplinary investigation into the role of metaphorical language in Chinese oral epics. Rooted in cognitive-pragmatic theory, it analyzes how metaphorical discourse operates, both as a cognitive tool and a pragmatic strategy, in shaping and transmitting the cultural narratives embedded in these epics. Integrating theoretical frameworks from cognitive linguistics and pragmatics with a bilingual corpus, the work explores metaphorical patterns and their functions in oral performance. By connecting micro-level linguistic features to macro-level cultural logic, it proposes a Three-Layer, Six-Mechanism Model, describing how metaphor links individual cognition, communal discourse, and cultural continuity. Furthermore, the study discusses cross-epic variations and seeks to contribute to international metaphor studies by sharing perspectives from Chinese oral traditions, while addressing broader debates on cultural heritage and narrative studies.