The role of black color in the history of Russian, French and Chinese mythology and folklore

Chzhen Wenxuan Postgraduate student, Department of French Language and Culture, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991, Russia, Moscow, Leninskie Gory str., 1, p. 13 tchzhen.vensyuan@yandex.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction

This scientific article attempts to study in depth the symbolic meaning of black in the context of the history of Russian, French and Chinese cultures. The object of our research is mythological representations and folklore images associated with the color black in these cultural traditions. The purpose of this work is to analyze and interpret various aspects of the symbolism of black, to identify its semantic load and meaning for representatives of these cultures. To achieve this goal, we set ourselves the following tasks: to systematize and classify mythological and folklore images associated with black; to analyze the contexts and semantic associations in which black is used in the culture of each of these peoples; to identify common and unique features of black symbolism in Russian, French and Chinese mythology and folklore; to conduct a comparative analysis between different cultural traditions, revealing similarities and differences in the perception and interpretation of black. By strengthening the scientific and methodological support of the research, we strive to clarify the object, subject, purpose and objectives of our research, as well as provide readers with a deeper understanding of the symbolic meaning of black in the context of various cultural traditions.   

In the field of comparative studies between the Russian, French and Chinese worldviews, many studies have begun to appear in recent years. Thus, the understanding and interpretation of these three languages was studied by L. M. Sharafieva ^[13]. Their phonetic systems were also analyzed ^[12], a comparative study of the concept of “beauty” was conducted using the example of phraseological units ^[1] and animalistic phraseological units ^[6]. In this area, M. K. Golovanivskaya has significantly distinguished herself with a series of works devoted to basic concepts in Russian, French and Chinese ^[2][3][4][5]

The human experience of working with colors and the intuitive reactions they evoke are an integral part of our existence. Color goes beyond mere physicality; its meaning is embedded in the social fabric. According to M. Pasturo, since the era of Ancient Greece and up to the Middle Ages, black, white and red colors were revered as the three fundamental colors ^{[10, pp. 121-129]}. These primary colors dominated both the religious and secular spheres of life. We will explore how the symbolism of black color has undergone historical transformations in the minds of the Russian and French peoples, and identify the distinctive features of black symbolism manifested in folk tales, myths and religious beliefs of these cultures.

Black color in mythology and folklore

In the lexicons of modern Russians, Chinese and French, black is characterized as a shade of soot, coal and ink. The black color, indicating the absence of light, the mystery of the night and the maximum intensity of color saturation, is attributed to objects with a deeply dark shade:

In the vast expanses of night, darkness shrouds everything in a veil of mystery known as "noir night", a time when the world is shrouded in impenetrable blackness. The staple food, rye bread, has been nicknamed "le Pain Noir", its hearty crust reflecting the earth from which it was produced. The strong drink "le cafe noir" is a testament to the purity, not spoiled by the lightness of milk. The skin, kissed by the hot embrace of the sun, darkens and acquires a rich tan, evidence of the power of the torch of nature.

In the linguistic diversity of Russian and French, the term "black" often denotes racial and cultural identity: "black race" means the African diaspora, whose skin is colored in the deepest earthly colors. Metaphorically, "la musique noire" echoes the soulful rhythms born in the very heart of African heritage, and "l'encre noire" refers to the precious resources of coal and oil, the lifeblood of modern civilization.

Nevertheless, in the cultural psyche of both Russians and French, blackness often has a gloomy connotation. He notes the emotions hiding in the shadow of the human heart: melancholy, envy and contempt. "Les ideas noires" — gloomy thoughts clouding the mind; "un jour noir" — a day full of adversity. "La b?te noire" is the embodiment of man's deepest aversions, and "voir tout en noir" means to perceive the world through a prism obscured by pessimism, where hope is hidden by a veil of despair.

Black is the color that is most associated with mystery, crime and the infernal: "la magie noir" conjures up images of malicious witchcraft aimed at harming others; "lamesse noire" — a ritual honoring the prince of darkness; "l'?me noire" — a soul tainted by evil. The "Black March" is a secret center of illegal trade, a kingdom where legality is shrouded in shadow ^{[7, p. 79]}.

If you delve into the lexical and semantic meanings of black in two modern European languages, it becomes obvious that many meanings associated with this shade have striking similarities in both Russian and French. To unravel the roots of these parallels, it is useful to study the evolution of black symbolism through the cultural annals of these nations, recognizing that language is a dynamic entity constantly being modified by the forces of social history and cultural dynamics.

M. Pasturo's research shows that before the domination of Christianity, black was a symbol of fertility in the Eurasian and African mythological context ^{[10, pp. 1-920]}. Deities who observed fertility and patron figures of agronomy often wore black clothes. Cybele, Demeter and Isis are mentioned among them. Aristotle postulated that the universe consists of a quartet of elements: fire, water, air and earth, each of which has a certain color: crimson for fire, green for water, alabaster for air and obsidian for earth ^{[23, pp. 359-360]}. Throughout the ages, from antiquity to the Middle Ages, social stratification manifested itself in three different echelons: monastic, military and agrarian. The research of J. Grisward shows that in the annals of ancient and medieval times, as shown in chronicles, works of art and literary works, white was the prerogative of the monastic order, crimson was the sign of the warrior class, and black was the emblem of the peasantry ^{[18, pp. 253-264]}. Thus, the conceptual connection of black with arable land has been preserved, although implicitly.

Moreover, the mystery of blackness caused awe among the ancients, who harbored a fear of succumbing to malicious creatures — be they beasts, demons or other dangerous creatures, material or fantastic — that lurked under the cover of night. Such fear gave rise to a pervasive sense of apprehension and anxiety, affecting their perception of the surrounding cosmos.

If we turn to the Russian myth ^[11], the concept of "black thoughts" conveys the malicious intentions of the main characters; "black rivers" serve as guides for souls passing from the kingdom of light to the possessions of a Pecule; "black stones" denote portals to the underworld; "black crows" are harbingers of mortality. Antagonists often have black attributes. Take, for example, the Slavic deity of destruction Chernobog. This gloomy deity has the ability to transform into a sable raven on a whim, accompanied by a companion horse of a similar color. Chernobog is depicted as a sinister elder, shrouded in darkness, with raven-colored hair, his form constantly exudes an ebony miasma. He is a harbinger of disaster to mankind ^{[11, p. 319]} and is trying to make peace in an ice tomb. Chernobog is revered as the progenitor of a legion of notorious fiends and evil creatures such as Morlock, Asp, Goering, Likhomanki and Koschey. Despite his nefarious reputation, he embodies a dichotomy, offering refuge to a lonely sage.

In the context of French culture, the figure of the "black knight" is often found in tales of Gallic chivalry of the 12th and 13th centuries. The knights hid their individuality under weapons and shields made of ebony, covering their horses with the same dark fabrics ^{[15, p. 271]}. It seems that in chivalric myths, the color black goes beyond simple associations with hellish worlds, the devil and death, often representing mysterious entities.

In the scientific discourse formulated by M. Pasturo, it is explained that under the auspices of the growing influence of the Roman Catholic Church at the dawn of the XI century, the image of the devil crystallized into a generally recognized archetype characterized mainly by crimson skin, a lean physique, spoiled by pustules, and a well-fed skull, topped with a pair of pointed horns similar to sheep. M. Pasturo explains that, Despite the absence of any explicit description of Judas in the canonical texts of the Bible or the Gospel, artistic and literary images, starting from the 12th century, constantly depicted him with brown curls and a swarthy complexion ^{[22, pp. 197-209]}. Later, the shade of black took on the mantle of the devil's color ^{[9, pp. 7-8]}, and the melanoid skin became a symbol of apostasy, heretical beliefs and evil spirits. Nevertheless, in the lives of such revered figures as the Queen of Sheba, John the High Priest, Bethsaida the Wise and Saint Maurice, a darkened skin tone was not an indicator of malevolence, but rather a marker of exoticism ^{[16, pp. 149-204]}.

At this historical moment, nocturnal creatures decorated with dark skins attracted considerable attention on the European continent. Both the monastic community and the laity considered these animals to be embodiments of the devil, foreshadowing trouble ^{[20, pp. 82-86]}. On the contrary, in the mythological tapestries of Russian and Celtic cultures, bear creatures with dark fur were revered as rulers of forest kingdoms, and their might was revered by the ancient Slavs and Celts. As recorded by Pasturo, during the reign of the Carolingian dynasty in France, church views changed: bears began to be perceived as malicious creatures, claiming that they annually inhabit the depths of hell in winter, and attributing to them a number of vices, including laziness, uncleanness, gluttony, and anger, thereby elevating them to the status of demonic lords. The Celts highly valued the boar, but Christian theologians slandered it as a vile and wild beast covered with black fur ^{[21, pp. 123-210]}.

According to the conclusions of Oldhouse-Green ^{[14, pp. 189-240]}, during the Celtic era in France, the black cat was proclaimed an omen of prosperity and cherished as a companion of mankind. At the same time, the influence of the Church accelerated the transformation of society's attitude not only to bears and wild boars, but also to black cats. K. Ginzburg's study of the records of the French Inquisition relating to the witch trials in the XVI and XVII centuries reveals a recurring motif: accused witches were often associated with black cats dressed in ebony clothes and, as they said, participated in night carousals staged by the devil in secluded forests, dilapidated ruins or underground catacombs ^{[17, pp. 9-7104]}. At these gatherings, dishes and edibles of a dark shade were used, and the devil, along with his retinue, was believed to manifest himself in the form of black animals. It is widely believed that in order to acquire the vile power to cast curses, evil witches allegedly participated in the rituals of sacrificing children to the devil, turning the blood of innocents into a dark pigment and absorbing it ^{[19, pp. 82-86]}. After the Inquisition condemned the "witch" and her black cat, the judge, assuming the role of a compassionate arbitrator, decided that the convicts should be dressed in white and burned, since the Church considered white a symbol of redemption.

In the rich tapestry of Chinese cultural heritage, black color is intricately intertwined with shades of water, mysterious depths of darkness and the deep essence of Yuan (Yin) energy. It is a shade that embodies the secret forces of power, the depth of wisdom and reservoirs of deep knowledge. In Chinese tradition, black is also associated with the direction of the north and introspective winter.

The spectrum of colors in the Chinese tradition is of great importance and is often used to convey subtle messages, evoke certain emotional states and embody symbolic representations. The interpretation of these colors, their individual shades and the combinations in which they appear, is deeply rooted in context and traditions, often leading to a multitude of meanings, as explained by Evgenieva in her 2016 study ^[8].

In the genesis of the history of Chinese culture, the color black has various symbolic meanings. Black is the color of mourning, reflecting sadness and humility, and is traditionally used during mourning and as a sign of respect for departed ancestors. As Evgenieva emphasized in 2016 ^[8], it is also a color that can mean wisdom and deep contemplation. White, among its other meanings, can also be a symbol of harmony and spiritual balance.

In Chinese mythology and folklore, the color black plays a significant role, reflecting the richness of cultural ideas and beliefs that have been formed over many centuries. This color has many symbolic meanings that permeate various aspects of life and the world.

In Chinese culture, black is often associated with the concept of Yuan, which denotes dark, feminine, passive and introspective qualities. This includes the concepts of the secret, the unknown and the hidden. In Chinese mythology, Yuan is considered one of the two principles that define the universe, opposed to the Yang principle, which symbolizes light, masculinity and activity. Striving for balance and harmony, Chinese culture takes into account and celebrates both Yuan and Yang, including black and white, as integral parts of the cosmic order ^[23].

Traditionally, black in Chinese mythology is associated with the direction of the north and introspective winter. In Chinese culture, the north is considered a direction associated with dark forces, wisdom and contention. Winter also symbolizes a period of peace and self-reflection, when nature freezes to be reborn in spring. The black color in this context reflects the mystical power of nature, its ability to self-renewal and inner transformation.

In Chinese mythology, black is also often associated with the forces of death and ancestor worship. Beliefs about the connection between black and the afterlife permeate various aspects of Chinese culture, including burial rites, ancestor worship, and rituals of reverence for the dead. Black is often used in memorial ceremonies and celebrations dedicated to the dead, as a symbol of eternal memory and connection with the other world ^[24].

At the same time, black in Chinese culture symbolizes power and authority. He is associated with ancient sages, rulers and deities who embody mystical power and deep wisdom. In Chinese mythology, black can represent powerful spirits and gods who have immense power over nature and the destinies of people.

In addition, the color black in Chinese culture may be associated with the concept of mystery, magic and riddles. Beliefs about the power of black as an instrument of magical rituals and rituals have existed in Chinese mythology and folklore since ancient times ^[23]. The black color can be used as a symbol of penetration into the secret and unknown spheres of the world, opening access to ancient knowledge and secrets of the universe ^[24].

Thus, the color black in Chinese mythology and folklore is a multifaceted symbol reflecting various aspects of life, death and cosmic order. It symbolizes the dark forces of nature, power and wisdom, mystery and mystery, as well as connection with the afterlife and ancestors. This color permeates Chinese culture, embodying in it a wealth of symbolic representations and ancient beliefs.

Conclusion

Thus, the results of our research represent a significant contribution to understanding the symbolic significance of black in the mythology and folklore of Russian, French and Chinese cultures through history. The scientific novelty of our research lies in the identification of both common and distinctive features of the interpretation of black in these cultures, which allows us to deepen our understanding of the mythological and folklore traditions of various peoples.

One of the common features of the interpretation of black in the history of these cultures is its connection with mystical entities, death and mystery. In each of these cultures, black symbolizes something mysterious and incomprehensible, which reflects the depth of the human subconscious and perception of the world around us.

However, there are also distinctive features in the interpretation of black. For example, in Russian culture, it is often associated with mystical omens and sinister creatures, while in the French tradition, black is associated with wisdom, power and authority. In Chinese culture, black also symbolizes power and wisdom, but also has deep connections with ancestor worship and magical rituals.

This study has revealed both common and unique features of the interpretation of black in the mythology and folklore of Russian, French and Chinese cultures, which contributes to the expansion of knowledge about the symbolic world of various ethnic groups and its impact on modern society.