Mother Archetypes in Chinese Cultural Narratives: A Psychoanalytic Perspective

This article examines four prominent mother archetypes present in Chinese cultural narratives, particularly focusing on the “mother-saving” legends. Through a psychoanalytic and cultural lens, we analyse the tales of Chen Xiang splitting the mountain, Xu Xian's story in the Legend of the White Snake, and Buddhist narratives of Mulian and Dizang (Birrell, 1993). These stories reveal complex dynamics of mother-child relationships, shedding light on cultural attitudes towards motherhood, filial piety, and self-sacrifice in Chinese society (Sangren, 1983; Wolf, 1972). By exploring these archetypes—the idealised mother, the masochistic mother, the dead mother, and the narcissistic mother—we uncover deeper psychological and cultural implications embedded within these seemingly simple tales of filial devotion (Green, 1986; Jung, 1969).