Folk Art and Literature in Combating the Pandemic: Disaster Narratives in China's Rural Societies

Abstract: Pandemic-prevention-themed literature emerged as a sort of "hasty work" (急就章) in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this context, folk art and literature represent a form of soft mobilization within rural communities, which can be regarded as a narrative strategy through the assimilation and internalization of rigid policies. Conversely, those expressions denoting "hasty work" have lost their original critical and ironic connotations. This loss of their intrinsic character (失格) serves to obscure reality and potentially trivialize the gravity of the public health crisis, which requires careful reflection and nuanced understanding.