The formation of"Tofu Xishi":on the generation and evolution of a literary prototype
The term"Tofu Xishi"has undergone a long process of transformation from a folk saying to a significant character prototype with symbolic functionality in artistic creation.Creators from different periods,by leveraging the cultural connotations associated with the term,have produced various textual"variations"around the narrative of"Tofu Xishi"through their creative practices,collectively constructing a shared imagination of this typical figure in popular culture.It can be argued that"Tofu Xishi"is a literary prototype that has been"manufactured"under a continual enrichment and accumulation of meaning through repeated representations in artistic works.