Myth and Myth Changing Myth and Myth Changing ElementsElements

of Nu Wa in of Nu Wa in Salt Fish GirlSalt Fish Girl

““I made the strong ones I made the strong ones into women and the weak into women and the weak

ones into men” (5).ones into men” (5). Myth of origins of Nu Wa: 1. Nu Wa’s creating human being → rela

tes to Dr. Flower’s clone in the episode of Miranda ∵ Dr. Flower’s clone of the Sonias human creation ≒

2. Why not using the Genesis ? ① I think that probably because she more

or less wants to present the novel of hybridity by crossing boundaries between the East and the West.

② In her interview with Ritz Chow, she says that:

Particularly with Fox, and to a certain extent with The Salt Fish Girl, I was trying to write to fill in gaps. I was trying somehow [to] contact things that bad been forgotten--a purposely impossible task, but also one interesting creatively. Our histories are fraught with so many absences and omissions--to do with things like women who rebel, women who love women, women who do not belong to the elite classes. When I first started reading Chinese mythologies ... the blank spaces between the words seemed to me to ooze history.

““I made the strong ones I made the strong ones into women and the weak into women and the weak

ones into men” (5).ones into men” (5). Myth changing : Myth changing :

Originally, there is no description Originally, there is no description about “strong ones into women and about “strong ones into women and the weak ones into men,” but simply the weak ones into men,” but simply “made into human beings.”“made into human beings.”

Probably this revision results from Probably this revision results from her feminist background.her feminist background.

““I [the green fish] can give you I [the green fish] can give you legs, but the bifurcation of youlegs, but the bifurcation of your [Nu Wa’s] tail will be very par [Nu Wa’s] tail will be very pa

inful ” (8).inful ” (8). Myth changing by mixing with the Myth changing by mixing with the

Western fairy tale Western fairy tale The Little The Little MermaidMermaid

Shows the hybridity by crossing boundaries between the East and the West.