A Foreshadowing in the Strange Tales of Liao-Zhai for Its Implied Political Meaning and Spiritual Sustenance

Abstract

中国文学史研究，历来有脱离史证形而上的倾向，对蒲松龄与≪聊斋志异≫的研究尤为如此。 文章立足史证，对蒲松龄家世背景与科考历程进行了细致考辨，认为蒲松龄少年科场得志，随性纵情，旁求古道，不务科考，是其屡试不第，仕途中绝的主要原因。 蒲松龄有着强烈的自我意识，率性纯真，全性任情，悠然于田园之间，他有着清醒的自我认知，未尝沉迷于科场。 蒲松龄继承了先秦以来中国文人关注自我、 关注生活的传统，他创作的≪聊斋志异≫，是明末“人”的文学与思想的集大成者，是自我意识发展在清初社会受到压制，而在“他界”的逆向伸展。 书中充满了对人与人世的赞美与肯定、 对真情真爱的歌颂以及朴素的平等观念，意求“有功名教”、 以道济世，以“人”为中心对现实社会提出政治观照。 在清初沉闷的文坛中，闪出了耀眼的人性光辉。The study of the history of Chinese literature has always had the tendency to disregard historical evidence or to be one-sided, especially the study of Pu Songling and his work, Strange Tales of Liao-Zhai. Based on historical evidence, this article makes a detailed textual research analysis of Pu Songling’s family background and the course of the imperial examination. The article holds that Pu Songling’s success in the imperial examination when he was young and his later self-indulgence by seeking the ancient route and deviating from the path and goal of the imperial examination are the main reasons for his ultimate failure in the examination and his complete disconnection from his official career. However, Pu Songling had a strong sense of self, preserved his mind, indulged his feelings, and was satisfied with life in the countryside. Moreover, he had a clear self-cognition and was not addicted to imperial examinations. He inherited the tradition of Chinese literati since the Pre-Qin dynasty, which involved paying attention to themselves and their lives. His Strange Tales of Liao-Zhai is a collection of literature and thoughts based on humanity in the late Ming dynasty, which is a reverse extension of self-consciousness development in other places from the suppression of the early Qing society. The book is full of praise for people in the world and for true love and the simple concept of equality, which is intended to benefit Confucianism and political rule, hoping to use Taoism to help the world, and to put forward political views on the basis of the people. In the dull literary world of the early Qing dynasty, this book was a dazzling brilliance of human nature.