Tang Novels And Folk Belief In The Tang Dynasty

The motif of folk belief had already found its existence in novel when this genre of literature acquired its origination, and this existence determined the motif of folk belief in novel. This existence preconditioned the story-telling character of novel as well as the oral spreading of folk belief. Another character of novel, i. e. the marvel effect pursued in novel, can be deemed a version of fairy tales in folk belief. Tang Novel is a significant period in which novel underwent a new development which was influenced by folk belief in narrative style and manner of art.This article, Tang Novels and Folk Belief in the Tang Dynasty, by focusing on the presence of the three characters of ghost, abnormity, and gods, discussed their relationship with Tang Novel. The discussion comes to a conclusion that the stories of folk belief as well as its philosophies had a fundamental influence upon Tang Novel in themes and manner. The author has conducted a study based on the data derived from《太平广记》(book series collecting Tang Novels) and drawn the following conclusions:1. the belief in ghost contributed to the development of Tang Novel in that it represents the youth's love, which was unaccepted at that time, and thereby foretold the trend of history development;2. fairy tales in the Tang Dynasty share the same narration with those of the Wei-Jin Dynasty, and consequently formed a new kind of novel, which is a development of the traditional Wei-Jin Dynasty.The belief in ghost, serving as a spokesman for influence, took on a new evolution in the decline of the ghost influence upon folk belief as well as in the rising of humanistic motif which is the essential style and character of Tang Novel.