Segment Into Youyang Miscellaneous Zu

This paper studies specifically the You-yang-za-zu, a representative novel in note form in Tang Dynasty, in five chapters.Chapter one touches on the basic issues of Duan Chengshi and his book You-yang-za-zu. It contains two parts, the first part tells about the history of Duan Chengshi, the writing of the book You-yang-za-zu and problems concerning its various version. The Korean xylograph version of the book has provided help on studies of its previous versions. The second part deals with the Duan Chengshi's attitude on writing. Duan Chengshi compiled the' book with scholarly trueness, but also paid particular attention on oddness.The second chapter presents the concept of "naturalistic narrative", probes into the naturalistic features of You-yang-za-zu. At first, it explained the content and stylistic characteristics of naturalistic narrative approaches before Tang Dynasty, and changes of Youyangzazu occurred in Tang Dynasty. Secondly, it discusses the coexistence of knowledgeability and literal arts in naturalistic narratives. In Tang Dynasty, naturalistic narrative was under the influence of history oriented literary works, and its content began to cover history and societies. Influenced by chuan-qi novel, it became longer in volume with meticulous treatment of details. And at least, this chapter investigated the historical social lives reflected in the novel.Chapter three discusses the "religious narrative" in You-yang-za-zu. It first discusses the close ties between "xiaoshuo narrative" and "religious narrative" and depicts the influence of religious background on You-yang-za-zu in Tang Dynasty. It then studies the religious themes in the book in terms of Buddhism, Taoism and folk religions. And finally, it turns its attention to the narrative scenario structures brought about by religious thoughts. It studies the structure of religious narrative by categorizing it into rebirth scenario structure, encounter with celestial being scenario structure and expedition scenario structure.Chapter four analyzed "Sino-foreign narratives" in You-yang-za-zu. At first, it tells about the bourgeoning Sino-foreign exchange situations in Tang Dynasty and exchanges materials provided by You-yang-za-zu. Then it categorizes foreign subject matters in the book into foreign objects, foreign cultures and images of non-Han nationalities. This chapter then dwells on overseas narratives recorded in the novel as well as its influence on domestic narratives. This aspect is reviewed in Western Regions stories, Xinluo stories and minority stories. At last, it studies domestic stories and similar foreign stories.The last chapter discusses the role of You-yang-za-zu played in the development of novels in note forms. First of all, it introduces research trends on novels in note form and research findings, clarifies the concepts of notes and novels in note form and investigates the characteristics of "notes" and "novels" before Tang Dynasty. It then discusses the novels in note form in Tang Dynasty and their special characteristics. Through comparing the style of legends with that of notes, it uncovers the trueness,rusticity and simplicity of novels in note form. It also analyzed the forming of "zazu style" in Tang Dynasty via studying the content of You-yang-za-zu. In the end, it sums up the developments of novels in note form after Tang Dynasty, and reviewed the unique place of novels in note form in the history of China's classical Chinese novels.Conclusion. The conclusion classify the connotative value of You-yang-za-zu into inheritance, uniqueness and openness three parts, and refers to its influence to literary works thereafter.Appendix I. Compare the catalog taxonomy of You-yang-za-zu with Tai-ping-guang-ji Appendix II. Translate important stories in You-yang-za-zu.