Dunhuang Novel Study

There is debate about the bound of Dunhuang novels. Someone thought Bianwen is popular novel in broad sense, while others thought novels collected elsewhere are also Dunhuang novels. We think, those merely collected in library cave of Mogao caves are Dunhuang novels, but not Bianwen in broad sense and those collected outside Dunhuang, and they are thought as a very important part of Chinese ancient novels. Based on the form of style , they can be classified into two types , i.e. old-style novel and popular novel.The old-style novel of Dunhuang can also be classified into two parts, i.e. the fantasies and the anecdote . Based on the intention of production, the fantasies can be classified into two parts, i.e. fantasies of hearsayors and fantasies of Buddhism. It is the fantasies that can represent the narrative accomplishment of the old style novel of Dunhuang. Generally, the fantasies of Dunhuang follow the fantasies of pre-tang , keeping the shape of incomplete and short, emphasizing storytelling ,not paying attention to details and lifelikeness. However , a few production show rather heterogeneity factor, breaking through brief an sketchy visage. Someone are proliferated so much that they have approximately two thousands words. Others criticize realism in religion frame . In the form of narration, some changes have taken place , they use curtail scene and detail depiction, besides summary and abbreviation With intricate details, they embody more doughtier fictional consciousness than pre-Tang fantasies, showing original legendary consciousness. ^As the headstream of Chinese popular novels, Dunhuang popular novels have epoch-making significance, proving that Vernacular stories of Song and Yuan periods stem from Dunhuang popular novel. At the very beginning, Dunhuang popular novels exhibit narrative jumping-off point is not at low level. First, they give priority to narration in sequence, in order to keep clear and consecutive. Second, to boost up vitality and visualization, a great lot of scenes are employed , besides summary and omission. In general, the exertion of senses is rather successful, however there is the shortcoming of misusing scenes, so as to destroy the narrative effects. The form of halt is infrequently used, so it is obvious that phenomenon of using non-plot means intermeddle narration do not stand out at the beginning. Third, they originate a narrative type, in which the narrator lies between the world of story and readers. Forth, in order to create brilliant and vivid characters ,they adopt such means as synthesis , obverse setting off, overstating, contrast and matting. But there are a faulty stroke in painting in some characters, because of improper means. Fifth, Dunhuang popular novel have coalescent arrangement as well as arrangement. Someone make use of notional frame to integrate many plots, someone add subordination events to make the story avoid abrupt, others keep suspense to obtain bewitching effect, etc. In summary, Dunhuang popular novels have far-reaching influence in the history of Chinese literature.