Study Of Current Events Fiction Of The Ming And Qing Dynasties

The author, in this thesis, analyzed and researched the background characteristic of times that the current-event novels occurred in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties and the social psychology of that era which the current-event novels reflected. This research targets at 15 current-event novels written from late Wanli Period of Ming Dynasty to early Kangxi Period of Qing Dynasty. The whole thesis is composed of the introduction and four chapters.The author defined the concept of the current-event novels and the research scope of this thesis at the first section of the introduction. Then he sorted out the developing and evolving history of the current-event novels, at the second section of the introduction, which evolved, from the traditional historical novels "based on the history books" into "the novels on current dynasty", and then further into the current-event novels recording the important national or military events. The author reviewed the current research conditions on the current-event novels, at the third section of the introduction, and decided to take a try on giving a historical interpretation of the current-event novels by way of combining the literary methods with the historical methods.The author discussed the historical and cultural background which the current-event novels occurred at the first chapter. First of all, the author, by way of investigating the political situations and ideological trends of that time, analyzed the influence on the occurrence of the current-event novels, imposed by the major theme of that era, that is, to save the in-peril nation, and the ideological trend for real learning. In the meantime, the author also proved that the current-event novels are a component of the literature on current events in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.The author made a comprehensive analysis of the content of the literature on current events at the second and third chapters. The author, at the second chapter, mainly discussed the enthusiasm and ideals of the people of that time on paying attention to the reality and seeking for ways to save the in-peril nation by way of sorting out those contents to sing in praises of the heroes, justice, faithfulness, filial piety, moral integrity and loyalty. The people, facing the severe social crisis, wished that the heroes could save the nation, so they summoned the faithful and brave people to contain the crafty and fawning people and protect the nation by way of literary works; the people, facing the decaying public morals, wished that the traditional ethic and morals could save the society, so they praised and encouraged the faithfulness, filial piety, moral integrity and loyalty by way of literary works. They sung in praises of the people's violent activities against the crafty and fawningpeople, but belittled the peasants' uprisings based on the standard that whether the civil commotion is loyal to the emperors of the Ming Dynasty or not. The third chapter is about the content on sorting out or criticizing the current malpractices which are proved by the historical data, and vice versa. The author analyzed the criticism and profound consideration, made by the people of that time, on such social conditions as the eunuchs, struggles among political groups, armament, and administration of officials by way of combining the literature with history. In conclusion, all the above-mentioned contents have concretely demonstrated the people's positive idea to go into the society whether they actively sought for the road to save the nation or criticized or reconsidered the social malpractices of that time. The author, at the final section, analyzed the survived Ming Dynasty-adherent writers' lament over the dead and yearn for the Ming Dynasty after the Ming Dynasty has be replaced by the Qing Dynasty, and their embarrassing and contradictive psychology, facing the difficult condition whether to pay allegiance to the Qing Dynasty or not, under the ruling of the Qing Dynasty. The author also made a contrast on idea and sentiment between such s...