The Study About Fairyland Excursion Literature Before Tang Dynasty

Till now, studying related to fairyland excursion literature has achieved great outcomes no matter on the aspect of quantity or quality, the outcomes are especially apparent on the field of poem studying related to fairyland excursing. While what should be noticed is that the current studying about fairyland excursion literature has some drawbacks. To put it in details, the current study just focused on some important poets and writers in specific time periods rather than making comments on fairyland excursion literature’s development from a historical and macroscopic view. Even in those papers and monographs focusing on the initiating and developing of fairyland excursion poems, this problem still exists. Take this for an example, Wei and Jin dynasties are the booming periods of fairyland excursion literature creating, but in current studying on this aspect, most scholars just paid attention on some important poets like Qu Yuan, Cao Cao, Cao Zhi, Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, Guo Pu, and their poems, the other poets and writers can’t be taken into their consideration, especially the fairyland excursion literature in West Jin dynasty, it was ignored by most of the scholars in this studying field.Furthermore, there are lots of description related to fairyland excursion in the essays and metrical essays written by literati before Tang dynasty. For example, in the long time period before Qin dynasty, the description on immortal and top talented people’s appearance by Zhuang Zi can be considered as a real work of fairyland excursion literature, in addition, some fairyland excursion description in Han dynasty’s feature-length metical essays is helpful for displaying the prestige of the empire of Han, some imitations of Chu songs also expressed the feeling against the reality or the hope of withdrawing from the society by their fairyland excursion description. Beside these, some famous writers in Wei, Jin and Nan&Bei dynasty like Ruan Ji, Lu Ji, Sun Chuo and Shen Yue also took fairyland excursion description into their essays or metrical essays, these are also the important components of fairyland excursion literature. But most of the contents mentioned above haven’t been put on focus except for the essays and metrical essays in the period of pre-Qin and Han dynasty. This is a huge drawback of the study of fairyland excursion literature.Finally, the novels expressing the desire of fairyland and despising of reality by fairyland excursion description are also important components of fairyland excursion literature. Lots of strange stories collections in Wei, Jin and Nan&Bei dynasty include the novels describing the excursing of fairyland by common people and their meeting with immortals. Although some scholars have discussed the definition, classification, development and characteristics of fairyland excursion novels, the discussions still seem to be a bit superficial, lacking of consideration from a systematical view. So the study of fairyland excursion novels is also an important research goal of this dissertation.The introduction part of this dissertation firstly tried to make a definition to the core conceptions. Then it made a review of the current research achievements related to fairyland excursion literature, talked about the achievements the current research has made. Finally, it laid out the drawbacks and problems in current research, which naturally led to the meaningfulness and research thoughts of this dissertation.The first chapter focused on fairyland excursion literature of pre-Qin period. In the time period before Qin dynasty, fairyland excursion literature occurred and achieved its initial developing. In this chapter, the dissertation firstly focused on the background of the initiating and developing of fairyland excursion literature. In my point of view, the desiring of living forever and freely fling to the sky are the primary reasons impelling the occurrence of immortal thoughts and fairyland excursion literature, meanwhile the connection between wizards and immortal makes the communication between people and immortal possible, the fairy tales about Kun Lun and Peng Lai are also helpful for the occurrence of fairyland excursion literature. Beside these, the Taoism theories created by Lao Zi and Zhuang Zi, the vital essence theory created by Ji Xia philosophers, and the Yin-yang and Five elements theory created by Zou Yan also influenced the fairyland excursion literature before Qin dynasty greatly. After introducing the background of the fairyland excursion literature in this period, the chapter secondly discussed the purport and artistic expression of the detailed works of fairyland excursion literature in pre-Qin period. On the aspect of essays, some works like《Xiao Yao You》in《Zhuang Zi》created a grand and graceful world for imagination by describing the appearance of immortal and top talented people, meanwhile laid a foundation for the fairyland excursion literature to express Daoism and metaphysics theories. On the aspect of poems,《Li Sao》written by Qu Yuan and《Yuan You》in Chu songs opened the tradition of expressing personal emotions. In addition, metrical essays written by Song Yu include some instinctive fairyland excursion descriptions. Especially those works displaying the meeting and love between people and fairy maiden have great influence on fairyland excursion literature of later ages.The second chapter discussed the condition of the creating of fairyland excursion literature in Qin and Han dynasty. Qin dynasty is quite short-lived. Fairyland excursion literature work created in this period is quite rare, let alone the loss of the poem of《Xian Zhen Ren》, the only fairyland excursion work created in this period recorded by history book, so the condition of Qin dynasty is just included in the first section of this chapter. Han dynasty is the time period that fairyland excursion literature achieved great progress, which is also the focus of this chapter. The chapter firstly discussed the background of fairyland excursion literature of Han dynasty. In my point of view, the desire of immortal by emperor Han Wu Di, the superstitious belief of Han dynasty, the grandiose culture atmosphere, the pursuit of pleasure by people and the supernatural being thoughts reflected in early Daoism classics all influenced the fairyland excursion literature of Han dynasty. The chapter secondly discussed detailed works of fairyland excursion literature of Han dynasty. The fairyland excursion works in the folk songs and ballads collected by Han government, the nineteen《Jiao Si Ge》, the fairyland excursion description in feature-length metrical essays, imitation to Chu songs and Chu type metrical essays were discussed one by one. The fairyland excursion description in collected strange stories was also discussed finally in this chapter. By doing this, the desire for immortal’s fine life in Han dynasty’s fairyland excursion literature was concluded.The third chapter discussed the fairyland excursion literature in Wei dynasty. The fairyland excursion literature in this period achieved bigger progress on the basis of fairyland excursion literature of Han dynasty. The fairyland excursion literature in Wei dynasty embodied vivid style of emotion expressing. This chapter firstly discussed the background of the fairyland excursion literature of this period. In my point view, the chaos caused by wars between three kingdoms, the tragic life feeling of people, the occurrence and rise of metaphysics and the early development of Daoism influenced the fairyland excursion literature greatly. The chapter secondly discussed the fairyland excursion poems of Cao Cao, Cao Zhi, Ruan Ji and Ji Kang, this part firstly investigated the experiences of these poets and their supernatural being thoughts, then analyzed the feeling hidden in their poems, then analyzed the different displaying of the characteristic of emotion expressing of the fairyland excursion literature in Wei dynasty, and finally discussed the fairyland excursion description in essays and metrical essays of Cao Zhi, Ruan Ji and Ji Kang.The forth chapter discussed the fairyland excursion literature of West Jin dynasty. The development of fairyland excursion literature of West Jin dynasty is relatively slow compared to the condition of Han and Wei dynasty. The style of this period’s fairyland excursion literature presents the regression to the desire of immortal’s fine life, but taking artistic expression into consideration, West Jin’s fairyland excursion literature still presents some distinguishing features and changes. In my point of view, some backgrounds like loose culture atmosphere, polybasic culture condition and the combination of the lifestyle of entering into politics and withdrawing from society all influenced the fairyland excursion literature of West Jin dynasty greatly. After this, the chapter discussed the fairyland excursion poems, the fairyland excursion description in essays and metrical essays in this period, and the fairyland excursion novels written by Zhang Hua and Wang Fu. By doing this, the main features of West Jin’s fairyland excursion literature were concluded.The fifth chapter discussed the fairyland excursion literature of East Jin dynasty. East Jin dynasty’s fairyland excursion literature presents booming development compared to the condition of West Jin dynasty. This chapter firstly discussed the background of the fairyland excursion literature of East Jin dynasty. In my point of view, the attitude of muddling along by East Jin government, the impacts to society and culture by metaphysics, and the development of Daoism all influenced the fairyland excursion literature in East Jin dynasty greatly. The chapter secondly discussed the detailed works of the fairyland excursion literature in this period. On the aspect of fairyland excursion poems, Guo Pu’s poems combined the desire to immortal’s fine life and the tradition of emotion expressing, which could be regarded as the highest achievement in fairyland excursion poem creating. In addition, other poets in East Jin dynasty like Yu Chan, Tao Yuan Ming and Yang Xi all wrote some fairyland excursion poems, especially to mention Yang Xi, whose fairyland excursion poems opened the tradition of Daoism style writing in fairyland excursion poems in Nan&Bei dynasty. On the aspect of essays and metrical essays,《You Tian Tai Shan Fu》by Sun Chuo combined the themes of fairyland excursion, landscape writing and metaphysics theories demonstration. There are lots of fairyland excursion description in Ge Hong’s《Bao Pu Zi》too. In East Jin dynasty, plentiful fairyland excursion novels are created, these are important components of East Jin dynasty’s fairyland excursion literature too. This chapter made comprehensive comments and detailed analyses on the novels expressing the stories of common people entering fairyland and meeting with immortal, and then summarized the substance of these stories.The sixth chapter discussed the fairyland excursion literature of Nan&Bei dynasty. Being similar to the condition of West Jin dynasty’s condition, the study of the development of Nan&Bei dynasty’s fairyland excursion literature is the weak link of the whole fairyland excursion literature research. Although the purport of the fairyland excursion literature in this period seems to be returning to the desire of immortal’s fine life, the style of representing Daoism theory and Daoist’s life makes it distinguished from former dynasty’s fairyland excursion literature. On the aspect of artistic expressing, Nan&Bei dynasty’s fairyland excursion literature presented some changes. The poems of Bao Zhao, Shen Yue and Yu Xin and some of the fairyland excursion novels presented innovation and changes compared with the fairyland excursion literature in former ages. Especially to mention the fairyland excursion novels of this period, compared with Jin dynasty’s fairyland excursion novels, the length of stories is increased, and the writing skill is improved. This chapter firstly discussed the background of the fairyland excursion literature of this period. In my point of view, the different styles of literature in south and north, the decrease of the influence of famous and privileged families and the fade of the impact of metaphysics, the rise of poems writing about landscape, the development of Daoism and the occurrence of "Yong Ming" style and "Gong" style literature all influenced the fairyland excursion literature of Nan&Bei dynasty greatly. The chapter secondly discussed the detailed condition of the fairyland excursion literature creating from the aspects of poems, essays and metrical essays and novels.The seventh chapter discussed the influence of the fairyland excursion poems and fairyland excursion novels before Tang dynasty to the literature of Tang dynasty. Compared to essays and metrical essays, poems and novels possess more important positions in the fairyland excursion literature, their influences to the literature of Tang dynasty are also more apparent, so the chapter only focused on the influence of the fairyland excursion poems and fairyland excursion novels to the literature of Tang dynasty. On the one hand, the fairyland excursion poems of Tang dynasty presented the characteristics of the combination of travelling in mountain and fairyland excursing and the combination of erotic writing style and fairyland excursing. These two characteristics are influenced by the fairyland excursion literature before Tang dynasty. On the other hand, the influences of the fairyland excursion novels to the literature of Tang dynasty mainly lie in two aspects, which are the fact that the poets in Tang dynasty often took the stories in fairyland excursion novels into their poem creating and the inheritance of fairyland excursion novel’s writing skills by tales of marvels in Tang dynasty.The conclusion part of the dissertation summarized the issues discussed in the former seven chapters, concluded the style and features of each time period’s fairyland excursion literature and the characteristics of each type of writing.To conclude, this dissertation made a systematic and detailed investigation and discussion on the fairyland excursion literature from pre-Qin period to Nan&Bei dynasty on a historical view. This dissertation is composed of the fairyland excursion literature of pre-Qin period, Qin and Han dynasty, Wei dynasty, West Jin dynasty, East Jin dynasty and Nan&Bei dynasty. In each part, the dissertation firstly analyzed the background of the occurrence and development of the fairyland excursion literature, then discussed the creating condition, the substance and the artistic expressing of the fairyland excursion literature, and finally discussed the influence of the fairyland excursion literature before Tang dynasty to the literature of Tang dynasty. By doing these, the dissertation tried to present a theoretical, systematical, and comprehensive research in the field of the fairyland excursion literature.