Tang Legends Western Characters

This paper tries to analyze the Hu people images of the western area in the Tang Tales of Marvels by using the theory of imagology of comparative literature. Further it examines the Tang people's understanding and imagination of different area's culture with the background of the Sino-west cultural exchange.The images of Hu monks have the traits , they were of evil spirit and of their native country, they were of evil spirit is the reflection of Tang Buddhism's struggle for balance appeared in the novels, which shows the religious cultural state of mind that the Taoists make the Hu monks to be the evil and put down them. The trait of their native country reflects not only the state of mind that the Central Plain's people analyze the outer affairs with their own ideas. But also the trait that the Buddhists reach a compromise and harmony with the native culture in order to get the survival space.The images of the Hu merchants don't reflect the Sino-west business activity exactly, it only reflects Tang people have a special understanding and imagination that the merchants can recognize the treasure and manage the treasure Hu merchants' recognition of treasure, especially the treasure of Taoism reflects that Tang people mould the images of Hu merchants with their own idea. Hu merchants' recognition of the treasure of the western area reflects Tang people's understanding and imagination of western culture. Tang people's exaggerated imagination of Hu merchants' business ethics such as credit and prestige reflects the impact of the business civilization against the agricultural society which is known as "Cultures shock"Besides Hu monks and Hu merchants there are Hu slaves Hu women, Hu evil and Hu spirit in Tang Tales of Marvels Hu slaves have the special characteristic. While Hu women Hu spirits and Hu evil is apt to be the evil and spirit.The images of Hu people are the result of the collision of the cultures especially among the religious culture and the commercial culture. The images show that the harmony and the collision of the religions culture and the commercial culture is the key part of Tang Sino-west culture exchange.During the course of the harmony and the collision exclusion and fusion are the two inexorable trend Both the exclusion and the fusion reflect Tang people's understanding and imagination of the images and the culture of the different area. They understand and imagine the western area culture. Or they smear and evilize the culture of the different area with their own idea.The studies on the images of Hu people in the Tang Tales of Marvels show that the comparative literature study of the ancient oriental literature field is the precious deposits which is yet to be developed. The study can enlarge the space of comparative literature and it can enrich the theory system of the imagology of comparative literature itself, too.