A Comparative Study Of "Konjaku Monogatarishu" And "Da Tang Ji Xiyu

The Konjaku-Monogatari Collections is the largest collection of speeches in the history of Japanese literature.It has a wide range of themes and rich contents,and is divided into three parts according to the region: Indian stories,Chinese stories,and Japanese stories,which to a certain extent reflects the twelfth-century Japan’s understanding of the homeland and foreign lands.Among them,the stories of the Indian and Chinese are mainly quoted from some Chinese literary classics,and the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji is typical representative.At present,the relationship between the two texts has attracted attention and a small number of research results have appeared,which provides a good reference and inspiration for the writing of this paper.However,the results have mainly focused on the field of influence study,and most of them focus on the spread and influence of Xuanzang and his westbound stories in Japan,and the relevance of the two texts themselves has not been paid enough attention.In addition,there is a certain degree of comparability between the two in terms of text nature and theme performance,which is suitable for in-depth exploration using the vision and method of parallel comparison.From the perspective of influence study,the text of the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji and the author Xuanzang have either explicit or implicit connections with the KonjakuMonogatari Collections.Xuanzang’s deeds are mentioned from time to time in the Konjaku-Monogatari Collection,and there are many stories based on his experience in seeking the Dharma.Konjaku-Monogatari Collection is directly or indirectly based on the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji text itself,and the traces are more intense,such as the legend of sinhalese,the legend of the lion,the legend of the king of the Ujana kingdom,etc.,which are all examples of the influential relationship between the two.However,in the process of research,it can also be found that the acceptance of the Konjaku-Monogatari Collection for the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji has undergone a certain degree of variation,such as the concretization of the title,the refinement and deletion of related content,and the adaptation of the character identity,character relationship and storyline to meet the acceptance habits of the ethnic group.Therefore,this chapter further combines the theory of variation,analyzes these mutation phenomena one by one,and explores the causes of mutation from the author,reader,and text.The parallel comparison between the Konjaku-Monogatari Collection and Da Tang Xi Yu Ji can be started from two aspects.The first is the literary nature of the two.From a literary point of view,Da Tang Xi Yu Ji is a model of Buddhist literature,and KonjakuMonogatari Collection is a literary work of speech that mixes Buddhist elements with secular characteristics,and there are many similarities and differences between the two in terms of the political and documentary nature of the text.The second is the thematic expression of the two.Both the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji and the Konjaku-Monogatari Collection have a common focus on religious themes,but the specific manifestations show the integration and collision between Buddhism and Confucianism,Wai Tao,Yin and Yang Dao,and Shintoism.The comparative study between the two texts of Konjaku-Monogatari Collection and the Da Tang Xi Yu Ji can not only deeply understand and further highlight the value of the two texts themselves,but also provide certain enlightenment and thinking for the study of cultural exchanges.First,the study of the influence between the two is a concrete embodiment of the literary and cultural relationship between China and Japan in the Middle Ages,and an obvious example of the influence and exchange within the East Asian cultural circle;at the same time,it is also a clear manifestation of the cultural communication vein of India-China-Japan,and the specific practice of interaction and exchange between the South Asian cultural circle and the East Asian cultural circle.Second,the parallel study between the two texts,the common concern of the two texts on social ethics such as filial piety and retribution,and Buddhist principles such as equality and compassion,helps to further understand and highlight the humanistic value and social significance of the two works.