Research on Mencian Parables

• Main Authors: Pi-Hsia Chiu, 邱碧霞
• Other Authors: Ye-Lian Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/34411270163778229709

碩士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 漢學資料整理研究所碩士班 === 95 === This research is based on the text of Mencius to investigate the creation backgrounds, subject matter sources, themes, artistry, and styles of Mencian parables and thereby confirm the status of Mencian parables in the Chinese fables history and their values and influences upon the literature of later dynasties. The main discoveries of the research are as follows: First, it is more appropriate to distinguish the Chinese Pre-Qin parables from other fables. The attachment is more important than the narration. The distinction between parables and tropes lies not simply in the existence of story plots but in the process of systematic description and conveying morals with stories within the former, that is, parables are the exercise of analogical demonstration. Mencian parables are created in order to canvass and educate, with which Mencius were not afraid of rubbing majesties the wrong way at all because he advocated the attitude that if one wants to canvass high officials or noble lords, he must despise them first. Second, the subject matter sources of Mencian parables are mythological legends, historical allusions, folklores, and society reflections. Mencian parables do not lack mythology subjects; rather, myths are disguised in the form of historical stories so that they appear more plausible to the listeners and readers, which makes them more convincing. the primary purposes of Mencian parables, which find their most subject matters in historical legends, are, instead of narrating history, to positively attach philosophical themes to these parables, with exhortation and allegory their secondary purposes. Mencian parables are characterized by personages and their ideology emphasizes much the philosophy of political ethics, which forms the mainstream among Pre-Qin parables. The major themes in Mencian parables are: the mentality theory, the self-cultivation theory, the values, the political theory and the contents of ways to associate with the world. Third, the research studies the artery of Mencian parables on the basis of their figures analysis, structural layout, and narrating techniques. Mencius flexibly utilized parables according to different target audiences and most characters in the parables are historical personages. In structural layouts, there are three overall prototypes: independent, juxtaposing, and spiral. The placement of morals in the parable can be divided into four kinds: postpositional, in-between plus postpositional, prepositional plus postpositional, and hidden in the parable. The structural genres can be categorized into three types: narration, dialogue, narration plus dialogue with distinctive narrating techniques. Fourth, the style features of Mencian parables are: preaching benevolent rule of Confucianism and abounding in profound philosophical connotations; forging historical legends and creating immediate figurative analogy; displaying an imposing manner with sharp and forceful wording; fluent and humorous narrating with vivid and graphic images; phrasing briefly and succinctly to create moralities which are newer with time. Their literary values and influences manifest in two ways: forming the rudiment of novels and evolving into proverb allusions.