怪誕小説——《西遊補》和《斬鬼傳》

The Grotesque in Xiyou Bu（《西遊補》）and Zhangui Zhuan（《斬鬼傳》）

Abstract

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.

本文的寫作目的在探討《西遊補》和《斬鬼傳》兩本小説，是否屬於怪誕作品。怪誕的基調就是可怖與可笑兩種相異的情緒，互相衝擊而產生的不協調感覺。怪誕藝術與變形有着千絲萬縷的關係，人獸混合的變形，或者是由人變獸、由獸變人的轉變，都會產生滑稽與恐怖的怪誕情調。怪誕藝術與變形有關，它除了製造可笑與可怖的怪誕情緒外，更予人驚愕及誇張之感。此外，怪誕藝術中所表現的陌生化世界，亦與夢境和超實主義有關。

《西遊補》和《斬鬼傳》兩本小説，都是屬於怪誕諷刺類作品。《西遊補》最精彩的怪誕描述，就是行者在未來世界中審訊秦檜，以及秦檜在地獄中被變形為馬、螞蟻和“蜻蜓”等片斷。至於《斬鬼傳》中的“人鬼”，都是人類不良癖性的化身。五鬼鬧鍾馗一幕，可説是全書最精彩之處。五鬼的“兒戲”、笑話加上負屈斬鬼的恐怖，令這幕充滿可笑復恐怖的不協調感。這篇文章分為下列幾個部份：

一 怪誕的定義
二 不協調的基調
三 怪誕中的反常
四 怪誕中的誇張
五 怪誕與諷刺畫
六 怪藝藝術的清滌作用
結論

The objective of this article is to examine whether Xiyou Bu and Zhangui Zhuan belong to the category of grotesque novels, “Grotesque” always been merged with satire and it is an opposition to the “Sublime” type of literature.

The basic idea regarding grotesque is the tone of incongruity. What contributes to this tone is the controversial feelings of horror and laughter being aroused simultaneously. Very often, grotesque has been regarded as a kind of black humour.

Besides the tone of incongruity, grotesque literature frequently associate with exaggeration, abnormal presentation, caricature type of description as well as responsible for producing the effect of shock and surprise.

In Liu Zhang（劉璋）: Zhangui Zhuan, the national hero Zhong Kui （鍾馗）killed different “spirits” in the human world. These “spirits” actually represent different vices in men. The luster monk keeps a group of his mistresses in a religious temple. The mean- spirited miser at the moment when he breathes his last, still rises up and makes sure that his son will be smart as not to be cheated by others. The luster, the miser and all the other thirty-six “spirits” are allegorical figures representing different human follies. These “spirits” creates funs and horror at the same time. Take the scene of the five spirits making fun of Zhong Kui as an example. It begins as a joke and ends up as a slaughter. It is a world of topsy turvydom that the “spirits” get the upper hand but it is also a world of funs with the national hero becomes a drunken man. This comic atmosphere changes to a battle ground of slaughter when the general of Zhong Kui return. Both laughter as well as fear aroused simulaneously and create a sense of incongruity.

As for Xiyou Bu, it is also a grotesque novel. The grotesque elements mainly concentrate in chapter 8 and 9 where Wu-kong (悟空) acts as the supreme judge of the underworld and Qin Hui (秦檜) becomes the criminal. This court trial scene builds a wonderful atmosphere of grotesque into the novel. The type of punishment that Qin Hui receives invokes both laughter and fear.

As for the content outline, this article falls into the following parts:

1) Definition of the grotesque:
The definitions put forward by Philip Thomson and Wolfgang Kayser have been examined careful to get a more acceptable definition of the grotesque.2) The grotesque and incongruity:
Incongruity is the tone of the grotesque. Controversial feelings of fear and happiness aroused simultaneously contribute to the tone of incongruity.
3) The grotesque and the Abnormal presentation and reduction are techniques to devalue the target of satire.
4) The grotesque and the Exaggeration.
5) The grotesque and the Caricature:
Just like caricature, characters appear in the grotesque literature are queer, exaggerated, and strike out to be the target of satire.
6) Cathartic Effect:
The release of anxiety aroused by the grotesque literature helps readers to strike a balance in the upset disturbing mood.
7) Conclusion:
The relationship between grotesque and satire.