Comparative Study of Fiction in the Mid-Period of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Mainly on Marriage and Love)

Author: Li Hua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: This thesis primarily examines the theme of love and marriage in Chinese and Korean novels during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The topic can be broadly divided into two aspects: First, the love and marriage themes in both countries' novels are influenced by Chinese Confucian thought; second, the expressions of love and marriage in the novels of both countries differ. China and Korea (South Korea) have engaged in numerous cultural exchanges throughout their long history, and literary exchange has been a significant aspect of this. The Joseon Dynasty roughly aligns with the Ming and Qing dynasties in terms of time, and over the span of more than five hundred years, a vast amount of Chinese literary works, including classical novels, were continuously transmitted to Korea, where they were accepted and imitated by local readers. Therefore, incorporating the transmission of Chinese novels in Korea into the research scope has become an important topic for many comparative literature scholars in China and Korea. This thesis primarily examines the theme of love and marriage in Chinese and Korean novels during the Ming and Qing dynasties. To date, there has been no specialized research or monograph on the comparative study of love and marriage motifs in Ming and Qing-era Chinese and Korean novels. Only in some other comparative literature studies on Chinese and Korean novels can one find brief discussions on love novels between the two countries. Regrettably, these works do not provide a thorough and in-depth analysis of the love and marriage motifs in the novels of both countries. "Love and marriage" is the focal point of this thesis. The most important aspect of examining the love and marriage themes in both countries is to combine the sociological and historical research methods that emphasize cultural context with the thematic methods of comparative literature, striving to analyze the interaction between the novels of both countries and the moral and life perspectives of the people. The thesis's topic can be broadly divided into two aspects: First, the love and marriage themes in both countries' novels are influenced by Chinese Confucian thought. After the emergence and development of Confucianism in China, it not only had a profound impact on China but also spread to countries in East Asia, such as Korea, where it merged with the traditional thought of these countries and became an integral part of their intellectual and cultural traditions. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, both China and Korea, whether in terms of authors or readers, were immersed in a shared Confucian cultural atmosphere and accepted the same Confucian concepts. Additionally, the influence of national policies and regulations meant that most writers, acting as "megaphones" for the state's large machine, inevitably reflected the state's ideology through their writings. Second, the expressions of love and marriage in the novels of both countries differ. Shared ideas led to similar themes and emotions in the literatures of both countries. While the novels of Ming and Qing-era China and Korea appeared unified, they were also diverse. This is particularly evident in the expression of love and marriage, especially in how "emotion" and "reason" are handled in the novels. For instance, the "mutual affection" between men and women is expressed more modestly and implicitly in Korean novels compared to Ming and Qing novels, whereas, in contrast, Ming and Qing novels show a more outward and bold expression of ideas and content, as well as a higher number of erotic novels. I believe it is not surprising that the expressions of love and marriage in the novels of both countries exhibit similar phenomena, as shared Confucian thought allows them to express similar themes and emotions. The differences, however, arise because the Korean people, with their cultural mindset of embracing Chinese Confucian culture while retaining their deeply rooted traditional national thought, naturally accepted it. It cannot be denied that the strong emphasis on Confucianism during the Joseon Dynasty influenced the implicit and restrained expression of love and marriage in Korean novels. However, what is more important is the unique "Hwarangdo" spirit of the Korean people, which influenced the creative mindset of writers and the reading preferences of readers. As demonstrated in works like Nokkae-ssi's Love, Korean novels effectively portray both flexibility and rectitude. That is, although Korean novels contain limited descriptions of sexual love, they still express enough love, meaning that the portrayal of love themes is neither rigid nor constrained. This aligns with the harmonious coexistence of morality and pleasure in the Hwarangdo spirit. The Hwarangdo spirit of Korea is a perfect combination of morality and aesthetics. One of the educational principles of Hwarangdo is: "Sharpen each other with righteousness, delight each other with song and music. Wander in mountains and waters, and nowhere is too far." The joyful "song and music," combined with the disciplined and restrained "righteousness," create a balance that prevents rigidity. Moreover, the supervision of "righteousness," or moral norms, ensures that the pursuit of pleasure and play does not lead to moral decline. This philosophy is reflected in the creation of erotic novels in Korea. Even when depicting the seven emotions and six desires of men and women, the novels maintain a sense of "moderation" and do not escalate to the level of "obscene books" that were condemned in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is worth noting that even today, South Korea is arguably the country that preserves the most Confucian ethics in the world. Confucianism has had a widespread and profound impact on Korean society, which is directly related to the fact that Korea has nevered Confucian education and activities. Whether in ancient times or modern times, Korea has inherited China's Confucian tradition, emphasizing the ethical values of society, which has played a significant role in maintaining the purity of social customs and improving the moral standards of the entire population.