A Study of Sian Yuan Ji Shih － From its Sources to the Compilation

• Main Authors: Si-Yu, Lai, 賴思妤
• Other Authors: Fon-Mao, Lee
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/gag93c

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 中國語文學系 === 97 === According to the presently available references, there are at least three collections of tales of the Taoist goddesses in China: Du Guang Ting’s 杜光庭 (850-933) Yong Cheng Ji Xian Lu墉城集仙錄, Zhao Dao Yi’s趙道一 (fl. 1264-1336) Li Xian Ti Dao Tong Jian Hou Ji歷仙體道通鑑後集, and Yang Er Zeng’s楊爾曾 (fl. 1574-1626) Sin (Xin) Juan Xian Yuan Ji Shi 新鐫仙媛紀事. Among the three works, Xian Yuan Ji Shi compiled the most tales. Although its contents greatly overlaps Yang’s predecessors’ works, it contains abundant information about the development of the writing about deities. Therefore, Xian Yuan Ji Shi could be considered a comprehensive work of the tales of goddesses. Furthermore, because Xian Yuan Ji Shi is the first work that was written and compiled in the Taoist tradition of writing about sacredness not by a Taoist monk as usual but by a literati instead, it occupies a very important status in the history of the biography writing about Taoist Goddesses. In addition, the fact that all the three collections of tales about goddesses were coincidentally created at the end of different dynasties is also a fact worthy to be noticed. In the period when the three religions converged into one and all the values were re-shaped, Xian Yuan Ji Shi was published in 1602（萬曆三十年）. After having undergone adaptations and transformations, compared with the former tales of deities, Xian Yuan Ji Shi already had a higher literary value to some degree and blended material from Buddhist and folk beliefs. Because its illustrations were produced in Huang’s Carving, the best and the most renowned carving workshop in late Ming Dynasty, it is regarded as a prominent piece of art created by the Hui School of engraving. Meanwhile, the readers were increasing as the purpose of the composition of Taoist literary works was changing. The literary works in this genre undoubtedly spread more widely without the limitation exerted by the tradition of the teaching of the Taoist priests. The general public’s understanding of religious figures was shaped exactly by these literary works, and these images reflect back to Taoism. However, in the period when the publishing business was prosperous and when the subject matter of goddesses was everywhere to be seen in plenty of references, Xian Yuan Ji Shi did not attract much attention at all, and it was quickly lost for unknown reasons. The features of the spirit of Taoism and the cultural context reflected by the creation of this book might be a clue for understanding the complicated culture of Taoist thought in the Ming Dynasty. The expression of “From Mo-Chi Valley to Zhi-Heng Mountain” could be the most suitable footnote to describe Yang Er Zeng’s life experience and publishing career. In view of the order of all the books he published and the transition of all the names with which he named himself, the progress in Yang’s religious thinking becomes obvious. Yang struggled to pass the imperial examination, and it became even more difficult to pass as he kept growing old. As a literati who believed in loyalty and piety, yet who always failed to pass the imperial examination, his absolute sincerity could be found everywhere in his religious publications. In addition, his Hou Mei Ju Tan狐媚藂談, Chu Xiang Xu Zhen Jun Jing Ming Zong Jiao Lu出像許真君淨明宗教錄, and Xiu Xiang Han Xiang Zi Quan Zhuan繡像韓湘子全傳 etc. are all important Taoist texts. Through these works of Yang that use religion as a main theme and are edited in an interesting and understandable way for educative purpose, the attitudes of “aspiration for Dao and possession of virtues” and “following the benevolence and wandering in art” that were held by a well-educated man of trades, and his dilemma of balancing his spiritual ideal with reality, are thus able to be explored for understanding the very essence of the contemporaneous religious publishing activities and the publishing culture in late Ming Dynasty. The biographies of Taoist goddesses blend multiple levels of cultural elements, thus they are indeed important material for understanding Taoist culture and the Taoist awareness of gender. Though Xian Yuan Ji Shi was entitled “Xian Yuan” (Taoist goddesses), the words “Xian Yuan” appear just once throughout the whole book. These two words do not appear in the former two books of the collections of tales about Taoist goddesses. As to the text in Zheng Tong Dao Zang 正統道藏 in the Ming Dynasty, the words “Xian Yuan” appear only in Du Guang Ting’s Dao Men Ke Fan Da Quan Ji道門科範大全集. Tracing back all biographies of Taoist goddesses and the other historical material, we see that the imagery of “女仙如媛” originated from theTang Dynasty. The two words adopted in Xian Yuan Ji Shi published in late Ming Dynasty could be considered a sign of maturity, making Yang’s unique ideas of entitling the book “Xian Yuan” even more prominent. The records of deities are nowhere to be found in historiography, yet relevant comments are everywhere in all kinds of books, Yan Er Zeng’s pubications are spread in different parts of the world but with no records of them, which makes it difficult to recover the relevant material in the books overseas. By arranging complicated material, and by beginning with the important text on Taoist goddesses, Xian Yuan Ji Shi, this thesis hopes to discuss the process of transition of the images of Taoist goddesses in order to understand further the Taoist thought and the cultural meaning behind the construction of the image of Taoist goddesses by literati in the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, this thesis wishes to provide a clearer and deeper perspective on the new values shaped by Taoism in the Ming Dynasty.