Tang Dynasty Classical Chinese Novel With The Imperial Examination System

The study of the relationship between classical style Chinese novel and the civil service examination system in Tang Dynasty is a cross-subject study between literature and history. It is full of challenge, for no monographic study works has been published so far.This dissertation is composed of eight chapters except the prelude. The prelude part is the narration of the evolution of the concept of classical style Chinese novel in Tang Dynasty and the origin of the civil service examination system and then draws into thesis. The first chapter is to construct the research platform of the relationship between the rise and fall of classical style Chinese novel and the civil service examination system. The second and the third chapters are to study and narrate the main channels of the enrollment of the civil service examination in detail. The fourth chapter is to probe into the status of Jin Shi course and how the Jin Shi group takes shape. The fifth chapter is to classify and analyze the identity of the writers and the quantity of their works of classical style Chinese novel in Tang Dynasty in the form of table and statistics. In the view that literary salons of those enrolled Jin Shi and candidates help to promote the prosperity of classical style Chinese novel, the sixth chapter is to explain the relationship between the development of classical style Chinese novel and Jin Shi candidates' handing their articles to famous scholars before examination in Tang Dynasty The seventh chapter is to reveal how these candidates' literary lives influence their creative writings of classical style Chinese novel. The eighth chapter is to emerge the civil service examination candidates' life pursuit through their works of classical style Chinese novels in Tang Dynasty.This dissertation puts forward the following main points through overall and systematic probe and study.Firstly, it approximately defines the three periods of the development of classical style Chinese novel in Tang Dynasty and the three corresponding developing stages of the civil service examination system. That is, the rising period and founding stage (from the beginning of Tang Dynasty to the Emperor Dai Zong period with about 160 years); the prosperous period and prevailing stage (from Emperor De Zong period to Emperor Xuan Zong period with about 80 years); and the falling period and corrupting stage (from Emperor Xi Zong period to the end of Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties Period with about 100 years). Among them, the second period is the most remarkable one. On one hand, the writers of classical style Chinese novel appeared in great number and excellent works sprung up greatly, which could be compared favorably with the prosperous scene of poetry; on the other hand, Jin Shi course became the hot course pursued by civil service examination candidates. They who majored in verses had the ability of expressing their ideas and emotion in the form of literature. And as the standard ofenrollment gradually turned into emphasizing "the unity of form and content", they are impelled to pay more attention to the reality and the fantastic in real life. The civil service examination candidates became the most important part of the writers of classical style Chinese novel. They used the form of classical style Chinese novel to narrate social life and pushed the literary procedure of novel system "a leap in Tang Dynasty".Secondly, the identity of the writers of classical style Chinese novel and their works are approximately related with Jin Shi course, Ming Jin course, Zhi Ju course, held by Rites Department, and Ke Mu Xuan course held by Personnel Affairs Department, especially with Jin Shi course. The civil service examination system in Tang Dynasty provided these scholars with the chance to earn scholarly honor or official rank and also helped to activate the social culture. As Jin Shi examination especially emphasized on verses, it guided a direction of the candidates to study, which had profound influence on the pushing the literature developme...