The Ideas Of Fate In The Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty Novels

Buddhism possesses a very important position and has a high social and historical value in traditional Chinese culture.It greatly influenced Chinese literature and art.At the core of the Buddhist thought is the origin of fate.The so-called "origin of fate" means that the occurrence,development and death of all things or phenomena are determined by certain relations and conditions and nothing is perpetual.As a traditional mentality and cultural accumulation,the Buddhist ideas of fate have obviously influenced the Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels.Such novels as "A Dream of the Red Mansion","Outlaws of the Marsh" and "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" have all displayed the ideas of fate.Some novels suggest or are even directly entitled "fate", such as "A Predestined Marriage in the Awakened World" "A Predestined Marriage in the Mirror" and "An Afterlife Marriage by Fate" etc.The Buddhist ideas of fate,so to speak,have not only influenced but also enriched the creation of Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels.This paper falls into six parts.The introduction part gives a brief account of the present studies of the Buddhist ideas of fate,the methods used and the significance of the studies.In the main part,Chapterâ… defines the concept and sphere of the Buddhist ideas of fate and discusses the meaning and evolution of the origin of the Buddhist fate; chapterâ…¡classifies the texts of the Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels that display the ideas of fate and categorizes them as the "the Law of Fate," "Buddhism Retribution", "Origin of fate and Buddhism","Buddhism samsara";Chapterâ…¢discusses the influences of the Buddhist ideas of fate on the Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels,focusing the analysis on the Buddhist influences on Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels in the five respects of time-space structure,mode of narration,structure of plot,creation of characters and artistic motives.Also the influences are summed up in terms of how the capacities and expressions of the novels are strengthened,how the special time scenes and narrative structures are constructed and how the main plots are arranged.Chapterâ…£aesthetically considers the ideas of fate of the Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels from the perspectives of constructing a tragic atmosphere,a unique form of aestheticism,a transformation of an aesthetic realm and consciousness,and increasing the philosophical charm.The paper finally points out that the Buddhist ideas of fate have enriched the Ming-and-Qing-Dynasty novels,and meanwhile,in the course of exchange, the authors had a dialogue with the Indian Buddhism in the context of the Chinese culture,thus melting and transforming the manifestations of the Buddhist ideas of fate.