Sdudies On The Image Of Figures Of Chuang Tzu

Characters in Chuang Tzu, which are vast in number and complicated in image, had been researched by people in the past. But most of the researches were focused on the characters and the names of them and were not systematized. Modern scholars have paid their attention to the images in the text and made the fruitful results. However, few monographs have made comprehensive textual criticism and explanations of all the figures and images in the book.Compared with other Pre-Qin philosophers’ books, various characters shaped in Chuang Tzu became miracles. According to the author’s survey data, there are over230figures in Chuang Tzu, including not only pre-qin philosophers such as lao tzu, Confucius and Hui Shi, but also the princes, dukes and ministers, labors of low classes, as well as a serious of authentic or fictional sages and hermits like Nanguo Ziqi, Bohun Wuren and so on. Among all the figures, the most unique ones are those who were endowed with implications. They are either images named by abstract concept (like Chaos or Wu Zu) or deformed images(such as Shushan The Toeless) and so on. By shaping these characters, Chuang Tzu was aimed at making vivid and specific explanation of his proposition-Taoism.With a comprehensive arrangement and analysis of characters, we can get a better understanding of Chuang Tzu’s proposition when reading through his books.Several parts are included in the body of these thesis:First part:the introduction. A brief introduction of reasons of choosing this topic, current situation and approaches of the research; a textual research of Chuang Tzu himself and his book, a brief introduction of figures in the book as well.Second part:Images of figures in Chuang Tzu. Figures referred to in this book include Confucianists, Taoists, Logicians and Mohist. After comprehensive examination and weigh, the author focus on the images of Confucius as well as his disciples,Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu and Hui Shi.Third part:Images of figures with implicated meanings. These figures are good illustrations of the grotesque feature of Chuang Tzu’s writings. These figures can be divided into three categories--images named by abstract concept, deformed images, sages and hermits, whose appearance also aimed at the elaboration of Taoism.Forth part:Other characters. These characters can be divided in to three categories according to their different social status--the princes, duke and monitors,as well as ordinary labors. The images of ordinary labors illustrate the book’s lifelization and plebification.Fifth part:Conclusion. A brief summary of Taoism illustrated by characters in Chuang Tzu.