Research On Zhong Kui

Zhong Kui cultural “program” began to be constructed from the Song Dynasty. Thesource of information was diachronic literature and synchronic living and oral culture.Through the participation and textualization of scholars, it developed with printingand papermaking technology and was widely circulated. However, Zhong Kuiliterature before the Song Dynasty existed only in fragments. We can only use theseliteratures to reflect the implied Zhong Kui Concept. Therefore, this paper tries toexplore the reflection and diachronic evolution of Zhong Kui Concept in literature.The research span was from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the NorthernSong Dynasty (about the5th to12th Century). According to different literaturecharacteristics at different ages, they are divided into three major topics. These threetopics constitute a longitudinal and continuous clue.Present in the Northern and Southern Dynasties literature were only records aboutseveral names called “钟葵(Zhong Kui)”. It belonged to the pop fashion at that time,namely, naming people after birds, animals, ghosts and gods. From the correlativethinking in naming habits, we can catch a glimpse of some information about ZhongKui Concept. Besides, in Dunhuang literature in the Tang Dynasty, there appeared thewritten word,“中夔(Zhong Kui)”. To explore the connotations of “夔(Kui)” is justthe turning point to understand the origin of Zhong Kui Concept.Till the Tang Dynasty, Zhong Kui Concept has been confirmed as to ward off evilsand was demonstrated on the exorcising ceremonies. At that time, the term“exorcising” already contained the meaning of “play” and was obviously influencedby foreign culture. It can be seen that Zhong Kui was given a visualized description.Through the material culture embodied in costumes, we can study and compare itssymbolic meanings.After the Tang Dynasty, Zhong Kui culture has flourished. Folk custom prevailed.Images were widely spread. Scholars began to pay close attention to the origin of Zhong Kui culture. Literature was sorted and recorded. Zhong Kui-based texts alsoincorporated the concept of time and scenery and formed basic programs and styles,which built a solid paradigm in custom, images and story texts, etc.