A Study On The Evolution Of Chivalrous Reward Motif In Water Margin Stories Of The Ming Dynasty

The tradition of writing chivalrous reward motif in Chinese literature and history materials has a long history,as an important part of describing chivalrous reward motif,shuihu stories showed Liang Shan heroes' personality spirit of rigorous implementation of gratitude ethics,upholding morality and saving the poor.The emergence of Shuihuzhuan during late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty triggered the constant rewriting of shuihu stories in various styles such as dramas,legends and novels.The paper takes the concrete manifestations of chivalrous reward motif in different periods of the Ming Dynasty as the entry point,and uses the thematic and narratological methods to study the laws and reasons of evolution.The introduction of the paper reviews the origin of the topic,the research object and the previous researches progress.Among them,the definition of the research object is the point.The first chapter summarizes chivalrous reward motif in shuihu stories before the Ming dynasty,and points out that it lays the foundation for motif's evolution in later ages.The second chapter discusses that the novel Shuihuzhuan in late Yuan dynasty and early Ming dynasty,comprehensively enriched the motif of chivalrous reward.It includes four aspects: the images of reward men,the changes of reward concept,the characteristics of reward description,and the functions of reward plots.Among them,the reward content is divided into three categories: gratitude for the superior appreciative of one's ability,rewarding the loved ones,and rewarding one's rescue inspired by code of brotherhood.As a narrative strategy,the functions of chivalrous reward plots are as follows: constructing Liang Shan group,developing the plots,showing the fate of characters and repairing ethics.The third chapter summarizes characteristics of the Ming dynasty dramas and legend,which contains three parts: the reward man as a loyal minister,the women helping to reward,adopting and discarding reward content.In the Ming dynasty shuihu operas,reward acts basing on the code of brotherhood were marginalized,while the reward centering on “loyalty” became the theme of the stories.At the same time,plots about “fealty” reflected a general anxiety growing out of the dilemma of loyalty and filial piety,even giving up “fealty” for “loyalty”.The fourth chapter researches chivalrous reward motif in the continuations of Shuihuzhuan.Jinpingmei formed an ironic effect through borrowing the plot of “Wu Song killing his sister-in-law”.Shuihuhouzhuan and Hou shuihuzhuan,on the one hand retained the traces of imitation;on the other hand,they both had some new changes out of the maternal,such as the change of reward background,the symbolized reward man,more complicated plots and the variation of themes.The study on evolution of chivalrous reward motif in water margin stories will contribute to a rational knowledge of reward and developing this traditional ethic to adapt to the needs of times.