Narration Of Ghosts And Spirits In Dunhuang Novels

Since its discovery in 1900,the Dunhuang Literature manuscripts in the Dunhuang Sutra cave have attracted the attention of the whole world with numerous research topics.Through the close reading and collation of Dunhuang novels,we find that more than 90% of the contents involve ghosts and gods.It can be said that Dunhuang novels narrate around ghosts and gods.This paper uses the method of modern narratology to systematically explore the writing mode of Dunhuang novels,the images of ghosts and gods,and the ideological and cultural connotations behind them.Although the non Buddhist part of Dunhuang ancient novels has the problem of modeling,it is also striving for innovation,which has important research value.The inevitability of heaven’s destiny and the God’s mercy provide the ideological basis for the novel,and inject vitality into the content and plot of the novel.Under the influence of Buddhism,the story types and narrative characteristics of the Buddhist part of Dunhuang ancient novels are full of missionary color.The images of ghosts and gods are also set up around how to better publicize the doctrines,showing different styles and characteristics from other ancient novels;compared with ancient novels,popular novels are longer and more literary,showing different images o f ghosts and gods,reflecting the integration of Confucianism,Taoism,Buddhism and ideas,and enhancing the entertainment of stories;Dunhuang novels are more and more about Buddhism There are traces that have been sorted out by Buddhists,which is closel y related to the propaganda of Buddhist doctrines.From the analysis of karma,hell trial and stories of eminent monks,we can see that Buddhists are good at grasping the people’s psychology of seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages and advocating the spirit of this world,and popularizing the profound Buddhist principles.