Research On The Gods And Demons In Water Margi

The research subject of this article is Rongyu Tang’s version of Water Margin,which also involves Yuan Wuya’s version of Water Margin and Guanhua Tang’s version of Water Margin,especially the content of Jin Shengtan’s commentary.The term “Shenmo” is a highly summarized description of the “divine and religious setting” in the narrative of Water Margin,revolving around the “Tiangang” and“Disha” who possess both divine and demonic qualities.By starting from this point,one can associate with most of the discussions on religious issues in Water Margin that have already been carried out in the academic world.In the first chapter,the narrative of exile from the mundane world is discussed,summarizing the setting of “Tiangang” and “Disha” as “one body,two grids,and three natures”.The life path of “Tiangang” and “Disha” is divided into “free cultivation”and “regulated cultivation”,and “Tiangang” and “Disha” are classified into two types:“Moxin Weiduan” and “Daoxing Weiwan”.The core concept of “loyalty and righteousness” in the novel is subdivided into “Xingjun’s loyalty and righteousness”and “Mojun’s loyalty and righteousness”.It is believed that the narrative of exile from the mundane world can eliminate the plot tension in the novel,and the “divine and demonic qualities” of “Tiangang” and “Disha” have extremely complex connotations.In the second chapter,using the theory of “sacred space” by the religious scholar Eliade,it is believed that in the world of Water Margin,in addition to the divine realm and the human realm,there is also a real space called “sacred space”,which is generated by religious figures,religious ceremonies,religious places,and religious objects,making it possible for the characters in Water Margin to have contact with the sacred.Through the exploration of sacred space,some long-neglected religious phenomena in the novel can be brought to the surface,especially the role of human sacrifice and its simulated form in awakening and stimulating the divine and demonic qualities of the heroes of Liangshanpo,because the heroes of Liangshanpo can be regarded as a kind of “self-sacrifice” during religious ceremonies.In the third chapter,the divine and demonic qualities of Water Margin and the process of de-divinization and de-demonization are discussed.Water Margin is a literary masterpiece that has undergone long-term accumulation by the people.The author flexibly integrates Taoist concepts such as sacred numbers,star worship,and cultivation into the Water Margin story.It is particularly important to note that the ending of the novel,“Sanchong Fengshen” is a literary expression of the gift bestowal system that emerged in the late Northern Song Dynasty and is a Confucian way of becoming a god.However,after the completion of Water Margin,the evaluations and revisions by Li Zhi and Jin Shengtan have set the tone for de-divinization and de-demonization.In modern times,due to the evolution of the Chinese people’s view of the world from cyclical theory to evolutionary theory and then to historical materialism,and the strong promotion of the elite class,religion is viewed as a feudal superstition that obscures people’s minds.In the era of Disenchantment,the de-divinized and de-demonized Water Margin has become deeply rooted in people’s hearts,making it difficult to reverse.The conclusion suggests that contemporary scholars who study ancient Chinese novels with a homo religiosus need to have an objective and comprehensive understanding of the important role of religion in novel creation and in the daily lives of ancient people.The author also expresses some opinions on the research results of the Taiwan academic community,interdisciplinary research,and breaking down the barriers of genre classification of the chapter novel.