Course info

This course discusses the evolution process and the development of Chinese classical novels of the golden age, i.e. Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty's novels, focusing on "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Water Margin", "Journey to the West ", "The Golden Lotus", "San Yan", "Er Pai", "Strange Tales from the Liao-Zai Studio", "The Scholars", "Dream of the Red Chamber", etc. The ideological contents and artistic features, cultural tradition, nationalistic thoughts and artistic spirits of these classical Chinese novels are explored, thus enhancing student’s knowledge of Chinese classical novels and arousing their interest research in Chinese classical novels.

中国古典小说自六朝志怪、唐人传奇以来渐臻成熟，宋、元、明复在此一基础上发展出笔记体、传奇体之文言小说，进而促进清初融合笔记体及传奇体之巨著《聊斋志异》。然而继承自唐代俗讲(变文)、宋元说话(话本)之明清通俗小说，远较前述文言小说更具备近代小说(novel)的精神。本课程系统讲授中国古代小说的发展，将着重于黄金时期明朝和清朝的小说发展、流变的文学演进过程，并藉由对明清短篇小说《三言二拍》、《聊斋志异》及六大长篇小说——《三国演义》《水浒传》《西游记》《金瓶梅》《儒林外史》《红楼梦》——的导读赏析，提高中文系同学对明清小说的认识，并期能鼓励有志于研究的同学涉猎此一范畴。