Shaping of fi ction studies in the pre-Tang period

Abstract

The paper examines the evolutionary process of xiaoshuoxue \嬼[f, or Fiction Studies, in the pre-Tang period, and its ideological and cultural backgrounds. It holds that Xiaoshuoxue has developed its most important concepts by adopting the ideologies of traditional Chinese philosophy and historical science. The most important of them are xiaodao keguan \怱S飰?(minor Tao has its values), cheng’e quanshan `閌vR漊?(to punish the evil and to encourage the good), and chuanwen yici O 曽_彏(hearsays with different versions). And fiction writers in the Six Dynasties made their contributions by summarizing the main characteristics of fiction as recording hearsays , seeking for wonders  and satisfying both eyes and minds, which laid a foundation for later xiaoshuoxue and had far-reaching influences over the creation of fiction creation.