陈 洪 南开大学
Chen, Hong, Nan Kai University
原文Original
明清小说中的“三教争胜”描写与宗教生态
明清小说与宗教文化有着密切的关联，几乎所有重要的作品中都有或多或少的宗教描写。在这些描写中，“三教合一”的场景不时出现，成为中国一般民众宗教观念的典型表达。与此同时，“三教争胜”的描写也频频出现于作品。有趣的是，这种描写又往往与“三教合一”的内容共生，而大多数白话通俗小说，都是在类似的模式、框架中展开宗教描写的。
小说中“三教合一”的观念及其文学表现，已有学者论及，而“三教争胜”的描写及其多方面研究价值，似尚未引起足够的注意。本文从几个典型个案入手，分说其思想、文化内涵，并追踪摄迹，透视其反映的宗教生态。
如《西游记》中佛、道争胜的情节，以车迟国一节最为典型。这一节由44回到47回前半，共计三回半书。统共一百回的《西游记》，用三回半的篇幅来写一场冲突，全书中是少见的，可见其“重头戏”的分量。我们有理由讲：车迟国一段是百回本作者为表达释道争胜的意图，自觉加工创作出来的。
又如《西游记》中孙悟空的师傅形象，也与这一话题密切相关。
《封神演义》是正面论及“三教”话语最多的白话小说之一，同时也是教门争胜色彩最强烈的作品。即以有关“云中子”、“黄龙真人”等内容论，则扬道抑佛的倾向十分显明，甚至是在直接和《西游记》唱对台戏。
其他如《西洋记》、《野叟曝言》等，亦各有独特之处。
如同小说中的“三教合一”是现实中“三教合一”的反映一样，小说中的“三教争胜”同样反映了现实社会生活中的宗教文化冲突。
译文Translation
Depictions of the ‘Competition of Religions’ in Ming and Qing Novels and their Religious Setting
Novels in the Ming and Qing Dynasties are closely related to China’s religious cultures. Almost all important works contain descriptions of religions. Depictions of China’s ‘Unity of Three Religions’ are quite common, as befits typical religious expression for many ordinary Chinese people. At the same time, there are descriptions of ‘the Competition of Religions’. Interestingly, these descriptions of religious competition are put side by side with the depictions of the unity of the religions. The major vernacular popular novels describe the religions in such frames or structures.
The idea of the ‘Unity of Three Religions’ and its literary expression in novels have been discussed by many scholars, however, descriptions of the ‘Competition of Religions’ in the novels, which actually deserve more attention, are seldom addressed by scholars. This essay focuses on some specific novels, exploring the religious settings reflected in the novels through analyzing the ideas and cultural contents in the novels.
For instance, in Xi You Ji (Record of A Journey to the West), there are scenarios reflecting the competition between Buddhism and Daoism. The most typical one involves a story that happened in the Chechi Kingdom. The author used three and a half chapters to describe this religious conflict, a level of attention which is quite unusual in this one-hundred-chapter book. Thus, we may infer that the story in Chechi Kingdom is a conscious attempt of the author to reflect the social reality of competition between Buddhism and Daoism. The depiction of Sun Wu-kong (Monkey King)’s Master is also related to this topic.
Feng Shen Yan Yi (The Legend of Deification) is another vernacular novel that directly deals with religious issues, and also contains many depictions of competition between religions. For example, in the stories about Daoist masters Yun-zhong-zi and Huang-long-zhen-ren, the author’s intention to praise Daoism and belittle Buddhism is quite clear. This intention is opposite to that of Xi You Ji.
Other novels such as Xi Yang Ji (Eunuch Sanbao’s Record of Going West) and Ye Sou Pu Yan (Humble Words of A Rustic Elder) have their own unique ways to reflect religious competition.
The unity of religions in the novels is a reflection of the religious harmony in reality. Similarly, the depiction of religious competition in the novels is also a genuine reflection of religious conflicts in local society.