《西遊記》宗教元素的拼貼與戲仿

Abstract

本文從《西遊記》對各種宗教元素的運用情況出發，考察小說組建、調動這些宗教元素的情況。意在指出既往的宗教詮釋所忽略的文本徵候，進而質疑這類詮釋之合法性，並剖析小說運用這些元素的手法，其根源於何種思維模式，而這樣的手法又展現出何種藝術價值。 本文首先就小說使用宗教素材的情況進行分析，從宇宙觀、秩序觀、神譜觀三個面向切入，檢視實際的文本情節後會發現，小說的宗教素材組構，其實是一種拼貼式的手法。不同的宗教元素同時並存，這樣的拼貼其實存在著種種矛盾、扞格之處，但小說作者並未細究這些問題，而是讓它們相安無事地同時共存。由此我們可以看到，小說所秉持的宗教觀並不嚴謹，其背後是否有一套宗教論述有待闡明，也教人懷疑。這樣的宗教拼貼，展現出的其實是強烈的民間宗教色彩，如多神崇拜、兼收各教教義，而且蘊含著強烈的世俗性與功利性。 接著，本文考察這些宗教元素在小說敘事中發揮的作用，換句話說，小說如何轉化這些宗教元素的意涵，將之作為小說敘事的一部分。本文從「戲仿」的角度考察《西遊記》內大量充斥的遊戲、諷刺、顛覆之現象，分成「天人關係」、「宗教神明」、「宗教修行」的戲仿三部分逐一考察。「天人關係的戲仿」聚焦在前七回孫悟空對「天」的反抗，包括了自然天的自然規律與神格天的神明體系。作者把普世的願望與渴望自由的心理寄託在孫悟空一角，讓他打破種種規範，凸顯出神明體制的荒謬。然而，作者雖然藉由悟空戲仿了既有的天人關係，卻非抱持全然的肯定。這種曖昧的態度是戲仿的特性之一，在「宗教神明的戲仿」也體現此點。小說一方面暴露了神佛在莊嚴寶像之外的種種缺陷，卻未全盤否定，而是保持著一種既批判又依賴的關係，此點正是「戲仿」最顯著的特性。最後，「宗教修行的戲仿」檢視小說把玄奘取經的故事進行轉化，淡化原本宣教的意圖，將之變為妙趣橫生的遊戲。 透過上述的分析，本文勾連了《西遊記》宗教拼貼與戲仿書寫的關係。由於小說拼貼三教且態度曖昧，造成了百花齊放的多元解讀。然而本文並不特尊任一宗教觀點，而是回到文本內部，觀察小說如何調動、書寫這些宗教元素，並以「戲仿」的角度，剖析這些宗教元素在小說語境下所產生的新意。透過這樣的努力，本文試圖涵蓋小說整體的面向，建立符合文本實情的詮釋。

This thesis begins with analyzing the use of religious elements in Journey to the West, attempting to point out the symptom ignored by former religious interpreters. Then I will investigate how the fiction manages these religious elements, where the thinking derives from and what’s the value of this technique. My thesis starts from the formation of religious elements in the fiction. I analyze it through three aspects, the frame of universe, order and theogony. Then I conclude the formation is a “pastiche” technique. The author puts different religious elements in the same frame regardless of contradictions. It seems that the fiction doesn’t adhere to any strict religious view and whether it conveys a religious narration is also in doubt. In fact, the religious pastiche shows strong characters of folk religion, such as polytheism, multiple creeds, secularity and utilitarian. Then I analyze the function of these religious elements in the fiction and how the context modifies the meanings of these elements. Journey to the West is full of play, satire and subversion. I analyze these symptoms through the aspect of “parody.” I divide it into three parts: relation between heaven and men, religious deities, and religious practice. “The Parody of Relation between Heaven and Men” focuses on Wu-Kong’s rebellion in the opening seven chapters. The author places universal wishes and aspiration for freedom on Wu-Kong, letting Wu-Kong breaks out nature law and deities’ ruling. However, the author doesn’t totally consent Wu-Kong’s behavior. The ambiguous attitude also shows in “The Parody of Religious Deities”. While the fiction reveals deities’ flaws, it doesn’t mean to topple the whole system. The fiction remains a critical but dependent relation to the original objects, which is the main character of parody. “The Parody of Religious Practice” studies the conversion of Xuan-Zang’s pilgrimage. The fiction diminishes the original religious teaching and converts it into a fantasy play. Through the above-mentioned analysis, my thesis connects Journey to the West’s religious pastiche and parody writing. Because the religious pastiche holds an ambiguous attitude toward three religions, it leads to multiple interpretations. My thesis doesn’t stick to any religious interpretation, but goes back to the original text and observes how the fiction uses these religious elements. Then, through the perspective of parody, I analyze the new meanings created by the fiction’s new context. In this way, my thesis tries to cover the whole different aspects of the fiction and makes the interpretation corresponding to the text.