馮至의 역사소설 「伍子胥」 연구 - 「伍子胥」의 人生哲理的인 선택의 문제 고찰

Abstract

The researcher has analyzed 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」, Feng zhi(馮至)’s novel with aspects of existentialism written based on the philosophical principles of human life and Wu zi xu Gu shi(伍子胥 故事), a Chinese ancient story, with the focus on the existential theme word ‘choice.’ Wu zi xu Gu shi(伍子胥 故事) was described in lots of history and cultural books, including 「Zuo zhun(左傳)」, 「Shi ji(史記)」, 「Guo yu(國語)」, 「Lu shi chun qiu(呂氏春秋)」, 「Wu yue chun qiu(吳越春秋)」, 「Yue jue shu(越絶書)」, 「Hui nan zi(淮南子)」and 「Xin xu(新序)」. Besides, it was appraised by philosophers of many generations, such as Mo zi(墨子), Zhuang zi(莊子), Xun zi(荀子) and Jia yi(賈誼), and handed down to the public after being adapted into lots of ‘Ping hua(平話)’, ‘novels’, ‘Nan xi(南戱)’, ‘Da qu(大曲)’, ‘Za ju(雜劇)’, ‘Chuan ji(傳奇)’ and ‘local Xi qu(地方戱曲)’. That is, Wu zi xu Gu shi(伍子胥 故事) was widely enjoyed through lots of magnificent works ranging from the history book 「Zuo zhun(左傳)」to Feng zhi(馮至)’s novel 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」. The big difference between Feng zhi(馮至)’s 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」and Wu zi xu Gu shi(伍子胥 故事) is that while Wu zi xu story(伍子胥 故事) is composed of the motive of escape, the story of the fisherman, the story of the woman doing the laundry, the process of being appointed to a government post and revenge, and describes Wu zi xu(伍子胥)’s loyalty and filial piety, Feng zhi(馮至)’s 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」tells only the motive of escape, the story of the fisherman and the story of the woman doing the laundry without saying anything about what happened after being appointed to the government post. That is because Feng zhi(馮至) put more value on the process of taking revenge than revenge itself. Feng zhi(馮至)’s 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」has aspects of existentialism. It was when he studied in Germany that he was first influenced by existentialism. It is not right to call him an existentialist only because he was related to existentialists’ thoughts. He, however, used in 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」and other several works words often used in relation to existentialism. They included words such as ‘existence,’ ‘decision,’ ‘responsibility,’ ‘choice’ and ‘experience.’ Especially the theme word ‘choice’ is important in analyzing Wu zi xu(伍子胥)’s life. Therefore, it can be said that existential thoughts is an important clue to understanding ideologies contained in Feng zhi(馮至)’s literary works. Feng zhi says in 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」that things existing outside my body and Wu zi xu(伍子胥)’s awareness of life are fused into the unity of human beings and nature, without conflicting against each other. This tells how Wu zi xu(伍子胥)’s choice ends. Feng zhi(馮至)’s 「Wu zi xu(伍子胥)」 is significant in the history of modern Chinese literature because it made a new attempt called the reconciliation of the awareness of life with the focus on an individual’s anxiety, when other writers conflicted over the resolutions of the war and revolution while preoccupying themselves with literature of war and ideologies under emergency situation in the 1940s when China waged war against Japan.