中国古代掘宝母题动植物功能的跨文化探源

The Function of Animals and Plants in Unearthing Treasures——A Cross-Cultural Approach to Ancient Chinese Fiction

中国古代金银变化母题,关于寻宝中动植物功能、神物作为寻宝器具的信奉,是一个外来的神秘信奉。庞杂的古代金银变化母题,离不开这一外来思路的最初启发。关于“银伥”看守金银的信奉,也当是上述掘宝民俗同一故事的别种说法,及其逆向思维和补充。藏宝掘藏故事中的蛇、鼠意象,其文本渊源,在巴利文本生故事与中古汉译佛经中普遍流传的“感恩动物忘恩人”母题中,也可以找到其蛛丝马迹。

In ancient Chinese fiction, there are all kinds of stories concerting the usage of animals and plants in uneart- hing treasures. But this motif of changing for gold and silver derives from other countries. The legend of so-called silver ghosts’watching for treasures, just a variant and supplement to above all, also belong to a foreign one. And the description of snakes and rats as tools seeking for treasures, although multifarious, can be found a source both from boreal stories and from Buddhist scripture in Chinese version because of the same motif about benefited animals forgetting their benefactors.