唐前仙道小说中的变化法术与动物意象

The Magical Arts and the Animal Images in the Immortal Novels before Tang Dynasty

动物意象是唐前仙道小说的重要角色。唐前仙道小说利用古人化生变形观念来敷衍变化法术,演绎出不同于动物神话的仙道类动物意象故事。同时,唐前仙道小说借助动物意象作为直接或间接的参照,记述各类变化法术,成为道教自神其教的方式之一。动物意象在以宣教和法术描写为主的唐前仙道小说中,也表现出人性化与精怪化不同的发展趋势,为后世同类小说的发展积累了素材。

The Animal image played important roles in the immortal novels before Tang Dynasty. In these novels, the authors use the ancient ideas of metamorphosis and made lots of stories with magical arts which are different from ordinary animal myths. At the same time, these animal images have been used directly or indi- rectly as references in all kinds of metamorphoses in order to enhance the purpose of religious preach. The ani- mal images put up different character like humanity or monster in the immortal novels before Tang dynasty, thus accumulate the source material for later similar novels.