異物／法術──唐代小說中的西域圖像

Exotic objects/Magic: The image of the Western Regions in Tang Dynasty novels

本篇企圖藉由唐代小說敘述西域的主要題材：異物和法術，來呈現唐代小說所勾勒的西域圖像，以及如此勾勒所具有的意義。由於歷來對於西域的書寫，大致可以分為視其為一地理空間，或視其為一心理空間兩個脈絡，唐代小說出現大量的有關西域的敘述，多為涉及到實際與想像的文化差異問題，即以中土為本位去摹寫作為「他者」的西域圖像，故於為數可觀的有關貢物、寶物和特殊珍異產物的記載中，形塑了西域多有異寶，且這些異寶各具神奇的作用，並涉及到西域諸國的地理、歷史、政治、經濟、宗教、文化等面向。而有關法術的敘事，則與西域的宗教息息相關，中土之民對於展現西域殊異風俗的法術，充滿了好奇，也有接受與拒斥的不同對應。異物與法術可說是西域主體的延伸，中土之民經由它們，去認知、想像西域，成為中土之民對於西域認識的標誌，也因之鑑別了彼此的差異，不僅是對西域圖像的勾勒，也具有自我認知的意義，故西域胡人和中土之民的特質和價值觀、以及交流情形也於焉顯現。此外，唐代小說對西域圖像的勾勒，充分展現了游移於真實與虛構的敘述特色，同時也承繼了地理博物志小說的書寫系統，但於敘事中多涉及到中土／西域政治社會的景況和價值觀念的認知，將文化差異的因素融入至殊方異域的書寫之中，而拓展出新的敘事面貌。

This paper discusses the image of the Western Regions (Xiyu) in Tang Dynasty novels, focusing on descriptions of exotic objects and magic and the significance of these representations. Previous representations of the Western Regions presented the area either as a physical geographical space or a psychological internal space. Many narratives about the Western Regions appeared during the Tang Dynasty and most of them dealt with the problem of cultural differences, real or imagined. The authors situated themselves at the center and described the Western Regions as ‘other’. In the numerous descriptions of tributes, treasures, and rare curiosities from the Western Regions, the authors present the idea that this region is full of many exotic treasures that have magical properties. These texts also examine the geography, history, politics, economics, and culture of various countries situated in the Western Regions. Narratives about magic are closely related to the religions of the Western Regions and of interest to the people of the central plains who were curious about the exotic customs of the region. Some accepted these customs but others rejected them. Exotic objects and magic can be regarded as an extension of the Western Regions and they are used as a means to identify, imagine, and understand the Regions. Because they help distinguish the difference between the Western Regions and Central Plains China, these exotic objects and magic not only represent images of the Western Regions but also serves as a means for increasing self-awareness among the Chinese. The characteristics and values of the Chinese people and the ethnic minorities of the Western Regions and their interaction can also be observed in these texts. The descriptions of the Western Regions in the Tang Dynasty novels demonstrate the narrative features that traverse between the real and imaginary. These narrative techniques share commonalities with the techniques used in dili bowu zhi novels [geographical natural history novels]. However, they extend writing about the Western Regions in new directions because the texts take into account cultural differences, political and social aspects of the Western Regions and China, as well as different value systems.