《高僧傳》的西域空間論述──以地理敘述為依據

The Spatial Discourse of Siyu in Gaosengzhuan─ according to the geographical narratives

東漢後期以來佛教逐漸盛行於中國社會的各階層，由於佛教創立並盛行於西域，當時來自西域的異國高僧與前往西域取經求法的中國高僧亦為數頗眾；今存最完整的僧傳著作──南朝梁‧慧皎的《高僧傳》對於西域地理的敘述因而成為無可避免的書寫。《高僧傳》中的西域地理敘述不僅為中古時期中西交通史保存了重要訊息，更在當時社會中傳遞西域印象，激發西域想像，並進而建構了西域的空間意象。這些意象分別為：（一）「葱右」、「西國」、「流沙」等語詞所引導與建構的遼闊而隔絕的空間；（二）法顯的西域經驗所建構的險惡而孤獨的異鄉；（三）曇無竭的西域經驗所建構的不同生命型態活動的處所；（四）智猛的西域經驗所建構的宗教對話的空間。其中又以「流沙」等語詞所引導與建構的西域意象最為重要。

Since late East Han dynasty Buddhism have gradually became a popular region and deeply rooted in the different status of Chinese society. For Buddhist was originally from and gained a very success in Siyu (Central Asia), there were a great number of monks who came to China for preach from Siyu and there were also quite a number of Chinese monks who made religion travell to the area. The writing of Siyu therefore became an unavoidable spatial writing in Gaoseng zhuan, the oldest monks biography written and edited by scholar monk Huijiao of Southern dynasties. The book is still maintained in the most completed condition even today. In the book the geographical writing about Siyu is not only offering the traffic information between the west and the east during the medieval time but also becoming a kind of media for spreading the impression of Siyu, stimulating and encouraging the image of Siyu as well in the society. The imagines and its' constructing sources including (A) an endless and isolated place indicated by the terms of 'congyou (the right area of Mt.Cong)' xiguo (the western countries)' 'liusha (drift sand)',(B) an isolated and hazardous place─ according to Faxian's travell experiences of Siyu, (C) an activities place for different kinds of life─ according to Tanwujie's travell experiences of Siyu; (D)a place for religion dialog─ according to Zhimong's travell experiences of Siyu. Among these imagine, the imagine of an endless and separated place which indicated by the term of 'liusha' with very high fuzziness and generality is the most meaningful one.