From Doctrinal Implantation to Secular Writing——On the"Four Percepts"in Popular Literature of Yuan,Ming and Qing Dynasties
The idea of"four percepts",which means the withdrawal of alcohol,lust,money and petulance,appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty,when Quanzhen Daoism thrived in northern China area,where was ruled by the Jin Dynasty then.Wang Chongyang,the founder of Quanzhen Daoism,first came out the idea and incorporated it into his thought system.Later,the idea was accepted by other Daosits,including the Southern School of Daoism,and became more widespread.Since the Yuan Dynasty,the idea appeared in popular literature.In novels,dramas or shuochang(说唱;Telling and Singing Art)literature,the idea could run through the whole story as a theme,or play the role of an introduction to lead in topic,or serve as an organic part of the text to connect plots and structural texts.In religious dramas,the implantation of the"four precepts"showed a strong preaching intention,which was inflexible and sometimes leaded to logical discordance.In other popular literature,writings on the four desires presented looser acceptability,as well as a trend of secularization.
Yuan,Ming and Qing DynastiesPopular LiteratureAlcoholLustMoney and Petulance
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