| dc.description.abstract | Abstract
In the Chinese history, Yuan Dynasty was a dynasty in which different religions thrived for its liberal attitude towards people’s spiritual beliefs. For the sake of political domination as well as social control, the ruler of Yuan Dynasty literally welcomed all kinds of religions, especially Buddhism and Taoism. This makes the dynasty become the golden age for many religions and their believers. Other than the support from the authority, the harsh social reality offered a perfect breeding ground for a variety of religious sects. Although the Mongol initiated a new age for the people, the follow-up chaos brought much pain for them. Civilians were suffered for the tense political situation, the powerful’s bullies, the over-loaded levies, not to mention the ever-arising disturbances out of natural or man-made causes. For the people who lived in such straitened circumstances, it’s only natural for them to seek emotional support. The religions thus came to their rescue. People turn to them and ask for a moment of relief. People chose to escape from the painful daily life, and found their shelter under the sacred life. The general population regains their peace by worshipping the deities and performing rites and ceremonies. Yet, the compatriots, especially those who lived in poverty, emphasized the utility and practical side of religious consciousness. In stead of learning the real essence of the religious context, they put more emphasis on the realistic sides. Rather than devoting themselves to the long-term asceticism, they sought for quick extrication. This is the reason why religious beliefs in that period of times, which should stay untainted and neutral, tended to be secularized in order to pamper the general public. Besides, in order to survive the competition and to attract believers, the religious communions had to compromise and make adjustments according to the crowd’s needs.
Zaju, a unique literary form which combines drama with poetry and music, represents the literature of Yuan Dynasty. Not only was it popular in the upper classes but also widely prevalent among the lower class. The authors of Zaju are mostly unsuccessful writers and most of them belong to lower social status. They were forced to live in the base of the social hierarchy and wrote Zaju to make a living. Owing to their humble background, they could grasp people’s common lives better than their forefathers in the literary history. Their works reflected the lives of lower strata of society and Yuan’s social reality more precisely. From reading Zaju, we can not merely understand the development of literature in Yuan Dynasty, but also perceive the social reality, the contemporary custom, and the religious beliefs in those days. Furthermore, we can analyze how and why secularization of religion was formed in Yuan Dynasty. | en_US |