ISSN : 1229-9618(Print)
ISSN : 2671-7506(Online)
ISSN : 2671-7506(Online)
Chinese Studies Vol.91 pp.347-374
DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.14378/KACS.2025.91.91.15
DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.14378/KACS.2025.91.91.15
A Study of Female Ghost Narratives in Taiping Guangji : Focusing on the Human-Ghost Romance and Vengeful Retribution Types
Abstract
This study analyzes the narratives of female ghosts in the “Ghost Section (鬼 部)” of Taiping Guangji, focusing on their narrative functions and the unfolding of affective structures within the tales. The selected stories are categorized into two primary types: the “Human-Ghost Romance Type” and the “Vengeful Retribution Type”. The former explores emotional connections between humans and ghosts, highlighting themes such as enduring love and the transcendence of desire beyond death. The latter, by contrast, revolves around acts of vengeance or seduction, symbolizing the eruption of repressed desires and the disruption of patriarchal social order. Especially notable are stories where the two types intersect—instances in which affection transforms into destruction, and the ghost transitions from an emotional partner to an agent of punishment. This typological analysis reveals that these tales function as cultural texts reflecting the affective and gendered ideologies of the time. Female ghosts are not passive figures but emerge as emotionally engaged and morally motivated agents who actively shape the narrative. This study offers a systematic framework for understanding the recurring motifs in female ghost narratives and suggests potential for broader comparative research across literary and cultural traditions.
초록
본 연구는 태평광기 ‘鬼部’의 여성귀신 고사를 ‘인귀연애형’과 ‘파괴응징형’으로 분류하여 분석했다. 인귀연애형은 인간과 귀신의 정서적 교류와 사랑의 지속성을 중 심으로, 파괴응징형은 억울한 죽음을 겪은 귀신의 복수와 사회질서 전복을 특징으로 한다. 두 유형이 중첩된 서사에서는 감정의 대상에서 응징의 주체로 전환되는 ‘감정 적 전이 구조’가 나타난다. 이러한 분석을 통해 여성귀신 서사가 당대의 정서 구조와 젠더 질서를 반영하는 문화적 상징체계임을 밝히고, 여성귀신을 정서와 응징의 주체 로 재해석한다. 나아가 본 연구는 향후 동시대 설화 및 타 문헌과의 비교를 통해 귀 신 서사의 문학적, 문화사적 함의를 확장할 수 있는 가능성을 제시한다.