『東遊記』의 연금술적 서사구조

A study on the Inner Alchemical narrative structure of the Tung-yu chi(Journey to the East)

This paper aims to assess the inner alchemical structure of the Tung-yu chi(Journey to the East). Especially I focus the symbolic representation of the Tung-yu chi as literary structure as well as Inner Alchemy in the East and West. In this paper, I try to illuminate the Tung-yu chi as a way for recovery of the universal validity of an alchemical theory throughout the whole literary arts. In a word, the Tung-yu chi narrates adventures of the Eight Immortals. More specifically, the story is as follows ; Nature(本性) is represented the Castanets(玉板) carried by Lan Chai He. According to the losing of this castanets, the Eight Immortals begin to crossing the east sea in order to searching for them. In this process, water of the East Sea King and fire of Eight Immortals were fighting desperately for the Castanets. Especially, antagonistic relationship of Water and Fire(水火二氣) leads to serious struggle between the Eight Immortals and the East Sea King. Anyone could not stop the water and fire from fighting each other. The Avalokitesvara(觀音菩薩) finally intervened to solve the problem. They made peace with each other through the mediation of the Avalokitesvara symbolizing Empty Mind(眞意). After taking everything into consideration, I reached this conclusion ; the Tung-yu chi is symbolizing inner travel of spirit which is searching for nature. However, the Tung-yu chi might have aroused no interest at all among scholars of classical literature. The Tung-yu chi was regarded as insignificant products of inferior literary quality, characterized by unpolished style and crude structure. This analysis showed that it consisted of the symbolic representation of Alchemy. Filled with brilliant symbolic characteristics, the Tung-yu chi has a vigorous imagination ; that is to say, the castanets(玉板)-water and fire(水火)-Avalokitesvara(觀音). In conclusion, the inner alchemical fight structure of the Tung-yu chi can be an alternative as an idea to analyze the novel of seeking after truth including the Hsi-yu chi(Journey to the West). Accepted as the symbolic structure of Alchemy, the Tung-yu chi is expected to revaluate its intrinsic value in Chinese literary arts after this.