원문정보
초록
영어
Han Fei Tzu(韓非子) cited law(法), art(術), and influence(勢) as three means of exercising power. Humor and satire correspond to art among these three means. The important point here is that humor and satire not only can be used as a means of exercising power by the ruler. Humor and satire can also be used to protest against rulers, even if remonstrators powerless or a commoner. A remarkable phrase of humor and satire has the potential to destroy even the most solid power. Mencius is an example of humor and satire being used in that sense. The method of humor and satire with allegories was used in Mencius as a means of criticizing the world, the political situation, and other scholars. In particular, one such sharp criticism is of a scholar who holds the opposite position and lives the opposite life of the Confucianist Mencius himself and happens to be a representative of the basic view of life and spirit of Daoism in the Warring States Period. Mencius is an unusual book that began to be considered very important almost 1,000 years after its writing. Although the book Mencius itself has experienced ups and downs, including being belittled and valued by the times, the classic stories of Mencius are thought to have eternal value. This is because the stories are the most interesting and easily accessible without putting much effort into the basic teachings of Confucianism. There are many unique political messages in Mencius, and the art of allegory has been used to attract the readers' attention. Allegory appears to share various characteristics of humor and satire. Humor and satire evoke laughter, which requests the demand for sociality as the most important factor. Perhaps politics is at the peak of sociality, and humor and satire have strong political characteristics in that respect.
목차
1. Introduction
2. The allegorical story of “Shun”
3. A satirical allegory of bureaucratic deviant behavior
4. An allegory of satire against a recluse
5. Conclusion
References