PREFACE Centuries ago, while the meticulous Chinese ancestors were That exploring their living land, they created the artistic miracle of Pre-Qin fables. Pre-Qin fables possess a long history and rich resources. From it, we can observe the footprints of the development of the Chinese civilization. Our ancestors, initially, for the purpose and need in their the real lives, exploited the most direct way of thought-objective thought-to create these marvelous works of art. With the development of the social manpower and the elevation of human ability, the main subjects of people's thought steered from gods to human beings, from nature to society and from the thought of mythology to the arts. Therefore they were able to create the pre-in fables. In the aspect of arts, the pre-Qin fable is another precious product following on from the creation of ancient myths in the phase which tuen from the ignorant to the civilized. We find out that those ancient masters generally utilized fables as medium to express their "crystallized thoughts". The fables composed, by the masters such as Mengzi, Zhuangzi and HanFeizi, are all an objective medium of their thoughts. This thesis is divided into three main chapters to cover the research into pre-Qin fables: "The interpretation of research in fables and the pre-Qin fables", "The conception of the pre-Qin fables and its features" and "The general development circumstances of pre-Qin fables as an objective medium of thought". The first chapter describes the Stages of sorting and research into pre-Qin fables. Its points out the sorting was initiated in the Meng and Ching dynasties and that the larger and most effective one was started in New Literature Period. Besides, enthusiastic researches into pre-Qin fables were also initiated during New Literature Period. The second chapter analyzes the differences in definition between fables and pre-Qin fables in detail. It indicates that While fables feature stories, philosophies and implications, Pre-Qin fables share these characteristics, and also have a "personality" of non-story, non-independence and periphery. This is the first theory that has been put forward in this thesis. I think pre-Qin fables differ from other general fables we usually mention. The differences are that they can be stories in detailed poles or a catalogue with implications, and this is the theory I have raised here. The third chapter, at first renders the emergence and the reason for popularity of pre-Qin fables, and secondly the stages of pre-Qin fable development. It shows that pre-Qin fables, in general terms, experience three periods during their development from emergence to maturity: First period: Initiation - Shang dynasty Second period: Progress - Chun Qiu Third period: Maturity - Zhan Guo This is what I have tried to distinguish the stages of pre-Qin fable development with the study of the stages of pre-Qin society. For this, I aim to give learners and researchers of pre-Qin fables a clear conception of time. This is, finally, the third theory that I have proposed. Pre-Qin fables are a climax in the history of Chinese fables and as well an invaluable legacy of classical Chinese literature. We can still see their importance nowadays, and I believe this type of literature that illuminate people's thoughts will shine on our lives with the need of human mental lives and the elevation of thoughts. However, the research into pre-Qin fables so far-have not yet been sufficient. With this thesis, I will endeavor to follow the precedents and remark on the exploration of pre-Qin fables, of course, there must be some errors in this thesis and I would appreciate all readers rectifying them or me.

内容提要 先秦寓言，是中華民族勤勞勇敢的先民，在開發賴以生存的土地的同時，所創造出來的文學藝術方面的奇葩。 先秦寓言，源遠流長，博大精深。由先秦寓言的產生，我們可以看到中華文明進步的足跡。最初，先民爲了實際的、功利的目的，為了生產的、生活的需要，而採用直接的思維方式-- 形象思維，在文學方面創造出了美麗的神話。 随著社會生產力的發展，和人類認識能力的提高，人們思的主要對象，由神轉向人由自然轉向社會，由种話思維轉向了藝術思維，先秦寓言也就随之而誕生了。先秦寓言是我國先民在人類的童年時代，由蒙昧向文明邁進的過程中，在文學藝方面所創造出來的繼种話之後的又一珍品。我們現，先哲們的思智結晶往往是通過寓言這個載體來表達的·孟子、莊子、韓非子等百家諸子的寓言，無一不是哲人思智的形象化载體。 本文分“寓言和先秦寓言研究述略”、“先秦寓言的概念及其特點”、“先秦寓言成爲思維結晶的形象化載體的發展概况”三章對先秦寓言進行研究。 第一章中敘述了對先秦寓言進行整理的分期和對先秦寓言进行研究的分期情况。文章指出，對先秦寓言進行整理始於明清，而稍具規模、較有影響的進行整理是始於新文學時期。對先秦寓言進行熱烈的研究也是始於新文學时期。 第二章詳細地分析了寓言和先秦寓言的定義劃分，指出寓言具有寄托性、哲理性和故事性的特點，而先秦寓言除了具有寓首的這些特點以外，還具有非故事性、非獨立性以及邊緣性的特點。這是本文提出的第一個見解。文章還認爲，先秦寓言有別於我們一般所説的寓言，主要表現在它可以是具有情節的故事，也可以是一段有寓意的話語。這是本文提出的第二個見解。 第三章首先論述了先秦寓言產生和繁榮的原因，接著論述了先秦寓言發展的分期。文章認爲，先秦寓言從產生到成熟，大致了三個階段:第一階段:萌芽期—商代;第二階段:發展期—春秋時期;第三階段:成熟期—戰國時期。這是嘗試借歷史學對先秦社会的分期，去清理先秦寓言發展情况的分期，目的是想給先秦寓言的學習者和研討者在時間上有一個清晰的概念。這是本文提出的第三個見解。 先秦寓言，是中國寓言史上的高峰，是中國古典文學裡的一份重要遺產，直到今天還放射著稀異的光彩。今後，這種發人深思、啓人智慧的文學樣式，一定會伴隨著人民精神生活的需要，思維能力的提高，益現它的光輝。但是，目前對於先秦寓言的研究還是很不夠的。本文嘗試步前人之後塵，拜寓言研究的先賢為師，對先秦寓言的探討提出一些粗浅的看法，不當之處，還望專家學者指正。