西方神秘主义视域下的西藏香巴拉-基于《消失的地平线》的研究_英语论文

Tibetan Shambhala in the Perspective of Western Mysticism---A Study of Lost Horizon

摘要

就文学源头而言，《消失的地平线》一书中希尔顿式的“香格里拉”，其灵感来自于藏民族的“香巴拉”文化。“香巴拉”和“香格里拉”的区别在于音译的差异。作为藏民族宗教信仰体系的核心，“香巴拉”文化一直以其特殊的魔力不断吸引着它的追随者和探索者。所以，“寻找遗失人间的香格里拉”的潮流一度席卷全球。然而，在一系列宣称“正统香格里拉”和狂热追寻“香格里拉”的现象背后，人们实际上并没有真正理解“香巴拉”文化的内涵。一方面，西方人对于“香巴拉”文化的了解很大程度上来自于希尔顿在小说《消失的地平线》中虚构的“香格里拉”，而其形象与藏民族佛典里描述的“香巴拉佛国”相去甚远；另一方面，希尔顿本人的创作灵感实际上也受到了当时的时代特征和符合西方基督教文化背景的价值观的影响。有鉴于此，本文首先将从西方神秘主义的视角出发，通过重点剖析小说中典型人物的“宗教神秘主义体验”，并结合小说创作的时代特征，解构希尔顿虚构的“香格里拉”形象。其次，通过分析西藏佛经中关于“香巴拉”的引述，还原“香巴拉”的文化内核。最终借由对比希尔顿塑造的“香格里拉”形象和佛典中引述的“香巴拉”形象之间的差异，从本质上揭示基督教和佛教、西方文化和东方文化的差异。

关键词：神秘主义 希尔顿式香格里拉 西藏香巴拉 佛教元素 文化差异

Abstract

In terms of its literary origin, Hilton’s characterization of Shangri-La is much inspired by Tibetan Shambhala culture. The slight difference between the two terms “Shambhala” and “Shangri-La” may only lie in transliteration. For Tibetan people, “Shambhala” is the core of their religion system. And once a time, the world has been powered by a strong force of “searching for terrestrial Shambhala”. However, alleging that one is the orthodox “Shangri-La” or sparing no efforts to search for the last “Shangri-La” actually reflects the truth that people fail to understand the essence of the “Shambhala” culture. On the one hand, what westerners learn about “Shambhala” largely comes from the imaginary “Shangri-La” in the novel Lost Horizon. On the other hand, Hilton’s inspiration is not only limited by the times where he lives but also influenced by some dominating Christian values of the western world. Therefore, this paper is going to analyze the “religious experience” of typical characters from the perspective of western mysticism. By looking into the characteristics of the times when the novel is created, the paper will deconstruct the image of “Shangri-La” characterized by James Hilton. In addition, this paper will also restore the “true Shambhala” by analyzing some interpretations from ancient Buddhist texts. At the end of the thesis, differences will be revealed between the image of Hilton’s “Shangri-La” and that of Tibetan “Shambhala” in order to reflect the diversity between Christianity and Buddhism, western and eastern culture. 

Key words: mysticism Hilton’s Shangri-La Tibetan Shambhala Buddhist elements cultural difference

Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Overview 2

1.1 Plot summary 2

1.2 Characters 2

Chapter 2 Mysticism 4

2.1 Mysticism: the key to religious experience 4

2.2 In search of mysticism in Lost Horizon 5

Chapter 3 Hilton’s Shangri-La 6

3.1 Hilton’s construction of Shangri-La 6

3.1.1 Image of Hilton’s Shangri-La 6

   3.1.1.1 Modernization 7

   3.1.1.2 Emphasis on “moderation” 7

   3.1.1.3 The pursuit of longevity 7

   3.1.1.4 The openness to the chosen ones 8

3.1.2 Connection with “Mysticism" 8

Chapter 4 Tibetan Shambhala 9

4.1.1 Inaccessibility 10

4.1.2 The power of will and mind 10

4.1.3 The eternal pursuit of “Tao” 10

4.1.4 Variability of existence 11

4.2 Connection with Buddhist philosophy 11

Chapter 5 Hilton’s Shangri-La vs. Tibetan Shambhala 12

5.1 Commonness with Buddhist philosophy 12

5.1.1 Viraganupassi 12

5.1.2 Nothingness 13

5.1.3 Golden Mean 13

5.1.4 Gradual Enlightenment 14

5.2 Differences between Hilton’s Shangri-La and Tibetan Shambhala 14

5.2.1 fixation vs. variation 14

5.2.2 of the day vs. of the future 15

5.2.3 of the Occident vs. of Tibet 15

5.3 Causes of differences 16

5.3.1 The author’s subjectivity 16

5.3.2 Social factors of that epoch 17

5.3.3 Cultural differences between the Occident and the Orient 18

Conclusion 18

Notes 20

Bibliography 21

Acknowledgments 22