Strange Tales from Liaozhai Studio features numerous tales of scholars and imperial examinations. Though plots vary, they consistently orbit the core theme of “scholars’ fraught destinies under the examination system,” refracting the psychological and existential crises of ancient literati beneath its crushing weight.
While Shanxiao (“The Mountain Demon”) does not directly depict examination outcomes, its central scenario–a scholar studying alone in a mountain temple–mirrors the collective struggles of scholars trapped in this system.
Obsession with Merit and fame: Solitude and the Price of Fixation
The tale opens by highlighting the scholar’s pivotal act: “studying in a mountain temple.” Isolating themselves in remote locales (temples, mountains) to focus on “examination preparation” was common. This self-imposed solitude epitomizes their obsession: willing to endure loneliness and danger for scholarly success.
Disconnect Between Talent and Reality: The Scholar’s Powerlessness
The scholar’s intellectual prowess proves useless against real-world threats. Though “bold by nature”, his resistance against the Shanxiao (mountain demon) collapses.
This helplessness metaphorizes scholars’ practical ineptitude beyond the examination hall–their talents ill-suited for survival.
Psychological Strain and Deep-Seated Fears
The examination system forced scholars into all-or-nothing survival: confronting solitude, pressure, and uncertainty alone. Chronic tension left their psyches taut as bowstrings. The Shanxiao’s emergence may symbolize the explosive materialization of their accumulated fears under such duress.
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