Supernatural Narratives in the Novels of Gifted Scholars and Beautiful Ladies: A Study Centered on the Works of Tianhuacang Zhuren

Supernatural writing, anchored in a long literary tradition, is a common narrative technique in ancient Chinese novels. Taking the novels of gifted scholars and beautiful ladies by Tianhuacang Zhuren as an example, the supernatural writing phenomena can be categorized into three types: dreams, extraordinary encounters, and visions. Supernatural writing plays a crucial role in plot construction, narrative progression, character development, and spatial expansion in novels. It not only reflects the religious cultural concepts of karma and fate shaped by Buddhism and Taoism but also expresses the strong belief in destiny and a sense of superiority among the literati in traditional Chinese society. Moreover, it mirrors the authors creative psychology.