「盜墓小説」是以「盜墓」探險行爲、以及風水秘術作爲題材貫穿全文的新類型通俗小説,從書籍出版量到各類週邊產品,已然顯露了這類題材在讀者群的受落程度。自2006年於網路崛起的長篇小説《鬼吹燈》迅速火紅之後,市面上開始湧現大量以「盜墓」爲題材的作品,同時,也創造了通俗文學新的類型小説。因此本論文主軸有四個要點,第一部分理析盜墓小説的沿革及源流,並且從盜墓活動在現實中的文化脈絡去定義何謂盜墓小説?此外也從古典文學開始追本溯源「盜墓」題材的發展狀況。第二部分處理了盜墓小説與大衆傳播媒介的關係,各類週邊產品的衍生乃促成盜墓小説風靡一時之原因。第三部分從文本内部作研究,並以小説敍述的主要元素,也就是:一、情節,二、人物,三、環境與空間,由上述三個方向分析文本結構的普遍及功能性,進而從中發掘盜墓文學基本該具備的元素有哪些。第四部分則應用文化研究方法對小説體現的文化價值進行探討,盜墓小説重要意義在於,它並不只有娛樂消遣作用,也不僅僅是作者虛構出來的故事,我們應當看見其背後存在的價值體系如何提供讀者知識性閲讀。從以上四個面向之研究,即能掌握盜墓文學何以能夠在短時間内蔚然成風的特殊現象,甚至以新類型的姿態開拓了通俗文學新的範疇。
Tomb-raiding themed novel is based on the elements of expeditions of tomb-raiding activities and the art of Chinese Feng Shui and this new style of storytelling creates a new genre of fiction novel. The level of popularity of this genre of novel can be seen with the number of publications and its peripheral’s products. With the success of internet novel called《The Adventures of Three Tomb Raiders》since 2006, the market is flooded with numerous similar themed novels, creating one of its own kinds in the stream of novel literature. This research has main four purposes. First, it analyzed the revolution and its originality of this genre of novel by researching the cultural of Chinese tomb-raiding to define this new genre of fiction novel. In addition, the research also studies classic literatures to trace the originality and development of topic of tomb-raiding. Second, the research tapped into the factors that contributes to the popularity of this genre of novel by evaluated the relationship between the novels and the media, and the creation of its peripheral products. Third, the research examined the content of these novels based on its three main elements/characteristics such as plotting, characters, and environment and space to determine the common structures and functions that should be included in a tomb-raiding themed novel. Lastly, the research explored the purpose and cultural values of tomb-raiding novels using cultural research methodology. These kinds of literatures are not purely fictional to entertain its reader but they hold certain truth/reality/knowledge in the literature to enlighten its readers. In conclusion, the research predominate the factors of unusual phenomenon of sudden-famous of tomb-raiding themed literature which they have becoming an example of new genre in the pop culture literature.