This thesis applies various methods of textual study, image analysis, close reading, historical study, and cultural interpretation to examine “wall” images in traditional Chinese literature. The research is mainly conducted from five perspectives: 1) symbolic meanings and cultural metaphors of wall images for sexuality and marriage; 2) cultural significance of wall images for national sentiments; 3) other symbolic meanings of wall images; 4) combinations of wall image and other images; 5) practical function and esthetic implication of wall. In traditional China, wall separated internal and external scopes and was a symbol of Confucian ethical order. It limited the freedom of women and prevented young men and women from contacting each other, but it also trigged their free will to break through it and fight for their true love. Rulers through generations built strong walls with the hope of ruling permanently, but destruction of walls was always inevitable. Eventually broken walls represented people’s national sentiments. In addition, there have been many fixed phrases related to wall in traditional Chinese literature, which imply plentiful symbolic meanings. Chinese writers were also flexible in combining wall image with other images to convey more complicated meanings. Wall’s artistic feature of separation further inspires Chinese writers’ imagination. Last but not least, wall also had the functions of recording information and spreading knowledge. Through a comprehensive investigation of the wall image, this thesis reveals its ample implication of Chinese people’s historical print, cultural meaning, and artistic symbolism.

本文採用文獻考證、意象分析、文本細讀、歷時態研究和文化闡釋等方法， 研究中國古代文學中的牆意象，從牆之戀愛婚姻的象徵意義和文化隱喻，牆之家 國情懷及其文化意義，牆的其他象徵意義，牆與其他意象的組合表現，牆之實用 功能及其審美意蘊五個方面展開研究。經分析研究，得出以下主要結論：牆之內 外有別，井然的秩序不容擾亂，在先秦時期，牆作為禮教規範的象徵已經普遍存 在於人們的觀念中。它限制女性的自由，阻礙青年男女進行交往，但同時也激發 人們突破牆的圍困，爭取戀愛自由、婚姻自主。歷代君王皆企圖通過築立高牆以 獲得國運的長久，但國家滅亡、城牆宮牆毀壞的命運往往不可避免，每堵殘斷的 牆體均承載著人們沉重的家國情感。此外，中國古代還有許多與牆相關的固定短 語，顯示牆有著多種象徵意義。意象的組合靈活多變，作者可以根據自己的感性 經驗，將牆意象與其他意象組合在一起，含蓄表達作品的意旨，興意深隱。另外， 牆之隔是一種藝術，能促發文人的想像，令文人創作出言有盡而意無窮的佳作。 最後，牆還具有記錄資訊、傳播教化的功能。通過對牆意象的全面深入的研究， 本論文揭示出這一意象所蘊含的中華民族的歷史印記、文化意義和藝術象徵。