Questions about fiction

Simply put, metaphysical refers to stories with oriental colors, like Liaozhai

Fantasy refers to Western stories like Dungeons and Dragons, like Harry Potter

Magic is a genre of modern Western literary creation, like One Hundred Years of Solitude

Difference between fantasy, magic, and metaphysical fantasy (taken from the Internet)

The current common term for fantasy novels that can be broadly categorized into Western and Japanese.

Western fantasy has the deepest roots, from the Lord of the Rings to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, to Greek and Nordic ancient myths, and everywhere there is the imprint of Western culture. This cultural system is so different from that of China that it is almost impossible to communicate in many places. Due to the conceptual gap caused by the cultural background, it is a little difficult for Chinese readers to accept it. However, when it comes to the admiration of heroes, the pursuit of heroism, appreciation, the whole world is **** common.

Western fantasy is usually divided into "mainstream fantasy" (Hign Fantasy) and "sword and sorcery" (Sword & Sorcery) two kinds of the former focus on literature (such as the "Lord of the Rings"), the latter is more in favor of the Lord of the Rings The former is more literary (e.g., The Lord of the Rings), while the latter is more of an adventure, battle, and is more like an "action movie".

Japanese fantasy, in fact, is the product of the combination of Western fantasy and Japanese culture, and Japanese culture has a Chinese cultural lineage. Therefore, it is easier for Japanese fantasy to win the closeness of Chinese readers than Western fantasy. Together with the wonderful anime promotion, Japanese fantasy easily breaks a way in China.

Japanese fantasy is, for the most part, a combination of Japanese samurai spirit, Western-style fantasy stories, and Chinese strategy and wisdom. The cultural roots are weak, but the entertainment is strong, and the characterization is often very flashy.

Some horror novels, set in modern life with elements such as vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, can barely be categorized as fantasy, or as fringe fantasy on the border between fantasy and horror.

The so-called "historical fiction" novels usually create a fictional world or a period of history, and then use it as the basis for creating legends, in which there is not much magic, sorcery, gods and monsters, and are basically written in the style of historical novels, and the ability of the characters does not usually exceed the limits of a normal human being. This kind of novel is a cross between a fantasy novel and a historical novel, although the "possibility" of this kind of novel is not big, but the "reality" is stronger.

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Magic fiction does not mean "magical fantasy" by any means, but has an entirely different definition, far removed from the commonly held notion.

Magic fiction, or "magical realist fiction," is a genre of literature that has appeared mainly in Latin America. This genre combines shocking reality and disorienting hallucinations to depict and reflect complex historical, social, and political phenomena through the art of extreme exaggeration and the interplay of reality and fiction to capture people and weave plots.

Magic realism novels often use the technique of "seemingly non-realistic, seemingly non-realistic," and "changing fantasy into reality without losing its truth". Typical magical novels are characterized by: deformation of real life; inclusion of mysterious, magical and even bizarre content; and strong social conflicts and political struggles.

If realism is a mirror of society, then the magic realism is compared to a mirror of society. Although it is shrouded in a mysterious shell, it is still meant to depict the real world. Only, it does not take a realistic approach, but uses exaggeration and irony.

The biggest difference between magical fiction and the other three types of fantasy novels is that it must be based on reality. Its "fantasy" is to increase the mysterious atmosphere and irony, but the kernel is still real life.

For example, the famous magical novel "One Hundred Years of Solitude" can be put together with "Les Misérables" and "War and Peace" if the "fantasy" content is removed.

At the beginning of "One Hundred Years of Solitude", it is written that the gypsies hold two magnets "...... from house to house ...... iron pots, iron pots, iron tongs, small iron stove have fallen from their original position, the wooden boards due to the iron nails and The wooden boards rattled as the nails and screws tried desperately to break free ...... and rolled about in the wake of the two magic irons"; the gypsies brought magnets, telescopes, magnifying glasses and other "new things", but the two magnets had to be exchanged for a big mule and a herd of goats, the magnifying glass for a big mule and a herd of goats, and the magnifying glass for a big mule and a herd of goats. The Gypsies brought "new things" such as magnets, telescopes and magnifying glasses, but the two magnets had to be exchanged for a big mule and a herd of goats, and the magnifying glasses required two magnets and three gold coins. To see the ice, which they had never seen before, the residents had to pay five rials each, and the price was doubled if they touched it.

After reading the whole book and looking back at the episode, it becomes clear that this is not about gypsies at all, but rather a metaphor for the colonizers' scouring of the poor people. One Hundred Years of Solitude is full of such episodes with strong irony.

Magic novels, therefore, are not entertaining novels at all, but realistic novels that are exaggerated on the outside and profoundly serious on the inside, reflecting social problems.

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Mystery fiction can be said to be a "fantasy novel with Chinese characteristics" that has emerged only in recent years. Its principle of creation is unprincipled, and the basis of its fantasy is ungrounded.

Why? Because the fantasy novel is basically a synthesis of Western-style fantasy, Chinese martial arts, Japanese anime, science and technology hodgepodge.

Chinese culture is very inclusive, any foreign things can be dissolved into its embrace, and derived or deformed into something new.

This is exactly the case with metaphysical fiction. Most metaphysical novels take Western magic, Chinese martial arts and strategy, Japanese characterization, plus science fiction, plus mythology (and often Chinese, Indian, and Greek myths coexist ......) to build magical worlds and exciting stories.

When it comes to fiction and fantasy, metaphysical fiction is the freest of the four types of fantasy. It writes about future technology, but does not need to be verified with scientific theories; it writes about magic, and does not test the system of Western sorcery; it writes about martial arts, but it is more magical and powerful than the traditional martial arts, and often exceeds the limits of human physiology....... Regardless of whether it is the virtual world structure, or the characters' experiences, they are all metaphysical and mysterious, the sky is the limit, and the freedom is unparalleled.

Metaphysical fiction is often criticized. Science fiction fans scolded it "nonsense", fantasy fans also scolded it "nonsense". I don't know, the characteristics of the fantasy novel is nonsense, no principle, no basis. However, this kind of nonsense has its own theoretical system and setting, regardless of whether this system can stand up to rigorous examination.

Metaphysical fiction, it can be said that with the magic realism novel completely opposite. Magic fantasy is to "fantasy" as a rendering, the main writing of real events; metaphysical fantasy is to real events as the plot surface, the main writing "fantasy".

In the four types of fantasy novels, metaphysical fiction is the most "fantasy" category. Because there are fewer constraints, it can be free to do as it pleases, and it is often painful and exciting to read. Therefore, despite the "orthodox science fiction" and "orthodox fantasy" are greatly disparaged to the metaphysical fantasy, metaphysical fiction still has a fairly large number of readers.

The reason why metaphysical fiction is so popular is, I'm afraid, that the characters in metaphysical fiction often have extraordinary abilities and a great deal of freedom to do whatever they want. For ordinary people, this is a great joy and relaxation -- the hardest thing in life is not being able to do what you want, and metaphysical fiction gives readers the opportunity to relax their minds and experience freedom. Or, in other words, mystery novels are "very addictive to read".

Metaphysical fiction, because of its own characteristics, it is difficult to give a precise definition of it. In Taiwan, in particular, the word "fantasy" is rarely heard, and is used as a substitute for metafiction.

Many of the "fantasy", "science fiction" and even "martial arts" novels we see should actually be categorized as metaphysical. A very small percentage of the fantasy novels on the market are actually fantasy or science fiction novels.

Metaphysical fiction is hard to get adult readers to read, but it is often wildly popular with teenage readers. It has the highest number of works, the lowest average level, and is full of trash, so it often gives the impression that "all fantasy novels are bad". In fact, there are some excellent works of fiction.

For the "orthodox" sci-fi fans, fantasy fans, if you open your heart, without prejudice to analyze, metaphysical novels are also considered to have a value of existence of the specialized categories, and will not disappear in the short term, and will even be more powerful. After all, existence is reasonable, the prevalence of mystery novels, is its social psychological roots.