明代天主教漢文小說《聖若撒法始末》研究斠理

"The story of Barlaam and Ioasaph, " written by Catholic missionary Nicolas Longobardi, is the earliest missionary novel in China. The content is a typical exemplum described Indian prince Josaphat who received baptism under the guidance of priest Barlaam. More importantly, this book is the key evidence for the interaction between the Buddhism and the Catholicism. This paper firstly presents the spread and the origin of "Barlaam and Josaphat" by rendering and systematizing crucial research throughout the world, then reconstructs the process and variants from Buddhist oral story to Catholic scripture. This paper are expected to provide followers an methodical collection about "The story of Barlaam and Ioasaph."