本文係以《聊齋誌異》〈畫皮〉之「獰鬼」為例 ，藉由分析其於小說中所呈現之符徵特質及符旨內涵，追溯其呈現及寓意與傳統小說相關符號系統之關係，以作為系列探討《聊齋誌異》符號美學之初聲。其探討之進路，首先針對《聊齋誌異》所見鬼類之篇章做一全面性之分析，依鬼類符徵特質之不同，大致可區分為「鬼而物」及「鬼而人」兩類，而〈畫皮〉「獰鬼」恰兼有前二者之特質。其次由〈畫皮〉「獰鬼」符徵及符旨切入，以分析其符號系統之結構特質。最後爬梳歷代短篇小說中所見女鬼之符號系統，對照前述〈畫皮〉「獰鬼」符號系統之分析，以呈現〈畫皮〉之「獰鬼」對傳統小說符號系統繼承與開展之軌跡。結論部分，根據前述分析對照，提出《聊齋誌異》對傳統小說符號系統的繼承與開展之價值認定，並觀照蒲松齡《聊齋誌異》符號美學之小說史意義。

Based on the example of grim ghost in “Huapi” story of Liaozhai zhiyi, this paper aims to analyse attributes of the signifier and signified presented in this novel and then discuss their significance and relation to the succession and expansion in traditional novels. This paper will be mainly divided into four parts. Firstly, a general analysis on all ghost stories in Liaozhai zhiyi will be made thoroughly. According to their different attributes of the signifiers, the ghosts can be mainly classified into two types: (1) the ghost with the character of human; and (2) the ghost with the character of hobgoblin. In the case of “Huapi” story, the grim ghost is with both these two characters, namely, the grim ghost is a signifier with duality. Secondly, this duality in the grim ghost's signifier and its signified will be examined for the analysis of its system of signification. Thirdly, the stories about female ghosts in short novels of different dynasties will be analysed in terms of the attributes of narratives and signification of the ghost's role, which will then be taken in contract to the analysis on grim ghost to show the trajectory of the succession and expansion of “Huapi” stroy in the traditional novel's system of signification. Finally, based on the above analysis and contrast, the conclussion suggests that the artistic attribution of this novel in the succession and expansion of the traditional novel's system of signification will reveal the significance, in terms of semiotic aesthetics, of Pu Songling's Liaozhai zhiyi in the traditional novel history.