本文主要探討鄧志謨道教小說中反面角色的文學作用。鄧志謨的《鐵樹記》、《咒棗記》與《飛劍記》是明萬曆年間刊行的道教小說。主角皆為道教信仰中地位崇高之聖者，因各自出身不同、遭逢的考驗不一樣，使修道歷程呈現出三種迥異的風格。但三書故事類型都受到主角教派背景影響，正反角色互相牽制，形成情節安排的一大特色。本文首先分析鄧志謨的取材原則、鋪陳邏輯，並以此為依據，進一步探討反面角色在故事中的設定與作用，藉以了解正、反人物的組合方式如何凸顯小說的主題。各書的反面人物分別為《鐵樹記》的孽龍、《咒棗記》的王惡以及《飛劍記》中的凡人，他們一方面暗喻著人性的缺陷，二方面承擔凸顯主角所背負的修道重任，形成小說「以反顯正」的特色。另外，鄧志謨能將宗教題材通俗化，亦是三部道教小說在當時受到歡迎的重要原因。

This article explores the literary functions of the villain roles in Deng Zhimo's Daoist novels. Deng's Tieshu ji (Record of the Iron Tree), Zhouzao ji (Record of the Cursed Jujube) and Feijian ji (Record of the Flying Sword) were published during the Wanli reign in the Ming dynasty. All the leading characters are Daoists heroes. They all went through different paths of rigorous tests in accordance with their sects. Moreover, their roles as heroes are also enhanced by the villains. For analyzing how Deng used the villain roles to manifest the hero ones, this article first examines how Deng selected material and plot arrangement, and then discusses the function and significance of the villain roles in the three novels, including Nie Long (evil dragon) in the Tieshu ji, Wang E (literally king evil) in the Zhouzao ji, and the laymen in the Feijian ji. These villain roles not only represent the defects in human nature and contrast with the heroes’ virtues, but also emphasize and set off the heores’ self-cultivation through all the religious trials. Last, this article will argue how Deng adapted and popularized religious sources through the development of all the roles, and distinguished his achievement in the realm of religious novels.