现代性民族国家想象与性别的文化象征——阅读中国现代性与文学关系的另一种路径

Imagination of Modern Nation-State and Symbolization of Gender ——Alternative Interpretation of the Relationship between Chinese Modernity and Literature

晚清以降,民族国家诉求实际上构筑了中国文学最基本的现代性想象空间。现代性民族国家作为一种叙事,同时也意味着一个知识系统的建造。它无疑要吸纳最广泛的象征资源,要诉诸一系列崭新的文化象征。这其中当然包括对“性别”的文化象征模塑。从晚清知识分子对中西文明“中男西女”的联姻想象,到上世纪50-70年代文化空间的“厌女情结”,以及最经典的民族国家叙事对“新时代的女性”的意义设定,现代性民族国家想象实际上一直是被性别化了的。因此,从性别视角介入现代性民族国家想象应该是我们考察中国现代性与文学关系的不容忽视的路径。

From the later Qing Dynasty, the pursuit for modem nation-state opened up a space of imagination for Chinese literature. Since modern nation-state was a narration and a systematization of knowledge as well, it no doubt would absorb broad symbol resources, and resort to various new culture symbols, including gender symbolization. From the marriage between Chinese male and Western fe- male much imagined by intellects in later Qing Dynasty to the aversion of females in novels of 1950s- 1970s and to the definition of ＂woman of new era＂ prescribed by the classic nation-state narration, gender symbolization could be seen as a provider of symbol resources for the imagination of modem nation-state. Therefore, gender is an alternative standpoint to consider the relationship between Chinese modernity and modem Chinese literature.