贾府的道教风俗及其“悲凉之雾”

Taoist Custom's Tragic Mist in the Jias' Mansion

道教的消灾祈祥法术在文学巨著《红楼梦》中得到了充分的展现:在贾府,无论主子或奴婢,有的佩戴护身符欲消灾避祸,“仙寿恒昌”;有的炼丹烧汞欲升为神仙;有的打醮设道场欲解除冤孽;有的作法欲诅咒他人等。然而,那些欲消灾者病缠身,欲成仙者命早亡,欲害人者先害己,落了个烟消云散的悲惨结局,无不笼罩着浓重的“悲凉之雾”。撩起悲凉的雾纱,可以窥探出曹雪芹对道教“助教化”无望又找不到“补天”良策的彷徨苦闷心情。曲曲悲歌实际是曹雪芹对道教信仰及其法术失灵的形象化宣泄和标示。

The black arts of wiping out the disaster and praying for the good luck were fully emerged in the remarkable works of A Dream of Red Mansions. In Jia Fu （the Family of Jia）, the masters and the servants tried to get rid of the disasters by using all kind of methods. For example some people wore amulet, some wanted to be fairies by making pills of immortality, some curses the others by practicing magic. However none of their methods succeeded in the end, leaving a sad denouement. Drawing the tragic veil, we can see that Cao Xueqin, the writer, was very anxious and depressed by the Taoist failure. The every tragedy was a vivid sign which Cao Xueqin was disappointed by the Taoist relief and the black arts＇ failure.