明清小说中的弃儒从商现象

On the Phenomena of Intellectuals′ Throwing down Confucian Classics and Joining in Commercial Affairs in Novels of the Ming and Qing Dynasty

中国古代封建社会里,抑商、贱商的历史由来已久。但在明清小说中,却涌现出大量书生“弃儒从商”之现象。从社会角度看,明清时代商品经济的发展、商人地位的提高、经商风气的盛行、重商言论的泛起,使书生们对商业和商人的偏见得到了一定程度的改变。于个人而言,科举功名的难以求取以及谋生的需要使一部分书生不得不放弃儒业走上了经商之路。小说中这种现象正是对当时社会现实的一种真实反映。

In China＇s feudal society , there was a long historical period when commerce and businessmen had been restrained and disdained. However, in the novels of the Ming and Qing Dynasty, we can find a lot of phenomena that intellectuals threw down Confucian classics and joined in the commercial affairs. From the social aspect, at those periods, Commercial economy developed, businessmen＇s power and status improved, heavy commercial atmosphere and view about commercial importance changed intellectuals＇prejudice on business and businessmen to some extent. From the indivial aspect, in order to support their families , some intellectuals who failed the imperial examination had to engage in trade and be far away from their familiar Confucian classics. Those phenomena which had been described in the novels reflected the social reality at that time.