明中叶后社会发展与文化转型——明杂剧社会文化背景探源之三

Social Development & Cultural Transformation after Mid Ming Dynasty:Social and Cultural Background for Ming Opera(III)

明中叶以后,随着统治者成了名副其实的守成之主,创业时期生机勃勃的进取精神已成以往,君亲伦理自上而下迅速陵替,其直接后果便是社会向心力的减弱,导致传统思想文化权威的衰微和新思潮的诞生。从哲学中的王守仁学说,李卓吾的反抗精神,到明代中叶诗文中反对“台阁体”文风笼罩和八股文束缚的复古主义运动,到后来反抗传统教条束缚最激烈的“公安派”和戏曲创作中具有同样意识之汤显祖、徐渭,共同形成了明代中后期尊重个性,反抗传统束缚,力求变革和创新的思想潮流。与此前体现大一统的整体气势和趋同心态恰成鲜明的对照。在这后面,显然隐寓着向往自由的时代文人之心态转向。研究明中叶后杂剧发展演变的历史文化背景,不能不注意到这一点。

After Mid Ming Dynasty, the feudal ruler had become conservative, losing the enterprising spirit at the founding period with social ethics deteriorating ever increasingly. As a result, the role of society as a collective force was weakened, the authority of traditional culture was dethroned, and the time was calling for new ideas. Wang Shouren＇s philosophy, Li Zhuowu＇s rebellious spirit, the Poetic and Archaic Movements in the Mid Ming Dynasty, the anti-orthodox Gong＇an School and the dramatic writing of Tang Xianzhu and Xu Wei all could be regarded as expressions of the respect for individuality, the rebellion against tradition and the pursuit of reform and renovation in the late years the dynasty. They form a sharp contrast against the former vogue of unity and conver gence, reflecting the intellectual longing for freedom. When researching into the development of Ming Opera, we should by no means ignore such a cultural and historic background.