试析姚燮评点“红楼人物”之“人事”观

Yao Xie's "Outlook on Life" As Seen from his "Commentary on the Characters in A Dream of Red Mansions"

姚燮所谓的“人事”,其实是对世人常情的一种认识,对世人生存环境的一种概括。以此品评小说人物,往往可以在人物“难为之处”最能发现“人事”使然的合理根据,表现出对人性的理解与尊重;对生存环境与人物性格深刻关系的揭示,也更强调生存环境实际上就是诸般“人事”对人物性情的促成与影响。可以说,正是这一独特的“人事”角度,构成了姚燮深入性格分析与人物评价的根本依据,成就并突出了姚评人物论平实而又深刻的理论特色。

By the so-called ＂outlook on life＂, Yao Xie refers, as a matter of fact, to an understanding of the worldly affairs of man, and a generalization of his living environment as well. To assess fictional characters with this, the basis validating the ＂outlook on life＂ will be best located when they are ＂in the worst dilemma＂, so as to demonstrate the due apprehension of, and respect for, human nature, and to reveal the relationship between the existing environment and their personality, thus laying more stress on the fact that the existing environment brings about and influence the ＂outlook on life＂. It is therefore safe to assert that it is just this perspective that constituting the very basis of Yao Xie＇ s model in analyze and evaluate fictional characters, accomplishing and giving prominence to the characteristics of his doctrine in the analysis and assessment of the characters in A Dream o f Red Mansions .