中国古代小说人物容貌描写的“五色”文化审视

Five Color Culture in Describing Physical Appearance of Characters in Novels of Ancient China

在传统"五色"文化影响下,中国古代小说人物容貌描写通常与"五常"、"五脏"、"五性"等"五数"观念形成意义链接,从而富有"五色"修辞性蕴含。具体说来,与仁、礼、信、义、智等"五常"德性对应下,古代小说容貌描写中的青、赤、黄、白、黑等五种"常色"往往拥有某种德性象征意蕴,成为"德之色"。同时,在中医"五色诊"原理的制约下,古代小说关于人物的"五色"容貌描写有时又是"五脏"病象的外在投摄,成为"病之颜"。另外,古代小说关于人物的"五色"容貌描写还与喜、怒、欲、惧、忧等"五性"情状的外显发生某种程度的勾连,成为"情之彩"。

Influenced by the traditional culture of five colors, description of the physical appearance of characters in ancient China novels is closely associated with the number five with rhetoric implications. The five colors of green, red, yellow, white and black often symbolize ethics, illnesses, as well the state of mind of characters in Chinese ancient novels.