中国史学对于女性优伶的想象和描述

The image and description of the traditional actresses in Chinese historiography

在中国社会性别制度中,女性被定位为远离公共领域,公共领域似乎成了男性的专权。中国女性优伶却是一个例外,由于特殊职业性质,女性优伶必须进入公共领域,也使中国史学产生一种二律背反。其实,正是由于进入公共领域的女性优伶演艺活动,使女性优伶更加具有女性的特质,或者说更加符合公众男性的性想象以及想象的满足,由此,也就成为男性化的中国史家的意识和潜意识的关注目标,演艺也就成了女性优伶在史籍中的生动印象。中国史学中的女性优伶演艺描述,大多具有良好女性形象气质,而且,史籍中之女性优伶,不但有"色",且多"色艺俱佳"、"色艺超绝",是"声与色"兼有,甚至掩盖了在"色"乃至生理方面的不足和缺陷。女性优伶在史籍中的演艺印象,加剧了男女两性在社会性别制度中的主体和客体的原则关系。

In Chinese social gender system, women are fenced away from the public, while men seem to have dominated this area. But traditional actresses are regarded as an exception. Their special professional nature made the entering of the public necessary, which leads to an antinomy in the Chinese historiography. In fact, it is the performing activities and some sort of public entering that enhance their feminine characteristics ,that is to say, they just fit the masculine sexual imagination. Thus, the traditional actresses become the masculine Chinese historians＇conscious and subconscious concern, and their art performances have left a vivid impression in Chinese history books. In Chinese historiography, most actresses have fine feminine images. Besides, they have great art skills. In other words, they look perfect. In such circumstances, some physical deficiencies and weaknesses are even ignored and covered. The traditional actresses＇performing impression in history books strengthens women and men＇s principal relations as the subject and object in Chinese social gender system.