讲史的文体形式及其在章回小说生成史上的重要作用

Style and Importance of History-telling in the Creation of Traditional Chinese Novels

讲史是我国历史上的一种重要文学艺术形式。从文体角度而言,它一方面承继了史传的若干特点,另一方面又以民间的说书艺术点化了史传,使之向章回小说方向发生了决定性的转变。这些转变主要包括叙述者的现身、创作目的的由垂戒到娱人、创作方法的由实向虚以及故事形态的确立等。由于讲史以及这些特点的存在,史传向章回小说的过渡才得以完成。

History-telling is an important genre in Chinese literature. According to the style, it inherits not only some characteristics of historical biography but also some characteristics of folk storytelling, which is crucial for storytelling＇s development towards the traditional Chinese novel. There are some main changes： the appearance of the narrators, the changing of the aim from warning to entertainment, the changing of the creating way from something real to something illusory, and the forming of the story style, etc. Because of these characteristics and the existing of history-telling, historical biographies evoluted into traditional Chinese novels.