女儿国的史实、传说与文学虚构

Historical Facts,Legends and Literary Fantasies in the Kingdoms of Females

中外古代文献记载的所谓女儿国,一是由女姓掌国政的男权国家,二是由女姓执政的母权部落或国家;这些部落、国家的存在属于可信的历史事实。第三种是纯女无夫型聚落。此类聚落的繁衍方式在记载中各有不同,第一类是感水而孕型,第二类是临风怀孕型,第三类是定期交配型,分别产生于不同文化的生殖观念和海外认知。此类聚落通常都有强抢落难船员为性奴隶的传闻;但这些聚落的存在迄今并无可信的证明,属于传说。明清小说作家利用相关史实与传说进行自觉的文学虚构,以此表达作者独特的情感与理念,成为真正意义上的文学创作。

The so-called kingdoms of females, according to records in ancient China and other countries fall into three categories. The first one is the societies dominated by males but ruled by females. The second is those not only dominated but also ruled by females. The existence of these two types is generally believed to be be- yond any doubt. However, the third category consists of the societies made up exclusively of spouseless female citizens. Records show that the third type of societies reproduces themselves mainly in the following three ways： conception stimulated by water, conception triggered by wind, and conception by mating on a regular basis. The images of these different types of societies are the product of different understandings about sex and reproduction in different cultures or of the different ideas of overseas cultures. Legend has it that these types of societies may capture as sex slaves the crew from the wrecked ships ; but the actual existence of these kingdoms cannot be verified. These legends and facts, however, are employed by writers in the Ming and Qing Dynasties to express their unique feelings or beliefs; this practice of literature is accepted as a genuine literary creation.