《左传》的写人:文学作品人物描写之滥觞

Portrait of the Characters in "ZUO Biography":the Origin of Character Portrait in Literature

《左传》记录的历史人物大约有一千四百多人。由于受编年体结构、分年记事的局限,《左传》人物形象的"塑造"主要是通过分散在各年的记事融合而成的。其中,一种是由分年记事逐渐展示某一人物的性格,从而构成完整的形象,属于"累积型"人物形象;另一种是仅记写一件事即勾勒出人物的形象或表现其性格特征的,可称为"闪现型"人物形象。而且《左传》的写人,开始使用细节描写的手法,以表现人物性格的要素或其特征性行动。《左传》在写人方面表现出来的文学性,是后代文学作品,特别是古典小说人物描写的源起。

There are more than 1,400 historical characters in ZU0 Biography. Limited by its annalistic style and chronological events recording, character images in ZUO Biography are mainly shaped by merging the records scattered in each year. Two patterns of character images thus can be created. One is called ＂accumulative character＂, which is created by gradually exhibiting a character＇s personalities in the chronological records. The other is called ＂flashing character＂, whose image and personalities are sketched by a single event. Furthermore, ZUO Biography began to use details description in character portrait for the sake of exhibiting the elements of a character＇s personalities or a eharacter＇s characteristic behavior. The literature properties in character portrait in ＂ZUO Biography＂ is the origin of later literature, especially, the character description in classical novels.