《儒林外史》——一部仕途经济史

The Scholars-a History of Official Career Economy

以"读书进学——科考及第——出仕做官——富贵荣华"这条仕途经济为主线,看《儒林外史》中众儒对仕途经济的态度及命运。众儒分为三类:一是求取功名、奔走富贵的不肖之流;二是轻视功名、辞却仕途经济的豪杰、真儒、高士;三是科举无望的落魄方巾,斗方名士,他们混迹江湖,招摇撞骗,附庸风雅。通过对儒林众生的描画、提炼,显现《儒林外史》的主题:功名富贵,即仕途经济。

Attitudes to the economy in official career and fates of scholars in The Scholars are viewed from the main line of the process of their ＂having education,passing imperial examinations,taking power as officials,and occupying high positions and great wealth.＂ The scholars fell in three classes： unworthy scholars who sought for official ranks,real scholars of exceptional ability who looked down upon official ranks and official economy,and self-styled scholars who failed in imperial examinations,occupied a social position of which they were unworthy but mingled with men of letters and posed as lovers of culture.Extracting the description of such scholars reveals the theme of The Scholars： fame and fortune,i.e.official career economy.