清代才学小说三论

Three Questions of Caixue Novels in the Qing Dynasty

才学小说之名系根据鲁迅相关论述归纳而来,但将它作为一个小说流派,会遇到两个难题。通常所说的四部才学小说与其说是一个小说流派,不如说体现了清代中期出现的一种新的创作倾向。炫学是清代中叶出现的一个新的创作现象,其动机至少有三:一是作品表达的需要,二是体现人生价值的需要,三是保存个人的学术见解。它反映了清代中期文人阶层对小说态度的潜在变化,这是白话小说发展过程中的一个必然现象。炫学式小说创作是中国小说史上一次可贵的创作尝试。

The term of caixue novels（novels characterized by their display of the author＇s academic accomplishments and artistic talents） originated from Lu Xun＇s interpretation of the history of Chinese novels,but it usually encounters two problems when regarded as a name of a genre in novel creation.To display academic accomplishments is a new development of novel writing in the Mid-Qing Dynasty,the emergence of which is caused by at least the following three factors： 1） to make a more effective narration;2） to realize the author＇s life value;3） to preserve the author＇s academic achievements.The caixue novels reflect a change of attitude towards novels among men of letters in that period,which is an inevitable consequence of the development of Chinese vernacular novels.Novels intended to display the author＇s academic accomplishments are a valuable creative attempt in the history of Chinese fictions.