明清小说中的武则天形象简论

Image of Wu Zetian in the Novels of Ming and Qing Dynasties

在明清小说中武则天是一个颇受作者关注的人物。小说家在塑造武则天形象时,大多着眼于她的残忍、荒淫和嗜杀,突出了她的政治野心,因此,武则天基本上是以"中淫外酷"的负面形象出现的。小说家削弱了武则天作为一代女皇的政治才能、远见卓识,淡化了她的历史功绩,将这一形象妖魔化或神化,在前人的基础上,小说家更加强了对武则天"牝鸡司晨"、"狐媚惑主"和"淫秽宫闱"的诋毁和道德批判。由于叙事角度不同,明清小说中的武则天形象更加复杂、多样。

Empress Wu Zetian was frequently the depicting interest of writers in Ming and Qing dynasties,who mostly focused on her cruelty,licentiousness,and bloodthirstiness,to highlight her political ambitions,whereas diminished her political and insight talents,which desalted her historical contribution and presented her as either a demon or a deity.Following their forerunners,writers of the times intensified the criticism against Wu＇s usurping power as a female,blinding the emperor by seduction,and having illegitimate sex relations in the imperial court.Her image is more complicated and diversified in novels of the times for their varied narrative angles.