率性人生图 美满群芳谱——清末民初狭邪小说文本研究之《绘芳录》

A Textual Study of Hui Fang Lu——A Courtesan Novel in the Late Qing Dynasty and the Early Republic of China

在清末早期狭邪小说中,《绘芳录》无论从思想、审美意蕴还是艺术成就上,都不逊色于其同时代的其他"狭邪小说"。它生动地描绘了一批清代名士淡泊名利、率性任性的诗意人生,表达了不为物役、保持真我的人生哲学,体现出中国传统文化以"人"为本、中道和谐、率性本真的文化精神。"绘芳园"作为全书的核心意象,是这种儒道互补人生哲学和文化精神的集中体现。因此《绘芳录》与其说是一部狭邪小说,不如说是以"狭邪"为线索的世情小说、人生小说,文化小说。

Equal to any other ＂courtesan novel＂ in terms of ideology, aesthetic appeal and artistic a- chievements in the late Qing Dynasty, Hui Fang Lu vividly depicts the poetic life of a host of celebrities in the Qing Dyansty who, indifferent to fame and wealth, are straighforward and self-willed, thus expressing the life philosopgy of avoiding ensalvement to material gains and being oneself, and embodying the cultural spirit marked by ＂people＂-centeredness, madhyamapratipada and harmony, straightforwardness and genuineness in traditional Chinese culture. In the novel, ＂Hui Fang Yuan＂ is the core image and the epitome of the cultural spirit as well as of the philosophy of life complementary to each other in Confucianism and Taoism. As such, Hui Fang Yuan is rather a novel on worldly affairs, life and culture with ＂the courtesan＂ as a clue than a courtesan novel.