《林兰香》主旨新探——世情小说雅俗系列研究之十一

New Exploration in Theme of Lin Lanxiang——The Eleventh Study on Elegance and Popularity of Novels about Human Relationships

《林兰香》有着三重意蕴,最表层是燕梦卿的个人悲剧,中间层是屈原的儒家精神,最里层则是尘梦苏醒之后的道家追求,所以作品虽有大量的儒家叙事,但其根本的意旨却是道家思想,具体表现为耿朗的由儒及道、燕梦卿的临终悟道、田春畹的儒道兼备以及宣爱娘、平彩云的道家本色等。《林兰香》虽过于文人化,而在雅俗结合上差强人意,但它依然是出色的明清世情小说之一。

Three layers of meanings were contained in Lin Lan Xiang. They are： Yan Mengqing＇s personal tragedy （the outermost layer）, Confucianism of Qu Yuan （the middle layer）, and Yan Mengqing＇s pursuing of Taoism after waking up from secularity （the innermost layer）. So, even plenty of narrations of Confucianism were introduced in the novel, the main purpose of the novel is to promote Taoist thought. The purpose is concretely embodied in Geng Lang＇s changing from Confucianism to Taoism, Yan Mengqing＇s understanding Taoism on her dying breath, Tian Chunwan＇s knowledge in both Confucianism and Taoism, and Xuan Ainiang and Ping Caiyun＇s air of Taoist. Though the combination of elegance and popularity is barely satisfactory for paying more attention on elegance, Lin Lan Xiang is still one of the superior novels about human relationships in the Ming and Qing Dynasty.