金圣叹小说评点之“闲笔”论

On the Idle Writing Theory of Jin Shengtan's Novels Criticism

金圣叹在评点《水浒传》时,十分重视"闲笔"这一重要文法。闲笔虽然不直接关系到小说的中心情节,但在延宕故事情节,增强文章真实感,刻画人物形象,收束文字,渲染氛围方面都是必不可少的。"闲笔"论虽非自金圣叹始,但自此以后就成为我国小说评点中独具特色的文法之一,也体现了中国古代小说评论家的特有智慧。

In commenting Water Margin written by Shi Naian, Jin Shengtan pays more attention to the Idle Writing Theory. Idle Writing is not directly related to the central plot of the novel, but it is necessary to delay the story, increase the sense of reality, depict the characters, and collect the writing. Although it is not started by Jin Shengtan, the Idle Writing Theory has been one of the characteristic writing techniques since his time, and reflects the unique wisdom of novels critics in ancient China.