鬼趣与人情——读周作人《水里的东西》

About Ghost and Man——An Interpretation of Zhou Zuoren’s Things in the Water

周作人在1930年写作《水里的东西》一文,不仅着力从民俗学的角度解读"河水鬼"的迷信传说,探究富含人性、人情的传说之后隐伏投射的俗世人心,以厘清"河水鬼"这一迷信文化沉潜流传的内在机微。同时还有意引入希腊精神中的美化思想,倡导祛除鬼神传说中的恐怖分子,美化神话传说,以使得人心有所凭依,从而逐步壮健且充满活力。最后他提出以"河水鬼来做个先锋",引发"社会人类学与民俗学"调查研究的兴趣,以此建构健全科学的思想,探求一种最适合人性发展的生活方式。全文意绪清新,展现出特有的艺术价值,文思广博,呈示其融贯一生的思想探寻。

In Things in the Water, an essay written in 1930, Zhou Zuoren explores the humanity through his interpretation of the legendary superstition of ＂spirits in the river＂ in the perspective of folklore. In this work, the author advoeates the eoneept of prettification of Greek literature in the writing of legendary ghost stories. With his perspectives of social anthropology and folklore, he expresses his advocates of scientific thoughts and of the healthy way of life.