“红杏出墙”意象考释——再论古典文学中“墙喻”的阻隔功能

Textual Research on the Image of “Red Apricots Stretching Outside the Wall”: On the Function of the Metaphor “Wall”

"红杏出墙"是当今世俗生活中一个广为人知的俗语,它的意义指向非常明确,即已婚女子婚外情的象征。这个意象首先出现于中晚唐诗歌,诗人先是发现各种事物都有冲破围墙的迹象,后将视角集中到杏花之上。"红杏出墙"经历了"红杏"突破"自然之墙"、"礼教之墙"、"法律之墙"三个阶段。从唐至宋,有许多诗人都描写过"红杏出墙"的意象,到南宋,叶绍翁的诗"春色满园关不住,一枝红杏出墙来"成为一个经典,影响了后来人们对此意象的理解。在唐宋诗词与元明戏曲中,虽然杏花意象逐渐有女性化倾向,但"红杏出墙"仍然只与生命与自由相关,尚未附着已婚女子情感出轨的意义,这一义项的转化是从明清小说的暗示开始的,到了20世纪才演化为一个有明确所指的俗语。从唐宋诗词的诗意创设到近现代的世俗混同,这一意象的意义转换成为传统文化品格降低的一个例证。

＂Red apricots stretching outside the wall＂is a well-known common saying in present secular life with clear meaning about signoras＇ extramarital affairs. This image first emerged in poetry in the middle and late Tang Dynasty. Poets first find various things have a sign to break through the fence and later focus their perspectives on apricots. ＂Red apricots stretching outside the wall ＂ experiences three stages： red apricots stretch through the natural wall,the ethical wall and the legal wall. From the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty,many poets have describe this image and in the Southern Song Dynasty. YE Shao-weng＇s poem about＂spring in garden is full and unveiled,a red apricot stretching outside the wall＂became a classic to influence later generations＇ understanding about this image. In Tang and Song poetry and Yuan and Ming opera,the image of apricots has a female tendency gradually,but ＂red apricots stretching outside the wall＂still has the only relationship with life and freedom without the meaning of signoras＇ extramarital affairs. The transformation begins from the indication of novels of Ming and Qing Dynasties and until the 20 thcentury,＂red apricots stretching outside the wall＂became a clear common saying. However,from poetic creation of Tang and Song poetry to the modern secular mix,the transformation of this image＇s meaning become an example of the traditional cultural character＇s reduction.