疾病书写的古今演变及现代性转化——以明清和现代小说为例

Historical Evolution and Modern Transformation of Disease as a Literary Motif——A Study of Ming-qing and Modern Fiction

疾病书写是文学的一个重要主题。明清小说中对疾病的描写是神秘的,疾病源于道德的缺失或是无可避免的天命,疾病的治疗当然也与道德的回归或者宗教的救赎相关。随着"五四"思想界对科学和理性的崇尚,传统小说中附在疾病书写上的魅影逐渐消散,疾病作为守旧者的隐喻,在描写上也更符合临床医学的病理特征,疾病的治疗方法和治疗空间的转变,都体现了现代医学在中国的发展。与传统知识分子自信地成为"社会之疾"的诊治者相比,现代小说中常常出现"诊"和"治"的分离,这也在一定程度上标志着现代知识分子的诞生。

Disease is an important literary theme. In Ming-qing fiction, disease was presented in mystery; as it resulted from either moral corruption or destiny, morals and religion were cures of diseases. With science and rationality advocated in May Fourth Period, the mystique of disease was dispelled by brand new descriptions which conformed with pathology and served as a metaphor of conservatives. Changes of cure and space reflected the development of modern medicine in China. While traditional intellectuals always attempted to reform social evils, in modern fiction, as a metaphor of social evils, disease was diagnosed but not treated, which serves as a symbol of the emerging modern Chinese intellectuals.