《红楼梦》与清代官制

On A Dream of Red Mansions and the Officer Service System of the Qing Dynasty

《红楼梦》虽是隐去了朝代背景的文学创作,但作者有意地在细微处透露真实的朝代背景。从其涉及官制的描写中,便可以看到许多清代官制的内容。以清代制度为本,挖掘《红楼梦》中所提官制的清代痕迹,可以深入到时代背景中更充分地理解其中人物的行止、选择、际遇以及时运命道。以《红楼梦》为例介绍解说清代官制,可以更形象呈现当时制度的具体形制、运作及实施效果。透过这种对《红楼梦》与清代官制的对照解析,既可以一定程度上令《红楼梦》回归其故事所处历史时空下的制度语境,又可以令已经流逝的清代制度获得一种具象的再现,更可以深切领会时代对个人命运的深刻影响。

Although Cao Xue-qin's A Dream of Red Mansions is a literary creation which conceals its historical background, the author intentionally revealed his time in some details. Much can be known about the officer service system of the Qing Dynasty in Cao Xue-qin's writing. Analyzing the official system as represented in A Dream of Red Mansions, we can better understand the characters' behavior, choice, chance and personal destiny embedded in the context of its time. Using A Dream of Red Mansions as an example, we can more vividly show the contents, the operation and the impact of the officer service system at that time. Through this comparison, we can not only return the novel to its historical context, but also concretely present the official system of the Qing Dynasty, and arrive at a better understanding of how historical age affected personal destiny.