“才子书”与“奇书”:美国汉学明清小说研究的两个关键词

Talent Book and Master Pieces: Two Key Words on the Studies of Ming-Qing Novels in American Sinology

异域的学术背景与理论视野使美国汉学明清小说研究具有了全新的研究模式与方法。在西方叙事理论与明清小说评点的双向理论透视中,美国汉学家们逐步建构了"奇书文体"的理论体系。围绕着"才子书"与"奇书"等关键词,他们重新定位了明清长篇小说在中国叙事文学传统中的位置。无论是叙事框架与叙事修辞,还是主题表达模式,白话长篇章回体小说均与宋元通俗文学具有鲜明的差别,清晰地呈现出精英写作的特征,因而理应被认定为文人小说。凭借着扎实的小说文本分析与理论探索,美国汉学在研究理念与方法论上都拓展了明清小说研究的维度。

Against exotic academic and theoretical background, American sinology has formed brand-new research mode and methods towards Ming-Qing novels. Those sinologists have developed the theoretical system of Qishu style in the double perspectives of western narrative theories and Ming-Qing novel comments. Focused on Talent Book and Qishu（Master Pieces）, its position was relocated in the history of Chinese narrative. Chinese vernacular novels clearly present the characteristics of literati writing, and therefore should be redefined as literati novels, which are totally different from Song-Yuan popular literature in narrative structure, rhetoric and theme. Through sturdy textual analysis and theoretical exploration, American sinology has fully promoted studies of Ming-Qing novels.