杨执中原型人物考论

On the Archetype of Yang Zhizhong

杨执中是《儒林外史》中一个性格鲜明且有颇多争议的重要人物,通过出身、经历、科名、家境、癖好、性情等各个方面的比对可以看到,当时在士林中交游广阔且在诗坛颇具声名的诗人王藻应当就是《儒林外史》中杨执中的原型。吴敬梓将王藻诸多方面的个人信息都带入小说并附着在杨执中的身上,同时又在某些方面作出了根本性的改变,最关键的便是对于诗人身份的遮蔽和瓦解。诗人身份的消磨使得杨执中只能徒具名士之表而内里却是一片真空,因此他只能通过种种方式对之进行遮掩,这也带来了人物性格更为复杂而深刻的变化,并进一步增加了这一人物在矛盾而混乱的身份中的困窘与尴尬。

In The Scholars（Ru Lin Wai Shi） , Yang Zhizhong is a major character with a distinctive personality and controversial deeds. From a detailed and scrupulous comparison in terms of family background, career experience, imperial exam ranking, hobbies and disposition, Wang Zao, a contemporarlily reputed poet and well-associated scholar among men of letters, is probably the archetype of Yang Zhizhong. In the novel, Wu Jingzi transfers Wang Zao＇ s personal information to the image of Yang Zhizhong while making fundamental changes in some aspects among which the key point is the removal and disintegration of his poet＇ s identity. Without such an identity, Yang Zhizhong is only a celebrity in appearance but a muddle head within. Thus he can only cover his ignorance by all kinds of pretense. As a result, his character undergoes a complicated and profound change in the novel, enhancing his embarrassment and dilemma in a confusing identity consciousness.