栏目、编辑与类别——《绣像小说》“益智问答”的关联与意义

Columns,Editors and Categories——The Relevance and Significance of Trivia Games in Tapestry Portrait Novel

晚清时期,《绣像小说》"益智问答"一栏刊载了大量从自然科学到人文社会领域的内容,编者企图以此打开国人眼界,从而达到启蒙民智的最终目标.虽然该栏也存在一些不够合理却很吸引眼球的内容,它们道出了"益智"类栏目在科学性和趣味性之间寻找契合点的尴尬,同时也体现了这类栏目鸡肋般的存在.随着编辑思想的变化,该栏最终被取消,但不能否认该类栏目的出现是"中体西用"思想下的一次大胆尝试,也不能否认仁人志士们企图通过"益智"栏目来启发民众、推动社会进步的努力.

In late Qing Dynasty, the Trivia Games, a column in Tapestry Portrait Novel, published many ar- ticles from natural science to humanities and society with an attempt to open people＇s eyesight so as to a- chieve the ultimate goal of enlightenment. Some of its content was not reasonable but very attractive since it aimed to make itself scientific as well as interesting, which seemed embarrassingly like the chicken ribs, things of little value and interest. As the editorial thoughts changed, the column was eventually canceled. However, it can never be denied that the column was a bold attempt of westernized Chinese style, and men and women with high ideals of that time made a great endeavor to enlighten the people and to promote social progress by means of trivia games.