张潮小说理论中的尚奇观念考略

A brief research on Zhang Chao's concept of novelty worship

清初知名文人张潮收罗奇异,访幽探奇,从而造就了一部体现他尚奇、嗜奇观念的"奇书"——《虞初新志》。书中诸多作品反映明末清初的现实生活,其中形形色色的人物形象,是张潮尚奇观念的深刻体现。乞丐、妓女和鬼神,成为张潮小说理念最生动的"奇形异象"。好奇尚异是我国古典小说创作的一大美学特点,张潮亦如此,对于"奇""异"的孜孜以求不仅是《虞初新志》的重大特色,也是张潮文艺观最鲜明的特色。张潮的"奇异"观念分为两个层次:所谓"奇",是指天地间的实有的"奇人""奇事",非头脑中凭空捏撰的虚幻之物;所谓"奇",还在于表现手法上的"奇",即艺术处理的独创。

Zhang Chao, a renowned writer in early Qing Dynasty, was very keen on collecting novel tales and visiting secluded and remote places, and this behavior and interest of him lead to an “unusual” book called Yu Chu Xin Zhi, which greatly reflects his concept of novelty worship and addiction. Many writings in the book de-scribe the real lives of people in late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty, among which a variety of different characters have a strong embodiment of Zhang Chao,s worship of novelty. Beggars, whores and ghosts, those “ bizarre characters” strike people as the liveliest in Zhang Chao’s novel theory. Novelty worship and strangeness liking are a significant aesthetic character of Chinese classical novel writing and this applies to Zhang Chao＇s works. The concept of novelty and strangeness not only permeates Yu Chu Xin Zhi, but also represents the most distinct feature of Zhang Chao＇ s literary views. Zhang Chao＇s concept of novelty and strangeness is divided into two different levels. One is the novel people and things existing in the real world rather than in people＇s minds＇ and the other is the novelty in the technique of expression, namely, the novelty of dealing with art.