比较蒲松龄与吴敬梓对八股取士态度的差异——以《聊斋志异》和《儒林外史》为代表

A Comparative Study of Pu Song-ling and Wu Jing-zi's Attitudes towards the Eight-part Essay Examination——Strange Tales from Liaozhai and The Scholars as the Representative

蒲松龄的《聊斋志异》和吴敬梓的《儒林外史》中都有很多讨论八股取士制度的章节。在对待八股取士态度上,两者在共同批判八股取士制度的一些弊端的基础上有很多不同之处,可以分三个方面概括:一是分析八股取士的视角不同,蒲松龄着眼于士人而吴敬梓着眼于社会;二是对待八股取士的心态不同,蒲松龄悲愤深沉,吴敬梓冷眼旁观;三是对于八股取士弊端的归因不同,蒲松龄归因到了考官的昏庸和官吏的贪赃枉法,而吴敬梓指出了八股取士制度对士人独立精神的摧残。

There are lots of chapters about Eight-part Essay examination in both works of Strange Tales from Liaozhai by Pu Song-ling and The Scholars by Wu Jing-zi.In dealing with the attitude of Eight-part Essay examination,both are common in the criticism of shortcomings of the examination system.But there are differences in three aspects.Firstly,the perspectives of the analysis are different.Pu Song-ling focuses on scholars and Wu Jing-zi on the community.Secondly,they have different attitudes.Pu Song-ling reveals the fate of all candidates with grief and indignation,while Wu Jing-zi chooses to look coldly from the sidelines.Thirdly,they hold different imputations.Pu Song-ling attributes to the examiner’s muddle-headed behavior and officials taking bribes and twisting the law;and Wu Jing-zi points out that the Eight-part Essay Examination system destroys the independent spirit of the scholars.