近代早期中西社会中“想象的恐惧”及其制度性阐释——基于《叫魂》和《猎杀女巫》的讨论

“Imagined Scare”in early modern Chinese and Western Societies and their institutional Interpretation: A study based on “Soulstealers”and “Witch Craze”

近代早期中西社会的＂叫魂＂和＂猎杀女巫＂现象既有共性,又有区别。二者在很大程度上都属于社会中＂想象的恐惧＂,会演化成为＂集体性恐慌＂和社会的不安。西方社会中的＂女巫妄想＂与宗教相关,多为针对＂熟人社会＂中的人,而孔飞力笔下的＂叫魂＂现象则基本是基于民间迷信和政治上＂想象的危机＂,多是针对＂熟人社会＂之外的人。近代早期的中西社会都是通过国家权力机制的运作,＂制造＂出＂替罪羊＂来最终解决这类问题,并以法律的形式规定了酷刑的合法性及其在司法程序中的运用,但是,其体制特性和体制思维是不同的。＂叫魂＂事件显现出中华帝国官僚体制的常规权力与皇帝的专断权力之间的紧张关系,而猎杀女巫则体现出当时西方的世俗社会与教会之间的合作关系及其共同的秩序目的。

There are similarities as well as diversities between＂Soulstealers＂and ＂Witch Hunt＂in early modern Chinese and Western societies. To a large extent,＂Soulstealers＂and ＂Witch Hunt＂belong to ＂Imagined Scare＂in a society. They could develop into ＂collective Scare＂and raise social unrest.＂Witch Craze＂in western societies related to religion and aimed mostly at the people in an acquaintance society,but ＂Soulstealers＂researched by Philip A. Kuhn were caused by folk superstition and political imagined crisis. ＂Soulstealers＂aimed mostly at the people outside of an acquaintance society. These two Problems were finally solved by the early modern Chinese and Western societies by means of the power operation system and manufactured scapegoats. The legality of Tortures and their enforcement in judicial procedure were explicitly stipulated in the laws of the Chinese and Western societies. However,the institutional characteristics and thinking between the Chinese and Western societies are different.＂Soulstealers＂embodies the tension between the conventional power of bureaucracy and the absolute power of the ruler. While＂Witch Hunt＂demonstrates a cooperative relationship between the secular society and the church as well as the common order.