论“汤沈之争”——昆曲贵族性与市民性的交织

A Discussion about the “Contestation Between Tang Xianzu and Shen Jing”:The Interweaving of Kunqu Opera's Nobility and Commonality

发生在晚明剧坛上的"汤沈之争"是一场深刻的戏曲学术争鸣。表面上是戏剧文学性与戏剧舞台性孰主孰次的争论,其实它有着更为深刻的社会内涵。昆曲兴起时,苏州城市经济业已起飞,市民阶层迅速崛起。沈璟以倡导"本色"而为市民的艺术审美代言,却又以"守律"捍卫了昆曲的贵族品质;汤显祖以崇尚文采固守典雅,却又以破律反沈璟主张而行之。"汤沈之争"显示了昆曲的社会属性—贵族性和市民性之间的对峙、互动与交织。

The “Contestation between Tangxianzu and Shenjing”, which occurred in the later Ming Dynasty’s opera circle, is a profound academic contention about opera. Outwardly, it is a contention about the primacy between literary nature and its stage nature, but it has deeper social connotation inwardly. When Kunqu Opera prospered, the urban economy in Suzhou had already been developed. As a result, civilian stratum rose rapidly.Shen Jing represented the civilian aesthetic standards by initiating “true quality”. Meanwhile, he also upheld Kunqu Opera’s nobility by “defending the rhythm”. Tang Xianzu, on the other hand, stuck to the elegant style by advocating literary grace, but he also held the opposite opinions of “breaking the rhythm” to Shen Jing. The contestation between Tang Xianzu and Shen Jing reflects the social nature of Kunqu Opera—the opposition,interaction and interweaving of nobility and civilian nature.