“蛾眉”“出茧眉”的释义问题

The Explanation Problem About the Meaning of Emei (蛾眉) and Chujianmei (出茧眉)

“蛾眉”之训以《离骚》东汉王逸注为最早,但他提出的“好貌”并非本义。清人训诂好出新,在王逸说的启发下,《诗·卫风·硕人》“螓首蛾眉”中的“蛾眉”相继出现了两种新解:其一,蛾,眉好貌;其二,蛾眉,即娥媌,姣好。但是,无论目验实物还是勘验清人所引的证据,两说皆不可信。“蛾眉”本义即“蚕蛾之眉”,蚕蛾之眉不但整齐、而且“细曲而长”,有“蛾眉”者美丽,故而又引申出了“美丽”“美女”等义。唐宋诗词中的“出茧眉”就是“蛾眉”。古人的“目验”之法,在今天仍是不容忽视的实证性训诂方法。

About the meaning of emei,the Qing dynasty appeared two new explanations:one was good appearance of eyebrow;another was beautiful.These two kinds of new explanations have great influence.But whatever the real visual test or the examination about the literature they cited,these new explanations are not credible.Emei means the eyebrows of silk-moths,and then extends the meanings of beautiful and beauty.In Tang and Song poetry chujianmei is the same as emei.From the explanation of the word,we think that the method of examination by our eyes is still an important and practical method of exegesis in present.