中西富贵人家西方奢侈品消费之同步--基于《红楼梦》的考察分析

Parallels in Late 17th and Early 18th Century Chinese and European Consumption of Western Luxury Goods—Based on an Analysis of The Dream of the Red Chamber

16世纪至19世纪初的中国常常被喻为世界的白银蓄池。很多研究在讨论这一时期中西贸易时都倾向于强调商品的西流(商品从中国向欧洲、美洲流动)和白银的东流(白银从欧洲、美洲向中国流动)①,以及中国器物对欧洲社会、经济、文化发展的影响②。

The late 17th and early 18th centuries were the age of the Commercial Revolution in Europe.As a great number of goods flowed into Europe from all parts of the world,the Consumer Revolution was also taking place in Europe.On the one hand,luxury goods from overseas,particularly from China,which were previously consumed only by wealthy Europeans,were becoming cheaper and turning into mass-consumption goods.On the other hand,new luxury goods,which were made in Europe or developed from colonial resources,constantly emerged in the West.As wealthy Europeans were going after luxuries such as mirrors,pendulum clocks,pocket watches,eyeglasses,chandeliers,tobacco snuff,and silverware,etc.,wealthy Chinese were also doing the same.Based on an analysis of The Dream of The Red Chamber,the Jia clan,which can be regarded as a representative of the powerful and wealthy families of late 17th and early 18th century Jiangnan,possessed almost all Western luxuries,including those developed from traditional European manufactory industries such as mirrors,crystal glass,eyeglasses,pendulum clocks,pocket watches,and a model steamboat,etc.,and also those developed from colonial resources such as tobacco snuff,silverwares,and European-made cotton towels,etc.Western luxury goods were highly regarded and appreciated.The long geographical distance and huge cultural differences between China and Europe did not hinder wealthy Chinese from consuming Western luxury goods.