明代人物画、笔札中的乞丐文化形象论析

On the Cultural Image of Beggars in the Figure Paintings and Letters of the Ming Dynasty

乞丐是社会的边缘群体之一。在明人创作的绘画和笔札中,乞丐除了具有贫贱的一般形象外,还具有孝亲、忠义和罪犯等特殊文化形象。孝亲乞丐的故事见于多部明人著述,其孝行是被刻画的重点。明遗民的著述中记载了多位忠诚于故国的乞丐;明代笔记小说中也有记录一些身具拾金不昧、乐于助人和见义勇为等品德的义丐。有些乞丐为求生存而从事敲诈勒索等违法活动。及至晚明,有文献记载丐首和乞丐团伙的严重恶行。明人对乞丐一般形象的刻画与书写主要是出于怜悯或厌恶的心理;对孝亲、忠义等形象乞丐的书写主要是受时代背景的影响。乞丐有组织犯罪对社会产生巨大危害,也是明清律法对乞丐“采生折割人”施以重刑的主要原因。

Beggars are one of the marginal social groups.With their general image of poverty,there are some special images of filial piety,loyalty and criminals in the figure paintings and letters in the Ming Dynasty.There are many beggar-themed works with an emphasis on their portrait of filial piety in Ming Dynasty.In their writings,the adherents of the Ming Dynasty recorded many beggars who were loyal to their homeland.There are also some righteous beggars who returned the found money,were willing to help others,and acted bravely in the Ming Dynasty.However,Some beggars in the works engaged in illegal and criminal activities.There were historical records of the serious crimes committed by the beggar leader and the beggar gang in the late Ming Dynasty.The general image of beggars are portrayed mainly out of pity or disgust while the images of filial piety and loyalty are mainly influenced by the background of that period.The organized crime of beggars has caused great harm to the society,and that is exactly the reason why the law of the Ming and Qing Dynasties imposed heavy punishment on beggars for“hurting and cutting people s body”.